Sleeping Dragon i'm a cask of oak, i'm whiskey soaked

@Theia

 

Snow and ice made a mountain treacherous for one who was not proficient in traversing slippery slopes. Brutus had fallen numerous times in his youth. He had cracked his skull on every protruding boulder on his home summit. His sister had always teased that this was the reason he was not 'all there' in the mind. The jokes had often gone right over his astute perceiving abilities, which had made them less fun for Brutus' sibling. He had always been an adequate source of brawn. The warrior did not understand why he would need the sharp lick of wit.

Sauntering along the jagged edges of the volcano, Brutus swayed with a near leonine grace. His large paws pressed into the snow until it rose past his ankles. It was caked to the bear's belly and clung to the longer tufts of fur at his chest and tail. He did not seem to pay it any mind. Plumes of steam rose from his nostrils with each heaving breath. Brutus basked in the scent of the peaks, hoping to catch the wafting aroma of prey.

Apologies, I was working on Bernard's profile! I'll be quicker from here on out. :v

Theia padded atop the packed snow around the base of the dormant volcano, nose glued to the ground as she searched desperately for any sign of something edible. Now was the absolute worst time for her to have been exiled. It was cold and dead everywhere — there weren't any prey in sight, and her nose had yet to scent anything nearby, either. Unattentive as she tended to get, a foot broke through the snow as it became less densely packed. Caught off guard, she fell uncerimoniously into the coldness. Huffing, she wriggled herself upright, shaking the snow from her pelt. She now stood in snow up to her hocks, and in her current condition, she did not have the energy to trudge through it. Grumbling, she pulled herself from its depths and began to stalk away from the volcano.

Just as she was thinking there was nothing of interest here, a shift in the wind carried the fresh scent of a male. Turning to face it, her gaze was drawn up further and further until it landed upon him. She took in his appearance for a few moments, feeling quite torn. It had been weeks since her last encounter with her own kind, and she was dying for attention the same way she was dying for a meal. But then again, she didn't know what his disposition was.

Well, she'd just have to find out. What are you doing up there? She asked to him, giving a friendly enough smile and a slight wave of her long tail.

hey it’s okay. i ended up getting pulled away.

 

The ringing of an unfamiliar voice shook him from his stupor. Brutus turned daftly, swinging his head from side to side. It was not long before he locked his golden gaze on a dark splotch. She was no more than a few leaps and bounds away from the warrior. He thought it off that she should appear so small to him. Brutus gazed on her from his perch before he opted to carefully pick his way down the volcano. With the grace and beauty of a tree-climbing horse, the bear took a single leap. His paws struck ice and snow. Though his claws desperately attempted to hold him in place, they could not control his girth and he tumbled downward before sliding to a stop. 

A groan was emitted before Brutus gingerly attempted to pull himself back to his paws. His handsome coat of chestnut and mahogany was spattered with a haphazard layer of snow and frost. The earth felt as though it was sinking beneath his legs. Brutus grunted and he shook his coat, sending drool flying from his dark lips and into the air. He was closer now to the inky female. She did not smell as though she was claimed. Breathing heavily, sides heaving and aching with each taste of air, Brutus ambled toward her. Still, he had not answered her inquiry. Truth be told, he had forgotten that it had been her voice that had roused him from his climb. He was intent on closing the gap, though. Perhaps she would know where he could find dinner. 

Theia didn't receive an answer but was entertained nonetheless as the male tumbled down from his perch. She giggled airily and watched as he got to his feet and began to approach her. Perhaps she should've been more wary, but she felt no malice coming from him. And how could she say no to precious attention — from a male, no less.

You came down just for me? She said sweetly, peering up at him from beneath her lashes. I'm Theia, She then added.

Her laugh was lost in the crunching of the snow. Still, his chocolate ears rose and stood tall on his skull. Brutus huffed softly and drew the gold of his eyes to her face. She was certainly female. 

As the bear closed the gap between them, he caught the last of her words. She made a remark that he had come down from his perch for her. Drawing a pink tongue across his muzzle, Brutus nodded. “You called.” The baritone of his voice lifted through the air toward her. It was a simple statement.

The dark woman introduced herself as Theia. The bear waited until he was able to draw in the richness of her scent before he offered his own moniker to the ink blot. “Brutus,” he rumbled. 

You flatter me, Brutus, She said smoothly, meeting his gold eyes with her own icy ones. She was feeling particularly flirty and decided to roll with it; perhaps she could convince him to work together. Regardless, she was determined to make a friend, as she tired of the life of a loner. It was especially painful for her, as much as she appreciated her own presence. What were you doing up there? She asked again conversationally, truly wondering what he'd been planning.

Flattery was a foreign concept to the russet bear. She was tactful in her verbiage. This too was a foreign concept to the bear. His words were plain. He could not coat his language in frills and formalities. It was not within his capabilities. 

Because of this, her flattery was ignored. When she inquired about his reasoning for traversing the peaks of the volcano, he frowned and turned his broad skull toward the higher crags. ”I’m a mountain warrior. This one is different. Doubt it’s suitable for a home,” he drawled. ”Why are you-“ he paused. ”What are you out here for?”

From how straightforward he was, Brutus seemed like a simple wolf, but that was alright with her. When he brought his gaze upwards, hers naturally followed. It looked treacherous to Theia, unaccustomed to such terrain. When he spoke, she brought her eyes back to him and gave another small smile, tail waving gently to and fro. I was wondering if there were any prey around here, but it seems I was mistaken, She explained, deflating a bit. I haven't eaten in days... She murmured in a sullen tone, eyes gloomily fixed to the ground. Hey, why don't we work together? I'm willing to share. Her head snapped back up at the suggestion, smile returning. She would prefer not to have to share, but she was willing to compromise. Her voice and actions were ever-so slightly dramatic in the hopes of eliciting a reaction and perhaps assistance.