Verdant Basin she may have died; we're looking into it.

Verdant Basin she may have died; we're looking into it. - Printable Version

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she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 04, 2018

Following Bat was laughably easy for Artaax. She was not great at masking her trail. He could've taught her, had she chosen to remain amongst those he regarded with favor, but she had spat on his kindness and his willingness to claim her as family. She had chosen this path instead - the path of a natrona. Yet, it still didn't quite stick in his mind. Bat may have screamed obscenities at him and fled, but he still didn't fully consider her responsible for her own action. Somewhere in his mind, he knew that she was just a child, and children were super stupid. She couldn't be blamed for how intensely moronic her youth made her. There was still a chance his hopes weren't in vain, that he could bring them all back home and somehow all would be forgiven and they could just be a family again. The way they were meant to be.

Not that he cared or anything.

The feisripa lifted his head from the ground, satisfied that Bat's trail was still apparent enough that he could step away without having to worry that he'd lose it. His stomach was rumbling eagerly and the scent on the wind told him he was near to a large body of water. He diverted from his path in pursuit of the lake, hopeful that it would hold some sort of water fowl that he could nab for an early morning snack. Snow was still falling quietly around him, which he was grateful for as it helped him blend with his surroundings. He squinted his eyes to hide the vibrancy of his mismatched irises as he fell into a hunter's posture and picked up his pace.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 04, 2018

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Maegi and Colt had bolted down the Southern side of the plateau through the floodplains, but the smell of the bog nearby was too thick for her to be able to track down a scent that went anywhere beyond it. She circled, criss-crossing through the muck and mire until she was caked all the way past her ankles in the foul smelling sludge before heading for the basin and hoping to pick up their tracks there. Her heart in her throat, Niamh travelled with indecision constantly yelling at her to go back to the pack...But if she did that, she'd have to face Quixote again- and something about that sent anxiety rippling through her. She couldn't do it; and she couldn't lose another loved one by simply waiting for them to never come back.

Along her way, she caught Rory's scent and found herself passing along it, wondering if maybe the scout might have crossed paths with Colt or Maegi...But as soon as she was able to see a set of tracks, she noticed that they were actually headed in the direction of the Plateau, rather than away from it...And the scent was mildly older than it would need to be for her to have seen Colt. Cursing herself, Niamh pushed forward, but froze when she saw a pale figure in the distance, head down, in hunting pose- heading in her direction. It took her a few moments to catch the hue of his eyes, where he had them squinted- but when she did, she wasn't sure whether she should fear him or hate him.

It wasn't Maegi- but aside from the lack of sooty legs and facial disfigurement, he could have easily been a sibling of hers, considering the hue of his pelt and the unique shade of his eyes. It didn't occur to her yet that he was hunting Rory down- it was his uncanny resemblance to Maegi that made her curl her lip and square her posture, taking a few stiff steps toward him. Teeth chattering together, she uttered a high pitched, somewhat nervous sounding growl to command his attention, and authoritatively curled her tail over her back. He had to be related to Maegi; there was no way this was a coincidence.

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RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 05, 2018

It seemed grabbing a quick meal was not in the cards for him that day. No sooner had he begun his hunt than he was stopping and turning to watch an incredibly good-looking but incredibly angry-looking female approaching him with a weird, yippy growl and posture that screamed ima make you dead. Artaax shifted his own posture into one that showed nuetrality, quirking a single brow over his bright orange eye at her. The display wasn't exactly alarming to him, but he was rather curious as to how he had so quickly offended this beauty.

A deep drag of air told him two things - First, he was not trespassing on claimed land as far as he could tell. Second, the was a Redhawk. His eyes narrowed at that realization. Had Bat made it back to her new pack already and told them about his threat? Was she there to defend his sister against him? How freaking stupid. He wouldn't actually harm his own blood. It was just a motivational tactic that had apparently backfired.

Or maybe she was here because the Redhawks had already been put on alert to watch out for Drageda and drive them off. Knowing who it was that would've made that warning... that stung.

"Something I can do for you," Artaax said in his usual soft monotone. He didn't strike a defensive pose against her, but he didn't need to yet. After all, if she came at him, it would've been like throwing a spaghetti noodle at a tank. Did the tank really need to prepare for that?

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 06, 2018

As soon as he looked up and revealed more of his gaze to her she stiffened. His eyes were the same shade as Maegi’s...But beyond that and the shade of his pelt, the resemblance faded there. She inhaled his scent, and could find no trace of Blackfeather on him- though Niamh had yet to realize that Maegi was the first Blackfeather wolf she’d met and she had smelled like swamp. Her ears relaxed, for in those mismatched eyes she saw no demon, and in the softness of his slight frown she didn’t see any malice. She huffed for a moment, but took a moment to cool it.

He spoke, and his voice was low and devoid of fluctuation, almost as though he was bored of her. She stopped staring him down then, and looked him over. It would have been foolish for her to launch into attack mode against him; it was like looking at fur-coated statue, and something about his toned shoulders made something in her abdomen twinge. She tried to shake it off, and lowered her tail.

”Sorry. You look a lot like someone who just trespassed on my packlands,” She said, gritting out words that weren’t necessarily true, but fit the situation well enough. ”Don’t see eyes like yours often,” She said, but her voice hitched slightly. Didn’t Sequoia have mismatched eyes too? How strange it was to see three wolves with odd eyes in so short a timespan.

She nodded to him, then, forcing herself to snap her eyes back to his face rather than admiring his frame. What was it with her? She didn’t look at males this way! But the clench in her abdomen didn’t go away. ”What’re you looking for?” She said, and found herself incapable of avoiding punctuating her statement with a sassy flick of her tail.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 08, 2018

The girl relaxed shortly upon getting a better look at Artaax. Apparently she was not there to defend Bat, which was nice, but also it meant Wildfire had not placed a target on his back, which was actually a relief. Curiously, he turned his attention to the stranger, intrigued by who she had thought he was. I don't remember what the mark is called or where it is on his body.. shoulder maybe? But he almost felt it twinge at the memory of the trespasser he had killed in order to earn the mark. He had been so young, but he had not hesitated to do what he had to to protect his family.

Least, that's how he remembered it.

His thoughts were interrupted by her comment about his eyes. He felt his stomach twist in a not entirely unpleasant way and he found himself smiling one of his smiles that didn't actually show anywhere upon his face. "I kill trespassers," he said softly - his way of reassuring her that he was not one himself and that he understand completely her reaction to him. Artaax himself likely would have stopped only after the killing had been done. Dead bodies were far easier to inspect than live ones, after all.

Fortunately, he kept the rest of that commentary inside of his head. "I'm following my sister," he answered, "She abandoned us and now it seems she calls herself a Redhawk." Artaax's eyes glittered as he watched for the girl's reaction, his chest still buzzing with that inexplicable intrigue.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 08, 2018

What Artaax had said, and the proud, casual eay he’d said it might make others think he was deranged. Niamh, on the ther hand, issues keeping herself from flinging herself at him. Her ears quivered slightly, and her admiration showed on her features. See? Other wolves felt the same way about trespassers as she and Towhee did...So why, then, did she get the feeling she’d be punished when she returned for treating the Blackfeather stranger the way she had?

He mentioned a sister becoming a Redhawk, but Niamh wanted to hear more about him. She moved closer, but had to reign in the impulse begging her to get close enough to touch him. ”Where are you from?” She asked then, fondness in her tone. Maybe his home was more suited for her than the Redhawks...No- she couldn’t think that. ”And...Who are you?”

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 08, 2018

She seemed surprisingly disinterested in the fact that her pack was holding his sister. It seemed she only cared to learn more about him, which had instantly won her all of the bonus points. Never before had a female shown him so much interest. At least, not of this kind. He'd been emphatuated with Rose since he was a pup, but she had barely ever looked at him. It was an electrifying feeling, and it was making him way too pleased with himself.

"Artaax Drakru," he answered, stepping tentatively closer to her, "Fesiripa of Drageda." Little did he know he actually held no rank whatsoever with Drageda, but it was better that he didn't. He felt pride in his rank, and he casually trying to impress this woman. "What may I call you?" he asked, nonchalantly trying to make it sound as though it would be an honor for him to be allowed to know her name. Which let's be real, he was hella worshipping this beautiful girl at that moment, so he was kind of feeling as though it would be.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 08, 2018

Enigmatically, he stepped forward as he introduced himself, and she knew then what he was talking about- but how could Bat be related to this fellow? She simply leapt to that conclusion, of course, but there was no resemblance whatsoever. Niamh liked Rory and thought she had cute qualities- but te young female was awefully gawky and disproportionate, and this fellow, well...He was the picture of health and prosperity. She dwelled perhaps a bit on the last one.

Nice to meet you, Artaax,” She greeted him warmly, having no idea that he actually intended to drag his sister back to Drageda with him. She assumed, of course, that things were still quite hunky dory between the two packs- and would continue to ride on that assumption which was likely the best plan. ”I’m Niamh, Beta of the Redhawks.” She said. But two things there were slightly askew- the first was the fact that she didn’t know if she was still beta and the second was that she didn’t slip in her surname- as she had no idea which one she should say. ”I’ve visited Drageda before...I hope all is well with your pack,” She said. As far as she was aware, their alliance still existed. ”You just here to visit Rory? She’s been doing very well in her apprenticeship; I’m actually grateful you sent her to apprentice with us.” She said.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 08, 2018

Artaax felt his admiration growing as she announced her own name and title. He had always thought the ranks the common packs gave themselves were laughably stupid. He'd scoffed at the idea of some low-blooded wolf deeming himself alpha and commanding a following of other low bloods, all pretending to have even a sliver of the power and prestige of the Dragedakru. But somehow, coming from Niamh, it struck him as endearing, and he stepped a little closer once more. "I'm sorry I missed you on your first visit," he said softly, "But I'm glad fate saw fit to rectify that error."

He was well on his way to spending the next twenty minutes to twenty years simply admiring the beautiful golden Redhawk when she spoke again, and he came quickly back to reality. His brows furrowed in puzzlement as she spoke of Rory and allowing her to apprentice with them. As though one of Drageda could possibly benefit from being educated by a common pack, and as though he knew who Rory was. After a moment, the name clicked into place and a picture began to paint itself in his head.

"We did not send her," Artaax said smoothly, "She abandoned Drageda without our knowledge. I've come to take her home. Though she is being... difficult about it." He felt annoyance blister his good spirits over dwelling on Bat's stupidity. He wanted to get back to the admiring each other and the flirting, though he had no idea how to accomplish that.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 08, 2018

Well now he sure was smoothe. She felt herself pulled toward him, a sizzle seeping into her eyes and a ripple flitting down her spine when he apologized for having not seen her before. She felt the same way- wait, no she didn’t, she was a married woman... wasn’t she? She couldn’t help herself though, and a coy smile found its way onto her lips. ”As am I,” She practically purred, surprising herself with how endearingly she spoke. It was intoxicating- being so close to someone who she thought felt the same. And she wanted nothing more than to throw all caution to the wind and enjoy his company in as many ways as she could.

But there was still business to attend to- and she finally found out the truth that Rory had lied. Her ears flicked forward with surprise, and then back with regret. Running away had likely made the Drageda wolves both concerned and mad. ”I’m sorry- we didn’t know...She’s pretty convincing,” She said. None of them had doubted her when she’d come to join them. Naturally, Rory fit in well with the Redhawks, and apparently he’d already seen her and she’d not wanted to go back. They were all fond of her too- and she remembered, then, the talk she’d had with Rory about Tegan, and she smiled softly.

”I think she’s become a bit...Attached, to a few of the wolves here...One in particular,” She said. ”She’s certainly not worn out her welcome so we would be sad to see her go- but, I understand,” She said. ”You must have been worried, if she ran off without any explanation,” She said. ”I hope it’s at least some comfort to know that she’s healthy and thriving.”

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 08, 2018

Artaax could tell she was surprised by the revelation. He felt a bit embarassed for his sister's actions, so he shook his head at her apology. It was in no way her fault, nor that of the Redhawks. She was beyond fault. She was flawless. And just like that, he found himself gazing appreciatively at her once again, even as she prattled on about something he wasn't paying too much attention to now. Which really was a good thing, considering the only way he could've responded was to inform Niamh that to stay would make Bat a natrona - a traitor to Drageda. Though his threat to kill her had been a bluff on his part, that didn't necessarily mean it was not Drageda's tradition to kill natrona. Bat risked herself and the rest of the Redhawks by staying with them, and Artaax was more than ever feeling very much like he did not want anything to happen to them.

"I can see how she may have found herself feeling attached," he answered simply, his eyes glimmering now. Were this a black and white movie from the 50s, this would be the part where the smooth jazz began to play and Artaax offered her a cigarette while sipping scotch. They were wolves though, and silver-tongued as Artaax was in that moment, he was very uncertain of how to keep this moving forward towards the end he was craving. The dance was very different from the one he'd danced with Furi all those months ago. That had been more like a scientific experiment, and Artaax had been driven by curiousity more then hormones.

This was aaaaallllll hormones though. Raging ones. And hormones apparently made the situation far more precarious than it had been with Furi, mostly because now he actually wanted the prize when before, he'd just wanted to know what it was.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 08, 2018

Niamh gave Artaax a good side-eye now that he approached, knowing what it was that he wanted. She, too, craved it- but at the same point, hazard made her hackles stand on end and she bared her teeth slightly, lips twitching as she revealed the lonely lower canine on the left side of her face. It was a mild threat- but she chose not to stare him down as she also wanted to invite his advances. She wanted to see him up close and test him just to see how much fight he had in him.

She angled herself slightly so that they weren’t directly facing one another, and so her posture might seem somewhat inviting. The tip of her tail waved, but aside from that, her form was rigid, and she uttered a low, sultry warning note- just to see what he would do when given both signals.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 08, 2018

Her reaction made him pause in his tracks, momentarily bewildered. He apparently had made the wrong move here, for she was suddenly showing aggression instead of mutual admiration. Artaax hesitated, watching her anxiously. After a beat, he saw the invitation in her challenge, and instantly the low burn reached a fever pitch. He felt torn between the two opposite signals she was sending him, but his gut was clear with him on what signal he wanted to obey. He was just going to have to be careful about this.

Artaax's tail swayed as he bowed his head, flashing his own teeth briefly before attempting to step nearer to her. His muscles tensed as he hesitated again, his eyes sparkling with unabashed interest. This all felt so delicate, and yet it also felt playful. And hell, Artaax had no idea how to do this right, and so he gave up on that front. He moved by instinct, approaching her with his nose outstretched towards her hopefully, wanting to breathe in her scent from up close and seeing no other way to accomplish that than by just trying.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 09, 2018

He paused, and for a moment she felt that she had the upper hand. He was wary of her, at least- as she thought he should be. Of course, her invincibility complex les her to believe that she was in no danger, and she was reassured by his pause that he didn’t want to hurt her- he simply wanted her. But Niamh was no simple catch, patrially because of her pride but also because of the crippling indecision that held her in one place, screaming to run away. She wanted Artaax- but she also wanted him to back off. But if he would just come a bit closer...

And he did. Tentatively, reaching out with his fine muzzle not to touch but to smell. She did the same, then, her lips peeling back slightly as their whiskers touched as they took in each other’s scent. Her senses were tingling with anticipation which grew until she couldn’t handle it. She suddenly snapped- clicking her jaws together with a savage clack, though she pointedly avoided touching him. She froze again, to take in his reaction to her sudden threat.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 09, 2018

Niamh allowed him to come closer, and for a few blissful seconds, he thought he was totally in. His nose came near to hers and he breathed her scent in deeply, letting is saturate his lungs and cloud his judgment even further. She smelled heavenly... Like cattails and spring rain and honeycombs - all things he never realized prior to this second how much he appreciated. He leaned further, wanting desperately now to touch her, but it was in that moment her mood changed again.

Artaax pulled back about an inch from the sudden snap of her jaws. He felt his hackles prickle at the ready, but he stopped himself from fully falling back into a defensive pose. If Niamh thought the threat would deter him, she was unfortunately quite wrong in that. Artaax had grown up in the care of extremely powerful women. There was nothing about women he appreciated more than strength, confidence, and attitude. Thus her action was nothing more than an aphrodisiac, and Artaax being Artaax, was not unprepared for how to respond to a temperamental goddess like Niamh.

The feisripa didn't pull back any further than he already had, but he didn't press his luck just yet by pushing forward again. He stilled and watched her warily, his mismatched eyes hungry for her, but patient, and respectful of her desires above his own. It was clear in his body language that he wanted to approach again, and as the seconds ticked by, it was growing rather difficult to stop himself from closing that distance and claiming that touch he'd been cheated. He leaned in again, just a fraction of an inch, a low growl purring from his chest like a giant "?"

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 10, 2018

She stayed where she was, regarding him with a keen gaze as he flinched and moved his muzzle out of the way slightly- just enough to avoid being bitten had she actually aimed for him. But he didn't pull back. He did look a bit disappointed, or so she thought, and a bit bewildered as well.

Her body was telling her a multitude of things and she wasn't sure which voice to listen to. Part of her hurt from losing Colt, and still hoped she could win him back...But not if she did this. Part of her wanted to seek out this younger, stronger man as a possible partner, so they could have strong, healthy pups for years to come. Part of her wanted to learn more about Drageda as she wondered if she might fit in better there...And part of her wanted to have a good, hot rebound and then chase him away...But she was certain that she didn't want this to be the last time she saw him. Her hormones were making her more flirtatious and enticing than she had ever been- but she still was not quite ready to mate, and would spurn his more bold advances. The only trick would be to see if he could stay around long enough, or if he was interested in anything beyond a simply one-time pairing.

He leaned a bit closer and she could feel her knees weaken as he uttered a low growl. Ears flicking back she answered with a growl of her own and moved closer to him, her moves stiff and assured; she knew he wouldn't try anything on her...Or so she thought, anyway. She moved closer to him so that she could bring her muzzle to his once more where their whiskers could touch, before she moved her muzzle up along his cheek, touching her nose to the soft, pale fur there. She held his gaze and uttered another warm, wanting growl. She didn't know what she wanted- but she knew he was a part of it.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 12, 2018

Artaax was often not a very patient man. When it came to disloyalty, ignorance and stupidity, his fuse was incredibly short. Almost non-existant, really. He periodically would try to be better about those things, especially when it came to his siblings, but otherwise... nope.

Hunting, though, was an entirely different story. Artaax was capable of lying perfectly still for hours on end if it meant a successful hunt. He was too addicted to the feeling of victory to sacrifice it for any reason. He had always the patience in the world for it. This dance with Niamh.. this was a hunt, and the hunter was perfectly willing to wait as long as it took to capture his prey.

When the golden goddess crept forth and reached out again, Artaax merely watched. His heart was hammering in his chest, particularly when he felt the gentle press of her nose against his cheek, but still he held for a few moments longer, unwilling to spook her and break this spell. Unwilling to lose this hunt.

Eventually, slowly, the feisripa leaned into her touch, closing his eyes as he did so. He turned his head a fraction of an inch to run his own nose along her cheekbone, drawing a line in her golden fur from there to the base of her ear. Slowly, slowly, slow, he placed a tentative lick upon her temple, testing the waters, seeing if she would bolt or if he'd be permitted to continue.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 13, 2018

Artaax didn't move away, though she was on guard should he make any hasty movements. As she touched his cheek, she felt what she had perceived as cold, statuesque firmness give way into something much softer and gentler as he leaned into her touch, and lifted his head after trailing tentatively along her jawline to place a kiss on her brow. She growled darkly, but it was a fond, endearing sound rather than one of warning. It was a caring, calming sort of touch, not one that spoke necessarily of hunger or a need to possess- and she was lulled into a sense of security and warmth. This was the sort of touch Niamh felt every night before she went to sleep- and again as she woke, and part of her had dreaded that she would never feel anyone else touch her like this again.

So for the moment, she was content to pretend that this wasn't wrong, and that she shouldn't be denied this sort of fondness and care. She crooned a soft note into the fur at the base of his ear, and nibbled her way along its pale outer edge with a gesture deft but gentle too- this was a language that Niamh had learned how to speak with Colt, and used her knowledge now to woo Artaax. She felt it was harmless- but decided still that it didn't mean nothing.

This was new to her- to feel so drawn toward another wolf the instant she saw him...With Colt, the attraction had been there- but the need for his proximity, and the want for his attentionhad formed over time as she'd gotten to know him. This new pull toward a wolf who was otherwise a stranger was foreign to her, but still she treated him with the warmth and tenderness of a wolf she might have known and loved for months. Part of her needed to express this sort of compassion, as it made her feel good to have another lean against her and want for her touch. Artaax, though he might have been no stranger to killing trespassers, had become warm clay in her hands, and she in his as well. She moved forward to preen the fur down the side of his neck and to his shoulder where his pelt thickened, teasing the hairs with her teeth and combing her canines through the dense layer of guard hairs down to the sensitive fur beneath.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 14, 2018

Niamh didn't reject his advance. She didn't pull away in the slightest, but instead leaned into his embrace. Artaax dipped his head to her ruff, closed his eyes and breathed deep. He did so in an effort to calm his elation, but quickly found that it served only to increase his want for her tenfold into something that was beginning to feel more akin to need.

Gently, he began to do the same to her that she had begun to do to him - to preen her fur with his teeth, to nuzzle, to touch her neck, her shoulders, her anything. It was a nearness he had never before felt with anyone and it was simultaneously intoxicating and maddening. In spite of it all though, Artaax remained patient, slow in his movements, and gentle in his affections. Even as he stepped even nearer and reached a little further, down along her side, steadily towards her hip.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 15, 2018

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Niamh sighed softly into his warm, coarse fur as he moved along her spine with his teeth- sharp, but gentle, and caring. She nuzzled her muzzle into the fur of his neck and arched hers so she could preen through the thick fur of his ruff, but when he reached for her hip, she instinctively moved away from his touch. Her movement was deft, but also fairly abrupt. While she wanted more, and her body teased her with a surge of hormones, she also knew that she wasn't ready to mate- and in her heart, she knew that though she had given herself to Colt, she couldn't simply welcome another into her life so quickly. Instinctively, though, part of her raw, untamed nature wanted her to choose Artaax. He was young- he had to be somewhere around the same age that she was- and he was strong. Whatever misgivings she'd first had when she set eyes on him were completely forgotten. This was the way nature curved her wants and needs toward a wolf in his prime- but her heart wasn't quite ready for that yet.

She groaned softly, battling with her instincts. She didn't want to stop, but she had to at least put up some kind of boundaries. Now wasn't the time- but part of her felt that she would want him, need him again. She didn't want to let him leave, so she stayed close to him, and moved so that she could rub her muzzle along his cheek again, leaving a soft kiss there, and aligned her body with his, so her hips were out of reach.

"I want to know everything about you," She admitted bashfully. Part of her wanted to drag him back to the Plateau with her- but she knew just enough about Drageda to know that he wouldn't likely abandon them- not for someone who was basically a total stranger, albeit a total babe. "I want more, but...We can't." She said simply, hoping he would understand- their packs were several days apart- a round trip journey would take her too far away, what with her needing to uphold her rank...If she was even still Beta. "But I want to know you." She said, lifting her gaze to his. She felt nothing about him could be wrong; she simply had that feeling. So she wanted to know as much as she possibly could.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 15, 2018

Everything had been going so well. Soooooo well. And then, quite unexpectedly (if you're inside Artaax's brain), Niamh was stepping to the side and taking his mark away from him.

What.

Why.

But.

But.

The hunter was mute and dumb as her position against him shifted and it slowly began to sink in that he was not going to nail this chick. He didn't move, and for it was rewarded with her continued touch. Which was nice, but uh... What about the.... Slowly his brain began to function again and he swallowed hard as he melted back into her touches and allowed himself to be consoled. Seduced, really, though he didn't know enough about this game to realize he was being teased so mercilessly.

He blinked as she spoke, taking a minute to catch onto the fact that there were words coming out of her mouth. But he caught on after a beat, though it took him a few extra seconds to actually reply. "You can have everything," Artaax replied softly, his mouth dry and heart pounding. He reached to run his muzzle along hers, closing his eyes for a moment to allow himself a second to gather himself back up. She hadn't rejected him completely... She said she wanted more. So the hunt wasn't exactly over yet. It had just turned into a much longer game.

Well, Artaax could spare a little more patience for what he was now considering to be heaven on earth.

"What do you want to know," he asked quietly, opening his mismatched eyes to gaze at her beautiful face.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 16, 2018

She could sense his disappointment- it was faint, and he hid it well, but it was there. However, he didn't simply storm off, which reassured her that this was right, and that he was right for her. He wasn't simply some swaggering playboy like her brother, Bruges- he was actually willing to stick around and get to know her. A shuver ran down her spine when she spoke, and she found herself falling for him even more, with the promise that he would deliver whatever she wanted. If that was truly the case, then she found herself wanting to cart him back to the plateau even more- but how would that look? If she'd gone off running after her exiled mate only to return with a beau from Drageda? Now wasn't the time...And she couldn't bring herself to want someone else just yet, though with her mood swinging this way and that like a door hanging off one hinge, she couldn't discern exactly what it was she wanted.

She caught his gaze, and immediately, she felt herself wanting to start preening his fur again, to feel his body against hers in an intimate way- but she told herself to stop...Barely. She knew if she started that up again, she'd eventually get cold feet and pull away again- and if she kept jerking his chains around he'd either get angry and just go for what he wanted, or he'd leave. She didn't want either of those things. Selflessly, he was offering her what she'd asked for, even though she had denied him the physical pleasure he obviously desired.

There was so much she wanted to know about him- but there was one thing that she absolutely needed to know. "Your pack is so far away...When will I see you again?" She asked. "I...I don't want this to be the last time." She said. Of course, she wanted to know his history, what he liked, what made him tick- but what was more pressing was the matter of not losing him completely the moment he walked away from her.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 16, 2018

Artaax had expected her to begin asking him personal questions. Though he was typically a closed book (closed and locked), he was ready to tell her anything she wanted to know. How he'd killed that one dude on the borders of Drageda and earned his Mark. How he'd hunted and successfully killed a full grown golden eagle. How he'd battled his asshole neighbors and driven them out of the Sound. All kinds of the more awesome things he'd done in his life. Obviously it would be those things she asked about, and not things like how he'd had a panic attack when he first came to the Caldera and was reunited with Wildfire, or how scared he was now, worried that his mommy wasn't going to come home with him. Nobody needed to know that.

Niamh subverted his expectations, though, instead choosing to ask when they would see each other again. Artaax felt his chest tighten as he read the question to mean she was going to leave him soon. The thought gave him a sudden possessive lurch of emotion, but he held it back and forced his mind to clear. He could be patient. He could. He would.

"Then it won't be," he answered before giving a thoughtful pause, "I have been away from home for a long time. There will be matters to settle when I return." He paused again. He didn't want more than a single day to pass before he saw her again, but he knew he was not wrong about his obligations. "Will you meet me the eve of the new year?" That wasn't too far, he didn't think. I mean, he's a wolf and I'm not even sure how he knows about new years at all, but whatever.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - RIP Niamh - December 16, 2018

She felt relieved that he would come to see her again, and he set a date for them. To her, it seemed like it was so far away, but if he'd been gone from his pack for some time, he couldn't very well go back, touch base and then leave again. She would have to be satisfied with seeing him again in a couple weeks, though she had absolutely no idea how she would be feeling at that time. Would she and Colt have reconciled? If so, she could just ditch Artaax....But could she? She wanted him- and her instincts told her to turn away from what her heart wanted and go for Artaax instead...But she still loved Colt, even though she had no idea whether she'd done the right thing with him or not.

"I will." She vowed, as presently, she had every intention of seeing him again- hopefully more than just once, as well. As unsure as she was of everything in her life, it was nice to have something, finally, that made sense to her- at least, mostly. Now that she had a guarantee that she would see him again, she relaxed, leaning against his side. "Now...Now I want to know everything," She said, content to glean as much knowledge and time from him as she could before they had to part- as New Year's Eve felt so terribly far away.

RE: she may have died; we're looking into it. - Artaax - December 16, 2018

Artaax felt warmth spread through him as she agreed to his proposal. The possessive monster inside of him was soothed with the promise of seeing her again, though it would have been far happier to wrap her up, strap him onto his back and head straight back to Drageda with her. Fortunately, he had not been raised a viking - just a warrior. And apparently secretly a kitten, somewhere buried deep down inside. He leaned forward to plant a kiss on her temple and relaxed into her nearness, feeling something akin to... happiness? I daresay? How weird. It'll be short-lived, poor thing.

Artaax didn't often smile, and even now he didn't, but there was amusement in his eyes as she settled in and made her request. "Is that all you're going to give me?" he asked wryly. It wasn't much direction, and he wasn't exactly a creative creature. He wracked his brain for something to tell her that would be impressive, but somehow he was blanking in spite of having just mentally run through his accomplishments a minute ago.