Lost Creek Hollow To the whole project

After her spar with Corvus, Treason had headed home.  Though details are TBD, chances were she was a little scuffed up around the edges.  It wasn't like either of them were the type to play nice in a spar, so she probably had a new scrapes and bruises, but nothing life-altering.  She'd maybe be hurting a little tomorrow but right now she was focused on talking to @Terance.  It just seemed like a good idea right now, despite the hour.

Though it wasn't the middle of the night, it seemed like it was late enough in the evening that he'd retreated to his den -- winter nights were a bit chilly after all.  She sniffed around at the entrance to confirm before calling once, Terance?  But she didn't wait too long, giving him just a beat to respond before she headed in, calling again, Terance.  Apparently she was a little impatient, as she looked for the darker-than-shadow blob that would be him.

She also honestly wasn't thinking whether or not the remnants of the spar -- whatever injuries and Corvus' scent -- would set off any alarm bells or anything either.  Though it wouldn't have been important to her before, now it certainly wasn't, as her brain was starting to rewire a few of her priorities, not that she'd yet to notice.

the alarm bells that registered in terance's head were ringing for numerous reason.

 one, because treason was in his den calling his name -- not frantically, mind you, but terance (in his mostly-sleeping state) was certainly caught off guard by her tone. it wasn't that treason in his den bothering him was weird, truthfully he was surprised she didn't come bug him for things more often, it was just the tone of voice. which, hey, maybe his tired self was imagining it.

two. there was the scent of... oooh what was that. it wasn't heat, terance knew that all too well, but it was inviting all the same. and it roused him just as much as the potential alarm that treason was raising.

three. there was a mans scent involved. if terance knew corvus, he forgot him. the scent was entirely unrecognizable to terance other than it was a man. paired with what terance interpreted as franticness... 

four. she looked a little beat up. not badly, but certainly with a few scratches. not that terance could really assess the damage, it was sort of dark in the makeshift den.  but all the same, something had happened. 

"what, what?" he half-muttered as he scrambled to his feet, a bit ungracefully -- but maybe she'd cut him some slack due to the time of night. instinctively, he crossed over to her, drawn for multiple reasons -- concern one of them, but certainly not the only reason to want to be near her. "what," he murmured again, lower now as he sought to nibble the fur beneath her jawline.

Assuming Corvus mentions nothing about it, Treason really didn't think there was anything particularly weird about herself -- or even if he did, it hadn't seemed like a big deal to Corvus.  She probably should have expected a different response from Terance, honestly, but she was probably expecting too much from him.  To top it off Treason being herself meant that she wasn't even going to comprehend that maybe she'd made it sound like something was wrong, just to further confuse things.  Basically this was one of those scenarios where she was good at being oblivious.

Terrance, despite his concern that was accidentally created by Treason herself, was kind of pushing his limits.  Come on, she totally had something important to say!  Thus her small growl-snap was more, "Oi, chill out a minute," to snap him out of it than affectionate.  She wanted him paying attention.  I ran into the wolf who would've been your biggest competition.  Can't say some of his choices have impressed me.  So I'm stopping the search.  Technically she already sort of had, but she hadn't bothered to tell him.  Corvus had just been coincidence, and her subconscious was shaping her actions more than usual and she didn't realize it.  I'm picking you, unless you've had second thoughts.  You know, honestly she wasn't sure why it seemed so urgent now that she thought about it.  Her muzzle crinkled slightly in confusion, and her words faltered a little, I thought it was important to tell you.  I guess.  She paused a moment, still thinking, then booped him with her nose because she wasn't exactly sure what the best response really was.

at treason's quick warning snap, terance retreated his head back with a heavy groan, his paws parting in a wide yawn, green gaze swept over her groggily. more alert now though than before, especially as she started talking. her first comment clicked with him, his ears sweeping forward curiously at the mention of his greeting competition. "good," he said without really thinking, "you're low on time anyway." which was true. terance was itching to lunge at her right now, but he was holding himself down pretty well. it wasn't there just yet. 

"no second thoughts," he confirmed with her, eyes steady on her as he watched treason give the gentlest touch he'd ever seen from her in his life. and then, head tilted gently to one side, he said, "thanks for telling me." he hesitated, clearly a little antsy now that he was fully woken up as he shifted where he sat, "is that all you came for...?" his pink tongue swept over his muzzle.

Now it all just seemed stupid. Obviously it could have waited, that much was obvious, and now she just felt foolish standing here. She felt rather betrayed by her own mind, in all honesty.

At the mention of time, one ear splayed uncertainly, and she seemed far less self-sure upon the realization that apparently her logic was taking a back seat. She didn't like it. But then again was it really unsurprising that a wolf that liked certainty disliked the wibble-wobble of transitions?

But at least he was still on board for the plan. That would have been awkward otherwise. However she was already making things awkward by standing there like an idiot. It was one of the incidents where the fact she was young maybe showed a little. I dont know. I wasn't thinking. I just... Shrug, frown. Here she was. And she didn't really want to leave either. It was just a little awkward.

slightly woken up a bit more, terance watched as treason faltered, for some reason. even though terance had a knack for making situations awkward -- missing cues, being boring, etc. etc., he didn't often feel awkward. hopefully i've been consistent about that, but it's totally a written trait he has. so as treason faltered, terance merely yawned again, ears pressing back against his skull as a rather large one took over. his tongue swiped over his muzzle again. 

"horemores," was his grand and almighty diagnosis, though he didn't immediately give much explanation. she seemed a little less eager now, so terance took another moment to be forwardly affectionate -- keeping his own urges at bay, cause she seemed pretty out of it, surprisingly. "c'mere," he muttered, reaching forwards again to touch his nose to her chin in a boop of his own, using a paw to hook her limbs, "i'm not a girl, i dunno how it works, but you've got all the good smells on you, you're probably gonna fall into season in the next few weeks." that's what seabreeze did. and his mom when she'd had maia's litter. terance knew all the tell-tail signs -- they were appealing all the same.

Yeah, it was probably distracting her more than it should. But as much as she'd been told growing up, there were always going to be things left out. Some were worth overlooking to start, others were maybe just far less important or jarring to others that weren't named Treason.  She needed to figure it out, but it wasn't like the world was going to give her much time to do so.

She stepped forward when encouraged to, coming up close enough to rest her chin on his shoulder. Probably explains why that didn't make sense in retrospect. Messing with my head already. She preened at Terance's fur idly, trying to sort out her thoughts. She was being stupid, she should try to relax instead of feeling like a moron, but all Treason could do at the moment was sigh and say, Sorry for waking you up.

she rested her chin upon his shoulder, preening idly at the fur along his shoulder as she muttered something about being out of her usual headspace. the moment she entered his den terance could tell that, he was surprised she hadn't noticed already... treason was usually so aware of herself. but, then again, maybe that's what she's talking about right now. he just chuffed lowly in agreement, it probably was.

and then she apologized. it wasn't something terance didn't think treason was capable of -- it was just something she'd never had to do before. at least, to him. and he labeled treason as pretty unapologetic in her life, she just lived. it was a bit surprising, and his ears flicked at the comment. then, instead of outwardly accepting it, terance just chuckle gruffly. "why don't we just make good use of the time, then," he suggested in a heavy voice, nosing gently at the base of her ear before standing. he pressed against her, turning just his head to curve it around hers, pressing his nose to the base of her jaw.

As Terance sort of wrapped himself around her, Treason leaned in to his touch.  She tipped her head up and out, looking at him in the very corner of her eye.  She still didn't quite look as sharp as usual, her gaze lacked that intensity he'd seen before.  She'd mentally beat herself up pretty well, and was acting rather reserved in comparison to some of her past behavior.  She was maybe smiling?  It was hard to tell, but her tail at least wagged slightly.

Oh, so you're not going to kick me out, hm?  A joke, obviously, even if she said it pretty evenly.  If she really was that enticing already, then it really wouldn't make sense for him, and that was without thinking of their agreement.  Either way she didn't feel that way yet.  But give it time.  She'd only be in this awkward state for a day or less, then Terance would have to deal with her being a pushy, bitey monster again.

There was, however, one thing she was a little curious about.  She gave him a slightly coy look, For the next while, are you all mine or am I all yours?  To her, it was a difference.  Maybe a subtle power dynamic, but they weren't on the same rank to start, so why would this be any different?  Okay, it wasn't like she normally did much submitting towards him to start with, yet right now she deferred.  She leaned back heavily on Terance for a second, then wriggled herself so she could turn enough to nibble at his jawline.  Right now, Treason was probably the queen of mixed messages, but at least she wasn't just standing there like a lump I guess?  Just slow at coming around.

"into the cold?" terance purled, preening gently at the fur down her neck, "not a chance." 

she leaned into him, something terance found comfortable, before twisting around to nibble at his jawline. as she asked a question, a low growl rumbled in his chest, a smirk appearing on his features as he thought the question over. "i want to say mine," he growled, nosing at the base of her ear, "but i think our contract states otherwise."

His growls drew whines from her, the first quiet, the second more imploring and her tail wagged more with each.  Just make it that way, anyway? she suggested. She didn't trust her own judgement right now, but for some reason trusted his to bring some structure to things.  It was probably a stupid choice, but we've already been over how Treason wasn't acting entirely like herself, nor was thinking too clearly and it was only going to get worse.

A third whine, this one unbidden.  She couldn't easily keep chasing after his muzzle and try to curl herself around him from the way they were currently positioned -- that would turn her spine into some weird and contorted zigzag so it was probably best she pick one over the other.  Treason picked the former, placing a couple of semi-tentative licks to the side of his muzzle and cheek.

he didn't verbally respond, but terance made another gruff sound as she began to lick at the side of his muzzle and face. he allowed it, for a second, but then took her advice (or command, actually, terance knew she was telling him to take control but somehow was still pretty certain she held all the power in this situation). he hooked a paw around her and pulled her down with him, all the while showering her in licks and bites -- since he remembered she seemed pretty about that last time.

Okay, it was probably not exactly correct to say she might have giggled, but at the very least she did laugh a bit as she fell with him.  With a wagging tail and some playful growls, she reciprocated with some chomps of her own, wriggling closer when she could to merge them into a single ball of greyscale fur. Yeah, maybe this would be an okay use of her time.  She'd take it.