Sawtooth Spire un beso

For my beautiful @Nanuk. Is it possible to find a new inner territory for Warden?! Possibly the little path thingie?!

Inky paws scuffed the territory quietly. The wolf edged towards one jagged spire that poked through the calm of flattened stones, peering past the empire to the wooded terrain butting up against the mountain. A chilly air swept through guard hairs and a soft inhale drew with it the aroma of the surrounding territories. Undaunted by the view, the spider crept closer to the gaggle of birds perched against the slide of stone. Tall ears pricked upwards suddenly, a curl of lip and snap of fang harshly admonishing the avians for their bravery. Their wings sought the air swiftly in a flap of caws and feathers. The carrion eaters could find meals elsewhere. 

With mission accomplished, the sooty Eta continued his exploration, scaling the incline of the newly found path with an agile ease. Nostrils worked over air in curiosity, nimble strides weaving through the uncut terrain and leaving the Mountain Springs within the spider's wake.

Thank you for starting!

Her circles wound inwards, retreating to the true borders of the Spire. True to form, Nanuk drove everyone she could away from the area surrounding their pack borders to warn them away from ever disrupting the pack on their own turf. After the repeated offenses from the Plains wolves, the Tartok wolves had little patience for any around their borders without intent to join and had no problems showing that.

By now however, it was time for her to venture closer to her home and patrol there a time or two before heading off to maybe check out the hot springs again before heading back to the new, bigger family den. With a shake of her pelt, Nanuk began to pick her way over the perilous path that ringed the mountain, the only way that any could even enter the Spires. Her nose worked at the wind, searching for scents that did not belong, though she was unsurprised to find one that did.

Her pace no faster or slower, the pale beast sought her new target. A face quickly becoming more and more familiar around Sawtooth, obviously integrating well with those that already lived here. A short howl called to him, his form easily picked out against the grey and green of the landform.

Wide paws paused to gather information. A very tiny jut of earth closed off a section of rocky terrain from the rest. A boulder of jagged teeth blocked a small inlet that fed into the thicker wooded areas leading out and beyond, over the ridge, and into the Hollow. The rocky door was barely holding onto the mountain's face.

A call broke attention and gaze shifted over one shoulder to spot the stalwart bear. Jawline tilted for her presence, tail tip proffering a slight wag before going quiet. Attention resurfaced to the little bit of stone cradled between the trees. "Look," he offered quietly, inky ears preening forth to the little ridge of stone that seemed to lead to something. If it was an entrance through the outside, it must be kept and guarded for no other path wound into the territory. 

A warmth burned through body as listening devices propped back for the beta's approach. Something about the bear-wolf's presence brought the struggling vagabond home again. It was grounding. Her voice was soothing. Curiosity renewed, fiery eyes dared the beta to get there first. 

Wide paws picked up into a small gallop, traversing over jagged edges of stone and piles of clustered grass to the woody area that grew darker as the mountain's peak rose higher and higher. Previously the Eta thought this location ended here but the very tip of trees could be seen if one correctly held the appropriate angle from the south. Sojourn ended with a trot until finally pressing nose to stone and inhaling at one sharp crevice.

So do we want to go back to discovery thread, then a new Warden thread? <3 I don't mind either way!

The fortunate thing about the Spires was that if you knew where you were looking, things hidden would not stay that way. Upon arrival at his side, teeth found his shoulder with a nip, her way of greeting with a few select wolves; Iqniq, Tonravik, Echelon, and now Aasivak. Her posture was naturally above his as she followed his gaze to the uncultured path of stone. It was far enough back that no outsider could access it without trespassing and no doubt they would be killed before they even came close. Still, it would be best to check it out and make sure they knew the area.

His gaze caught and understood, Nanuk snorted and followed after him with the knowledge that she would lose, her form not accustomed to moving quickly. She kept up a steady pace though, keeping close enough to chomp at the tip of his tail as it waved ahead of her. With a pace like this, they arrived in no time, her breathing labored lightly as she slowed to examine the entrance.

Her footing sure and steady, the Beta climbed higher and closer, turning to look back and measure how far they'd come. The distance farther than it had seemed from the borders, Nanuk was satisfied that this place would not be chanced by any that were not their own. Metallic gaze shifted to her companion sniffing at the stone, a gash in the peak's side allowing entrance for them. Undeterred by the dark and unknown, she pushed forward to move inward, the opening thankfully a comfortable fit for a wolf of her size.

She stood now, waiting for him to follow, peering up at the ceiling of the tunnel as she did so. It was curious that such a small crevice opened up into such a large cavern but she was grateful for it at the same time as it was enough so that she had no need to hunker down in an uncomfortable posture. As soon as the spider was at her side again, she had intentions to explore and discover what lie in wait before them.

I say discovery thread, even if I did mess it all up and back! Maybe they can find something altogether new and exciting. 8]

The invitation to follow was met with the bear-wolf's body pressed against inky fur and sinew, a flushed heat sizzling through roughened skin like fire razing flesh. A nip plucked at tip of tail, a flick and kicking of heels sending the Eta skirting about a in a heckling gait that rolled shoulders and crabbed aside the higher ranked beta. As the gateway approached, fiery eyes dangerously skirted over the staunchly-set female, roving and lingering on the swell of breast inspired by the hearty jaunt. 

Little attention dwindled to the fact this location sat at the base of a small ledge, the jagged mountain peeking up and successfully cutting off the smaller plateau just beyond. That plateau was a rugged, wooded location still unknown to the spider. Would this opening splice the two in half or did this new find have hidden secrets?

Body exuded forwards, almost instinctively as bear-like companion moved to edge through. Bodies, again, rubbed and scuffed together, intentionally invading personal space and rooting there, inhaling stale scents amidst the plethora of packwolf aroma. Glimmering eyes slowly danced around the narrow cavern, the pathway opening and then bottle necking into a tight doorway. Little offshoots, openings no larger than a rabbits warren, spotted around the spacious insides. Many tunnels and twists offered detachments from the main, larger, path.

Unwilling, at first, to remove self from the intimacy of the moment, nostrils trailed teasingly through the paler wolf's fur, dancing through guard hairs and ruffling past shoulders before a wuff of warm air snorted into nape of her neck. With a trot, the spider removed himself and started towards the larger opening beyond, trickling to a cautious walk that split past the main entrances. Just beyond was a glow, a swathe of light that bounced and reflected off something in shades of white and blue. The spider approached.

I'm down for that! Are we using Soap's suggestion for this thread? Slight PP? Also not sure what the blue and white thing is (i am le dumb) so I did not write her finding it bc yeah. >>

A rumble echoed in the small cavern around them, her chest vibrating lightly with the sound. His antics were pushing her boundaries in ways that no one before him had dared. Sparring was one thing. This... This whatever was happening right now, was another thing entirely; more concerning was that she didn't know what it was, so obviously it needed to stop. She twisted her head, ready to nip at him in response but he was already moving forward and away from her. For a moment, she lingered, confused by what had just happened.

With a snort and a shake of her fur, the beast shed it all and left it behind her to move after him. This location was one she had not yet explored and yet, her curiosity only went so far. The ceiling rose above them to form a space large enough to house themselves and perhaps a few others; from here split several more tunnels and pathways. Where and how far they went, the polar bear was unsure. For now though, she let it slide, more curious to see what was illuminated up ahead.

It was on little more than a whim that Nanuk picked up a bit of speed to barrel into him, attempting to bowl him over and grapple for his muzzle to give it a light shake. Perhaps it was sudden, but it was just as sudden as his weirdness had been after all. Just as quickly, she stepped away since she had executed her "sneak attack" and stepped forward to see what was causing the faint light.

Sure! I have it set as a warden-ly one right now because I assumed, upon discovery, that it would be "claimed" and defended so-to-speak, to keep it safe, but getting kicked into a bottomless pit by Nanuk works too 8] Haha!

Wide paws meandered closer, the shaft of light dancing across something shiny and so incredibly overwhelming for the inky wolf that there was no recognition of the sneak attack. The bear-like female rammed into hind end, sending sharply-cut features scattering with a sting of muscle into bone. Before body could react, her teeth raked across muzzle in a firm, dominating grasp. Completely off guard, ashamed, and briefly terrified, the Eta simple sank into a puddle of fur. Body hit the deck in another painful collapse, coat soaking up dampness that had eroded away some of the stone, and exposing abdomen in bewilderment. Tail tucked firmly to genitals for fear they would be removed and ears sank back into nape. The sting of blood welled beneath one of the tooth points, a premolar having torn the tender skin there and flaying it open but a quarter inch. Regardless, it bled and bled as vascular area is apt to do.

The spider simply lay there, even when the beta had accomplished whatever it was she sought to accomplish. A faint drip in the background filled the silence. Thoughts wandered back to the blue object. Whatever it was, it had been kicked from the light source that set it aglow and, now, in the darkness, it was partially lost due to the fray. 

Anger roiled. A burning, dangerous heat welled into stomach. Lips went rigid and stuff, whiskers preened so far forward they looked jagged and spiked. Ears keen on submission now splayed to either side of head, unwilling to surrender the loss. Furiously aware that the object was now missing, there was a fierce desire to find it. To keep it. To hold it close. Rage was beginning to boil within blood. It rooted the Eta within crumbled spot, unwilling to react or move an inch for fear of what it would do. What harm it would do. What it would break.

The spider did not move forward with her again, causing the bear to stop and see why. What she saw returned her to his side with a perplexed expression. His reaction was... not what she'd intended to get out of him. Her brows pinched in more confusion as he cowered, her head tilted for a moment as if to ask why? Gold eyes flickered to the blood that dripped down his muzzle, causing a perturbed frown on the female's face. She hadn't meant to bleed him either. How had this gone so wrong?

Perhaps she was slow in the way of social things but eventually, her mind was able to put two and two together. Her attempt at play had been taken as assertion, dominance. That was... "Well shit." Her voice played against the walls of the cavern, bouncing back and forth for a few moments before she stepped closer again. There was hesitation in her step, a lack of surety in her movements. Nanuk was not one to try and mend things but she had fucked up here, and had brought harm to him.

Her nose touched his cheek, brushing the short fur there for a moment. Tongue flashed out, wiping away the blood staining his muzzle, or trying to. Her muscles were tense, frustration brewing just under the surface. She wasn't good at this, and it showed in her fumbling attempt. "Game. It was a game." Is that how you were supposed to apologize? Probably not.

"My bad."

Yep. She was fucking terrible at this shit.

It seemed lack of motion brought attention to the coiled spider. Something unwanted and unappreciated in such a state. There was an overwhelming urge to drive her out or push the bear-like wolf into a short pit where nothing could hear the screams for help. To harm. It sizzled and flickered just as her looming shadow did to swallow the lanky follower up. Dangerous eyes, blazing with distrust and a betrayal that had fed into an omnipotent anger defied frozen actions to stare directly into the betas face. Dismay echoed into the damp halls, reverberating off the cavernous walls before staunching into a deafening silence once more.

Bulky head had lowered to brush against one cheek, the sharply-cut features of the slumped Eta coiling away. It did eventually touch with a new found heat that had power to evaporate the last. If only the inky fury could let it. It swelled beneath skin, tongue pressing a closeness that the spider was distinctly aware and unsure of. Attempts at closeness were foreign to the beast, as well, and such a tender apology was completely unaccustomed. Words were hollow. There was uncertainty of whether or not the inky wolf even heard them despite the way it broke the fragile tensity. 

The inky wolf, despite it all, wished to be closer. To touch. To be touched. Perhaps primally so. 

Not much respect could probably be given to a cowering, silent lesser. Of that the lingering spider was certain. The bear-wolf had not needed a tissue when the Eta had grappled with her earlier, nor had there been any overly personal undertones. Beneath it all, had it not been for that shiny object, the Eta would have responded to the act of dominance in kind. A game.

Body, reluctantly, snaked forward and a click of teeth sought the forelimb of the higher ranked beta. An apology. Gaze thoroughly darted through the umbra tones to see no blue flicker. It was gone. While persistent on finding it, still, the idea that it was no longer an object to be had in this moment allowed a brief reprieve. There was a desire to soothe the situation, if only because the intensity had been between the only company that the spider truly looked forward to. "Yes," he murmured into the close proximity of the stout warrior, edging closer still. 

Striking now would surely break whatever trust had once been. Flaying that bond was not something the eerie Eta desired but desires were not something that the spider acted upon. Not usually. An exhale quelled the burn of fury, a serpentine trail of tongue against one cheek stinging the cut there. It wasn't often that pretty face was so openly razed. Fiery eyes dared the beta here and now, lifting to stare fully outright into the female's face. It was over. Apologies were made. The game would continue if she wished.

A strike aimed for the frontal shoulder, nimble and lithe ears sucking to top of sooty head in efforts to protect them as they lay open and exposed for a counter attack. Front legs swept to glance the skilled warrior's own, nothing nice in the blows but with a calculated inhibition of drawing actual blood. Whatever facade the spider had portrayed was carefully exposed, allowing a formal glimpse into actual skill instead of juvenile games. Little room in the cavern meant she had to feel him, to experience his warmth and turmoil whether she liked it or not. She could surrender and run, rather than grapple her lesser, but something inside the Eta disbelieved she would succumb in such a way.

She ignored the blatant stare; she could (sometimes) admit when she was wrong, and this instance deserved such an admission. As his superior, the female could not bring him harm and would certainly never do so willingly. There were many words hanging between them now, words she wasn't quite sure how to use. Now would be a great time to grab the words "I'm sorry" from the air and deposit them into the conversation but she lacked the skill to recognize this.

Fortunately, he moved, her eyes glued to his form as he did so. Teeth neared her leg and yet she did not move, dropping her head to look into the pit with him. It was all darkness and she did not realize that the object he had sought after had fallen prey to its depths. He neared her again, closer still, her bubble's diameter decreasing in size rather rapidly. His gaze caught once more and her ears shifted, turning to tune into him. The male had her undivided attention.

His challenge did too, instinct bristling fur along her spine as she held his gaze. So it was when he moved to strike, catching her by surprise. 'Game.' She forced herself to remember it, forced herself to deal with the consequences of her actions. For all of their foolishness the last time they met, she was taken off guard by the sheer force of his movement, evident in the way she stumbled.

Though their location was a precarious one, she regained her balance and returned the gesture of invasion. Retreat was not a word in the creature's vocabulary and she displayed it, though she was careful not to barrel into him again. The pit around them would not allow for such action, making her much more careful of her assaults.

Actually, she was now quite limited in her normally efforts, her weight unable to be thrown around in a situation like this, causing her to snake her head forward and under to reach for plush throat. A step towards him was taken, driving down her instinct to throw her weight at him and instead attempting to steer him carefully, slowly backwards towards a tunnel on the opposing side.

The brute force was met in kind, a flex of supple muscles beneath the fur stroking into sharp bone and sinew. Wide paws held firm and true to their grip, toes flexing into earth that did not give below blunt claws. Punishing pinches were burrowed into the pale fur that managed to land betwixt teeth, a dastardly huff of hot air burrowing into tender skin in a daring intrusion. The last time, perhaps, that the spider would touch the female, and it was bound to be salacious. 

Inky throat was gripped in teeth and, rather thank yank away in reflex, the Eta drove into the cutlery so that sinew and skin burned with the blatant lack of regard for safety. Should the female wish to punish it was expressly given. In response, teeth grappled for the curvature of bear-like ears, their tender cartilage easily bent beneath weight. The action was deliberate yet delicate, wishing to suck one in should she pursue the spider's throat. Tongue, again, lashed for the tender object, another huff of air subjecting his victim to intimate advances whether she wanted them or not. Improper. Grounds for termination, even. The spider threw caution aside.

The steering of bodies was easily accommodated, shifting weight to guide their tumultuous figures into the cavernous opening that lead into darker hallways. Give and take. Shoulder jammed into the rocky pillar of a doorway, ignoring the sting of pain and twisting violently in an effort to reverse the roll and send the bear-wolf backwards and deeper into the labyrinth of twists. Teeth sought to raze strong and feminine jawline, pushing into face with a forceful "kiss". Shoulders drove in, pushing back against the bulkier warrior with persistence, attempting to drive in turn.

-laughing- she's so WTF right now

Though he put her in an uncomfortable situation, Nanuk was impressed by his boldness. He was still relatively new here and yet he was gaining ground within the pack quite quickly. Without being wholly disrespectful, he still pushed at boundaries and tested limits with others. This was what Tonravik wanted to see from her subordinates and it made her wonder if they'd met yet, perhaps even if they had talked about her expectations. She did not reprimand him for his actions and instead, played the game that she had initiated, taking his throat lightly enough in her jaws that she did not endanger his life but strong enough to hold him there.

For whatever reason, he pushed closer, bringing her teeth tighter around his neck. She did not understand why the movement had been made, until some form of clarity was brought to her in the way of his mouth closing around an ear. For a moment, everything froze, an imperceptible shiver disrupting her furs as his tongue swept the sensitive skin of her ear. Her mind racked, working to comprehend the why. Why was this different than any other time her ear had been a focus of attack in a fight, friendly or otherwise? Why did it make her muscles quake for that brief second in time? Why? Why? She did not and could not understand. 'What the fuck?'

The second broke and the ghostly female found herself being maneuvered back towards another tunnel, his teeth grazing her jawline. Mind worked to catch up, coming to the conclusion that she had lost much more than a second. Damn him. With a snort, her personality snapped back into place, a snarl ripping from her vocal chords as her mass began to push back at him. They would go through the tunnel she chose, determined to steer the outcome of their game. Hind paws dug in to catch dulled claws on the hard, earthen ground as she shoved at him with renewed vigor, metallic eyes practically glowing with intensity in the gloom of the labyrinth.

There was a heat that radiated off the bear-wolf that was enthralling and captivating. Every muscle beneath plush fur was sprung with anticipation, moving as the spider moved, pushing back in a thrilling game of might and willpower. Frustration bubbled beneath surface of features, sounds rumbling from her raven-spliced lips that echoed into the lingering hallways. 

Unwilling to be driven, the ghost-like beta sent unrelenting Eta down the corridor, the spider's actions acquiescing to the presence of fang and stature. It took little to duck beneath the onslaught, narrowly missing a spiked rock directly within the path of the battling canines. The inky wolf no longer pushed back against the struggling leader, shifting sinuous body to place a dip in cavernous floor between the oncoming attacks. 

He was done. Advances stopped. With a twist of sooty paws, the fire-eyed follower slipped deeper into the spacious area, jawline tilting upwards and back in anticipation of the bear-wolf's retaliation (should it come).

Further and further down her chosen tunnel, she navigated him back. The crocodilian was a force to be reckoned and yet she made every effort to keep from bleeding him again. It was a rarity for her to experience this kind of exhilaration and she relished every moment of it. And yet when he stopped, she picked up on the imperceptible change and skidded to a halt before him, breathing heavy and labored.

A step closer was taken, bright eyes examining his expression and well being as best she could in such darkness. Darting forward, Nanuk closed the distance between them once more, and yet pulled her momentum at the last moment. Instead of attacking, she bumped her head against his shoulder in the only game she'd ever admit to playing.

"Tag."

A rough laugh was all she left behind as she carried her bulk through the tunnels, sure that she would not stay ahead of him for too terribly long.

A rebuttal transpired, but not of the sort the spider was expecting. The bear-wolf collided head with shoulder, knocking weight into sinuous body in a way that initiated play. Off went the beta in a raucous thunder of paws, blackness swallowing up form into a black emptiness. Only the faint echo of paws along the tunnels gave clue to where the female crept. 

"Come out, come out, wherever you are..." he crooned into the inky mire, fiery eyes sliding from one tall pillar of stone to the next. Deeper down the halls did the spider travel, a leisurely pace taken as nostrils worked the air. The scent was faint. She was close, but still out of reach. Whiskers preened the vicinity of one looming spire that peered out of the ceiling. A bit of hair still clung to the massive object. 

A flash of white amidst the black captured attention, and a quick push of muzzle aimed to tag the beta's plushy rump. Tag.

The dark silence was not her element, that much was evident. She was a tank, not a silent spectre; her pale fur was likely easy to spot in the tunnel, so she had little hope of eluding him for long. Then again, it was not her goal to do so. They had entered this elaborate maze together and they would leave the same exact way, the bond connecting them a little tighter than before.

His voice distracted her, made her pause. Were he a foe and she a weaker willed being, a shiver might have crept down her spine. Instead, a thrill of excitement chased her nerves, grinning as she kept on moving. It was not enough and his nose made contact with her flank. She whirled to catch him then and there but he blended well with the shadows of this place.

He was gone before she had a chance to find him and so, she moved after the Spider, tongue lolling freely out of her mouth as she stayed on his trail. here and there, she would catch the scent of fresh air and the urge to find the source played at her but she was too busy for that now. Instead, she stayed steady behind the hidden Eta, crooning a taunt to him as she hunted for his mass. "I won't stop until I find you."

The touch was a success and, before the beta could turn and return the wallop, the spider churned on nimble paws and shimmied about one dark post. This opened up a sliver of light to orange eyes, attention diverting towards this new opening. A call punctuated the silence like a heated missile. The tone of the voice caused a simmer beneath flesh, praying the beta did not stop her search. Insides begged her to continue. Yet there was something that rooted the Eta. The advances, thus far, had spurned a dominating shake that had drawn blood. Never again. Out of respect and admiration, the spider swallowed down wants and desires, intrigue and excitement. There could only be subordinate to superior. 

Emotions were silly, anyway.

A thrust of wide paws drew the inky wolf into a shard of light creeping past a small opening in the rocks. It appeared the long, winding corridors or darkness held many secrets and few openings. Blinded by the twinkle of sunlight betwixt the crack, the spider suddenly realized he could not see the bear-wolf coming even if he wanted to. A dangerous mistake.

Paws carried the polar bear after her companion, expelling thoughts from her mind as she went. Had you asked her personally, she'd give the same feeling on emotions. She had little desire to deal with them and figured that the only ones she had any understanding of was that of anger and pride. A wrathful and proud creature, she had never stopped to consider others and did not do so now. But she did act on instinct, and that drew her nearer to his form, the glint of sunlight telling her they weren't far from an exit.

Teeth grasped his tail, pulling him back a little before teeth nipped at his haunch. A second nip found his shoulder and then a third, the base of his ear. Even a fourth was aimed at his whiskers, body now connected to his from hip to shoulder. There was no dominance or tension but merely an air of play, her reluctance of contact gone for the moment. She had initiated this game, hadn't she?

Just as quickly as she had come up beside him, Nanuk split away from him and picked up a quicker pace, following the scent of the outdoors. Strides lengthened into a canter, their game of tag still on after she had gotten him back. Thoroughly.

The bear-wolf approached from behind, a yank of tail causing haunches to curl into a sit. Instinctively the spider sought to protect haunches, ears flattening as a playful nip darted into rump area. Snake-like neck coiled round to haphazardly retaliate, a flash of teeth colliding with the beta's flank. Her touches continued along the inky wolf's side, settling, at last, upon muzzle and whiskers. This advance, though playful, was shied away from, yanking features back and quelling the familiar urge to enjoy the brief, playful push.

Not to be outdone, the spider picked up lanky appendages and followed after, breaking through the small crack of sunlight and enveloping into the sunlight. In open spaces, for now, it was considered correct to follow his hulking companion, nonchalantly winding through path before eventually breaking free. Time was needed to digest the day and, perhaps later, re-evaluate the winding passage beneath the mountain the duo had just found.