What was she doing?
The huntress wandered aimlessly through the Glen. She'd planned to continue toward the coast, but turned further inland instead. Assuming no one from Moonspear would attack her for lingering, Ying settled for an evening with the fireflies.
his feet led him further from the coast with each step, his curiosity for the land blooming the moment he caught sight of the glowing bugs. they'd been nonexistent where he'd grown up, the environment not favoring the species. so it was almost a bit magical to see the lighting bugs dance through the evening breeze, their movements still slow and sluggish from their winter hibernation.
curious as to what light might taste like, he snapped at the air, jaws clamping shut on a few of the glowing bugs. unsurprisingly, they did not taste good and he almost immediately began to spit them back out. as fate would have it, amphitrite was only a short ways off and her movements naturally caught the sable ghoul's attention. "hey" he chirped as he jogged up to her, tail swaying happily behind him. "do i got bugs in my teeth?" he asked once close enough, lips peeling back to flash her a toothy smile.
She quickly turned and walked toward him. It hadn't been long since she'd last seen the mink, but she missed him. Ying lowered her hindquarters into a squat and pushed her nose into his teeth, closely examining the array. No bugs
, she assured him, but very stinky breath.
Her paw waved in front of her snout — pee-yew! — but dropped soon after as she settled onto her belly. Ying was still tired; his conversation was welcome, but only on the condition that he not try anything.
"oh?" he asked with a tilt of his head. "maybe i'll go chew on some herbs" he thought aloud as he fell to his hindquarters. he knew next to nothing about plants, but figured anything that smelt good would do the trick to get his chompers minty fresh.
"been on anymore adventures?" he wondered as he pulled up an inky paw to begin grooming. "i have. climbed to the top of that mountain over there" he revealed with a motion of his head that pointed to silvertip's peak.
Don't die.
Ying's knowledge of herbs was incredibly limited, but she knew that some could be deadly. I will be bored.
There would always be other men, but none which might satisfy. Surprisingly, Ying hadn't invited anyone else to bed since meeting the mink.
Her eyes wandered to the mountain. She smiled and nodded her head, asking: Is it fun?
Climbing seemed like it might be an interesting activity, though Ying wasn't keen on trying anytime soon. I am always moving. Like to see new things, and stuff.
"i'll try not to" he answered with a wink, though took her advice seriously. his mother had dabbled in herbs and poisons and he knew vaguely of the dangers of their existence. but eh, he'd worry about not dying later.
"kinda?" he answered with a shrug. "it might have been a bit more fun if i hadn't been alone." the view was definitely worth the climb, but that didn't make the actual hiking itself any more enjoyable. "me too. so much to see and so little time to see it."
She didn't mind the idea of a travel partner. We will go on an adventure together
, Ying assured him, If you can go any place, where is it?
Anywhere warmer than here, somewhere winter didn't exist... she wanted to feel the sun at all times, from morning into the night. While awaiting his response, she breathed a soft sigh.
They had built some trust since their first meeting. She felt more comfortable being around him, comfortable enough to reveal: My name is Ying.
Her eyes darted from the snow up toward his face, hoping that he might extend the same courtesy.
he smiled at her idea of them going on an adventure together, imagining her to be enjoyable company for long or short trips. "anywhere?" he asked while tipping his head skyward, wondering where his dream location might be. "i guess it would be an active volcano" he answered before parting his lips once more "there is supposed to be one in these wilds, or at least that's what i've heard."
rumors of the volcano here had been his reasoning for entering the teekons to begin with. "astaroth" he introduced officially, tail giving a friendly swish behind him as he practiced name in his head.
Can you take me?
She remembered their prior conversation, and wondered what it might be like to see the dragon in-person. Mei would be just as excited, though for different reasons; maybe the sisters could take the trip, too. We can find it.
It didn't sound like the mink knew where it might be, but that wasn't cause to scrap the idea.
Ying smiled. As-tar-oth
— the syllables were foreign, but she enjoyed the flow — I like Xiaochou more, but this is okay.
She stared at him for a moment, eyes lingering over the shapes of his face. Ying realized that he was quite attractive; though not handsome, Astaroth was an impressive man.
You are pretty. You know?
"of course", he answered to her question on whether she could join him. the more the merrier. "birds tell me it's by a glacier, but that is my only clue on it's location." winter made everything appear as if it were a glacier to him, and so he hoped with spring and snowmelt that finding the fuming mountain might be a bit easier.
"you may call me either" he let out in response to her favor of xiaochou. he did not mind the name she'd given him, and if called by it, he'd answer. as for her compliment - "i am?" he asked while looking himself over. he'd always thought himself painfully average, at least appearance wise. "you are much prettier than me though" he decided after a few quick glances between them.
The birds would know better than anyone. It almost made Ying feel bad; she'd been catching and eating Astaroth's informants for months. I don't really like ice. Maybe we will go when it's warmer?
She looked up at him expectantly, eyes wide as a silent beg.
I know I am pretty.
Ying stood and stretched, then walking to Astaroth's side. I am the prettiest girl ever.
Though her tone was confident, the smile on her maw communicated her humor.
"i'm not a fan of the cold either" he revealed, a summer baby through and through. "why don't we go searching when the flowers have bloomed?" he suggests with a tilt of his head, wondering if she was up for some spring exploring.
"i don't know" he teased, a toothy grin stretching it's way across his maw. "if i was a girl i might be prettier." he had full confidence that he'd totally rock being a chic, shaking them hips like shakira and shit.
Unfortunately, spring wasn't the best season for unsupervised adventures. Her heat hadn't come yet, and she knew that it was only a matter of time. Hydra would have (hopefully) found someone before the time came, but if not, Ying was content to spend her time alone.
She lifted a brow and nipped at Astaroth's ear. It maybe isn't a good idea
, Ying warned, We go too soon, babies might come from fun.
Flings were ideal because they didn't come with any consequences...as long as they watched their timing, that is.
it took him a moment to understand what she'd meant by the whole babies thing, but eventually the lightbulb went off and he let out a sudden "oh" at the realization. he had no intentions of having children this year and promptly decided that spring was in fact a poor season to travel.
"summer then?" he suggested instead, tail giving a flick as he thinks of a signal they could use to know when it was time to travel. "when the fawns are born?". assuming she was still going on her small adventures inland, it would be easy for both of them to tell when they should meet up.
Summer. Do I have to wait to see you?
The warmer months sounded ideal, but she didn't want to wait until then before reuniting. They so often did this — meeting and breaking apart — but in truth, Ying was losing interest in their routine. She was still wary of bringing him back home, and that was unlikely to change. Ying moved to rest her head against the nape of his neck, nipping suggestively at his fur should their conversation reach its end.
"you can see me anytime you want" he let out, a low purr vibrating in his chest at her touch. their relationship was easy and without labels or expectations, both free to come and go as they please. he'd never placed a limit on her time with him, figuring she would seek him out whenever she sought fit.
he had missed her though, and found some comfort in her scent and touch just as he had before along the beach that night.
Fade?
Astaroth seemed to always appear at the right time. A small part of Ying wondered if he was just an apparition, something she'd dreamt up for comfort. He made her feel comfortable, unafraid; she feared that one day he might disappear, leaving her to mourn their friendship in his wake. She pulled away and exhaled deeply, her breath still close enough to part his fur.
The things that she was feeling didn't matter. Their relationship hinged on one mutual agreement: no-strings, just sex. Ying bounded a few steps away, stricken by newfound energy. Apprehension might have been clear in her gait.
Once far enough, she knelt down and swayed her tail, inviting him to give chase.
sounds good!
he knew eventually their time together, their secret, would come to an end. either she'd fall in love with someone else or he'd fall in love with someone else, but one way or another their relationship had a time limit. it saddened him a bit to think of their future as anything less than what it was now. a friend he'd always be, but selfishly he wished to remain as more.
he drew in a breath as she pulled away, honeyed eyes watching her prance a few paces off before invite him to follow - which he did. a smile spread across his features, sly and mischievous as always as he stood and bounded after her, content to enjoy the evening in the company of her and the fireflies.