Her trip to the cavern was the farthest she had gone from Broken Boulder since Ali had left again; now, nearly a week later, she dared to go further. Alarian's absence had given her itchy feet. Why should he get to go galloping off and leave her stuck handling everything and everyone?

He wasn't the only one who liked to run around.

And run she did, flying across the open land and past the mountains and glaciers, the grotto that she and Ali had visited, her feet finally bringing her to a charred rise. The trees were blackened, brush gone. Lily stared in wonderment as her eyes--so like the fire that once brought this place to its knees--raked her surroundings, finally landing on a tall stranger nearby.

"Hey," she called out, disarmed by the burnt-out emptiness of the ridge, trotting up and toward him. So fascinated she was that she completely lost herself, and came to a halt just a few tail-lengths from the man, head tilted, blinking at him. "Boy, this place sure is sad," she remarked, frowning.

While she waited for his response, Lily looked at him in admiration. He was handsome, blessed with a beautiful pelt of golds and browns, blacks and creams, and had a really trim figure. It didn't take much to sweep her off her feet, and without a word, the male had already done so.

His response brought a smile to her face, and she nodded slowly, looking around. "Yes, I suppose you're right," Lily remarked, catching a verdant glimpse here and there. It was quite lovely, to see life growing from death. Still, it wasn't a place that she was eager to find herself in more often than she had to be.

Lily cast her eyes demurely down at his nickname, grinning cheekily. "You tell me," she shot back, laughter in her voice. Her gaze sparkled with mirth. "I'm just exploring. Looking for fun things to do." She dipped her muzzle in greeting, tail gently waving behind her. "I'm Lily."

Little blackbird. She liked the sound of that, and supposed she'd remember it forever. No one had ever given her such a nickname--she'd always been "dear" or "love" to her parents, and "darling" to Freddie. Sweet, but generic. This seemed more personal.

Lily pursed her lips in a soft hum, thinking. "Well, there's a beautiful grotto just north of here, although it's a pain in the arse to get down to," she added, laughing as she remembered how long it had taken Ali and her to descend those steps. "Erm, past that, a glacier, some mountains. . .my home lies at the edge of a dark forest."

She smiled. "I hear the sea is close, too. I've never seen it," she admitted, a bit wistfully. Oh, how lovely would it be for this handsome man to sweep her away, take her to see the waves she'd heard about in stories but had never laid eyes upon. "Have you?" she asked, tilting her head in inquiry.

She knew she couldn't linger too long, that she needed to get back to Broken Boulder eventually. Lily, again, cursed Alarian inwardly for his short-sightedness.

Yes, the description he gave her held true to all of Daddy's tales--wild and vast, vaster than even the plains of her homeland. It sounded such a lovely place, and for a long moment, she weighed his invitation. It would be so easy to go with him, travel and lay eyes upon the sea for the first time, and get to know this man that had captured her attention from first glance.

It would be easy. . .but it wouldn't be fair. She thought of Lanawyn, back home, minding the pack in the wake of Alarian's absence. After complaining about their situation, she would be no less than a hypocrite for going off with Dirge without word. It wasn't like she was an essential part of the operations at the Sanctuary, not with Lana there--but she would be going against her own previously stated opinions, and that wasn't the way she wanted to present herself.

Blinking ruefully at Dirge, she shook her head, frowning. "Believe me, I would love to go," Lily stressed. She gave a little sigh. "But I'm needed, back home. My leader is away right now, and I'm helping to keep things together there." She wagged her tail, gaze turning hopeful. "But perhaps I could come seek you out, when everything is settled. . .?" Her voice was tentative, questing.

Oh, hell. Was he flirting with her? She couldn't tell. Growing up with siblings and cousins, Lily had never really been in a flirty situation before, though she'd dreamed of it for so long. Lennon had flirted, but then, Lennon had flirted with everyone. She smiled nervously, licking her dark lips before speaking, voice a little tremulous.

"Well, I didn't come out here expecting you, that's for sure," Lily giggled, eyes glimmering. She blinked softly up at him. "But I suppose it's not so bad. I can see you're thinking of something; what sort of fun did you have in mind?"

It was a clumsy, coy dance by an inexperienced coquette, and she knew there was a chance that he could find it, and her, completely stupid, and leave. Lily hoped she was cute enough to convince him to stay. She did enjoy the male's company a great deal, even if she had no idea what to do with him at the moment.

A mingled feeling of excitement and panic overcame her at his words, given so smoothly, and she felt her stomach do flip-flops. Yeah, she had never been in this scenario before. She racked her brain, desperately trying to remember if Freddie or Dottie had ever given her any flirting tips. Oh, surely Fred must have said something to her!

Think, Lily, think.

Touch them. A light, playful touch will let them know you're interested. But don't touch too much--leave them wanting more. As if by magic, Freddie's sultry voice floated through her ears, and her eyelids fluttered in joy.

Her smile grew wider, more sly, as she reached up her muzzle to brush his cheek, then brought her lips to his ear. "Oh, I am quite content with your decisions," Lily murmured, the faintest hint of laughter in her voice. "I quite think we're on the same page, actually." She pulled away, but only just--leaving just inches between their faces as she stared at him, her expression guileless.

She wanted him to touch her. The closeness of him was agonizing, sending a feeling coursing through her she hadn't felt before. Her belly was tight; she felt as if she were drifting, her paws skimming the blades of grass beneath her. Her tail shifted without her willing it, lifting slightly. She let loose a shuddering sigh.

"Yes," Lily responded, her voice barely a breath. She stepped forward, and past him, pressing her body along his as she passed. The feeling of his pelt, and the warm skin beneath, against hers sent her into ecstacy, and it was with some difficulty that she parted, padding on before stopping a tail-length or two away.

She craned her head to look coyly over her shoulder, eyes searching for his warm gaze. Waited for him to make the first move, every hair erect in anticipation.

He came to her swifter than she expected, and it was only seconds after she felt him move that his body engulfed hers, arms wrapping round her to pull her close. Lily's breaths came in short puffs, excitement and fear all at once, and she felt a sharp, sudden pain that then left her breathless. Her legs trembled, bearing his weight.

Relax. The more tense you are, the more it will hurt.

Again, Freddie's advice came to her, and she forced herself into a state of calm, letting it flow from her head down her legs to her toes, through her stomach. . .ah. That was better. The pain was not gone but changed, intermingled with things like desire and anticipation. A smile grew slowly on her muzzle, stretching until she grinned like a thief, one who's successfully carried out their mission.

Her eyelids fluttered and she gave into Dirge, forgetting herself entirely.

When it was all said and done, she didn't know quite how to feel. Pleased, sure. A little sore. . .definitely. Ultimately, though, her head was in the clouds. None of it had seemed real. And now that he came to cuddle up to her, she returned his embrace--but there was a look in her eyes that suggested she was a thousand miles away, buried in her own head.

"I-I've never done that before," she remarked softly, laughing in utter bemusement. She looked over and up at him, struggling to fully meet his gaze. A warm flush rushed through her once more, and she dipped her muzzle shyly. "That was. . .that was nice."

Truthfully, she'd never known what to expect. Mum had given her the talk, sure, but it hadn't gone into specifics. Man sticks it in, babies come out later. Panic gripped her momentarily--oh god, she was pregnant now, right?--until she remembered the vital second part of that speech. A woman has to be ready, and in heat. It feels much different than anything before, the heat.

She was almost positive she'd never been in heat, and wasn't now. Lily was still on edge, but she let out a little puff of relief from her pursed lips, shoulders sinking. She instead focused on the sensations he'd created, a grin creeping over her muzzle again. She looked back at him.

"Was that, erm, good for you?" she asked, a little hesitantly.

She looked pleased as punch at his compliment, grinning up at him with sparkling eyes. His following remark brought her down to earth, but only slightly; she felt like she was floating above the ground, weightless and serene. Lily shrugged, closing her eyes in contentment as he groomed the fur by her ear.

"Rather a pity, yes," she murmured. Her eyes opened once more, trying to meet his gaze (though it was difficult, with how close he was to her). "Perhaps we'll meet again someday, though." Maybe he'd even seek her out. It seemed too good to be true, like a fairy tale. . .but one never could tell. She tried to rein back her emotions, but already she was head over heels for the man--just as she'd been for Lennon.

Who'd left. Lennon had left. And never returned again.

"The sea," Lily whispered, a note of wistfulness entering her voice. "I'll look for you by the sea." For she knew that if she found this man again, he would not only have her body--but her heart and soul, as well. And that was dangerous, indeed.