desire directed her towards the sea, though she refused to tread close enough for the scent of brine and algae to weave their way into her coat.
etched well into the impenetrable wall of her aspiration was a single prospect. he'd been recently engraved there, though she soon hoped others would join her catalogue.
she had her checklist, now she need only the applicants to come waltzing in.
she knew some effort would come of her in this ambition, and so the serpent would plan her course accordingly. she would not linger, she would not beg.
should any man approach who she thought desirable, the chisel would rise, and a figure would be carved into the wall.
Don't mind me .... just gonna toss Ghosty boy at this o .o
There was silence around him. Stillness; aside from the slow breaths of the wind.
This place was different. Ghost wasn't ever opposed to change, but if only he was the one making the most drastic of those changes. Some called him controlling. Too much so, even. But how could a man be called so if he didn't go after what he wanted, and take charge when he knew he was capable?
In this new land, he hadn't a single thought of what he wanted. But what came to him on an open platter, he would take without hesitation. So long as it served its purpose, of course.
wind blew, and desire manifested.
she sipped the breeze like a strong whiskey, drinking in the flavor of the figure that loomed near. male. healthy.
this was all she needed to know to pique her interest. toes spun in a pirouette, and in the next moment she was off, slithering near to catch a peak of heavenly physique. when his figure began to materialize and she could properly evaluate his physical appearance, her pace stopped and nose tipped upwards in scrutinizing judgment.
the checklist in her mind was unveiled, and one by one the boxes were ticked.
A shift in the air, then new scents.
He was not alone here.
Whirling to face the direction in which the figure came toward, the beast bared his teeth, chin lifted high in warning.
He didn't particularly enjoy being approached without warning, and would make this known to whomever dared.
a flash of fangs did little to unnerve her. yet she would not test the ire of a man twice her size. a step backwards, a narrowing of eyes.
he was well fashioned for winter and left her to think he might be of a local pack, but no stories were told amongst his scent.
neck lowered to hover just above the ground, a breath blown into the dusting of snow.
she dealt the cards for him to approach or depart.
He could have easily left her, then and there. But something drew him closer.
As for what, he did not know.
Yet.
With her head lowered—in what he hoped to be understanding of his position in her presence—she was no longer a challenger, but an interest. One in which he intended to pursue by any and all means available to him.
Close, now, he inched his nose forward, taking in a whiff. Her scent was unlike many he'd tasted upon his tongue, and it enclosed him within the bars of its cage.
Slow, tantalizing, he circled. A predator surveying his prey.
She could fight him, or she could withstand it. Maybe even request that he take it further? The latter he would allow, and maybe even encourage. But never would he cross the bounds of forcing her into an unwanted act.
he played his cards, and she remained steadfast.
where he might have looked to her through a window of lust, she looked to him only for the potential in what he might offer her.
strong jawline, favorable height, delicious muscles, good health. she made a note of each of his features and placed him tentatively above dutch in her early rankings.
her crown rose as he neared, nose twitching with the wind.
he was in her favor, up until he began to circle her like she were a rabbit caught in the line of a huntsman.
nephele was accustomed to being small in comparison to the rest of the world, but feeling small was not on her list of enjoyable experiences.
as soon as an opening presented itself, she sought to dart clear of his circling and bound away a few paces.
Lip slowly curling as she darted past him, a low, warning rumble rose in his throat.
With no desire to leave space between them, he advanced again. But learning from his past mistake, he made no move to circle her again. He'd gotten enough of what he wanted the first time.
Tentative, he drew close to her flank. Touching his muzzle to her spine, he tested what bounds she might let him cross without repercussion.
he advanced yet again, and the fur along her spine prickled to alert quills. she restrained herself from lunging directly at his face, lips crinkled in a distinct threat.
it was only upon his touch that she spun to let jaws snap at the air between them. what he likely sought would be given, but only when her season came upon her.
tail curled upwards to amplify her height, absinthe eyes narrowed as she considered her words.
"what is your name," she demanded.
He expects her teeth, and is quick to move away. While many scars litter his body, he is not too eager to add an angered woman's to that list.
Ghost.
His answer to her query is clipped and cold in tone. He is not a wolf of warmth, and never has been.
Despite his wants, he would not change his demeanor for any form of favor. If she finds no contentment in him this way, she will gain nothing, and he will depart.
But so far, she does not dismiss him. He takes this as a good sign.
ghost.
she gave a click of her tongue, a curl of sinister lips. she thought his name befitting for his appearance, and let a porcelain tail sway with pleasure at his obedience of her demand.
chin tipped upwards in contemplation, a low hum rumbling from her chest.
"you will find me here after the last snow melts and the days turn warm."
a teasing step forward, a dance of schemes.
"you will have what you thirst for then," she declared with bold assumption of his desires.