Redhawk Caldera i could travel just by folding a map. [MFT]

Had anyone else found their way down to their secret cavern at this moment, an onlooker might have considered the view quite strange. The two grey wolves continued to pirouette away from each other, though their arcs grew larger and larger, slowly bringing them closer together. Elwood pretended not to pay any attention to Finley, though his ears were trained on her and he listened to the scraping of her claws on the ice. The sound grew louder when she reached the top of her circle and faded as she skated away. If he timed it just right, they both reached the middle at the same time -- and eventually, they were only a wolf's length away from each other.

He glanced over at her just in time to see her throw a silly face in his direction, to which he responded with a smirk and a lash of his tail. His arc carried him away from her once more, though he glanced over his shoulder as he turned. Enough time had passed that he had forgiven her for punching him in the face -- had even forgotten about it, temporarily, although he would be reminded later by the soreness in his cheeks -- so when he was at his farthest point from her, he tipped his chin up and called out, "I miss you!" The sound flew across the empty space, ricocheting off the crystal ceiling and coming back to him as an echo.

Finley was beginning to think that this was going to be how they spent the rest of their evening, each sliding across their own separate patches of ice, not speaking, just periodically shooting silly looks at each other. She supposed as long as the silly faces kept coming then she was alright with it, but it was getting a little lonely skating solo.

It seemed that Elwood was thinking the same thing as suddenly, he called out to her from the far edge of the ice to tell her that he missed her. Fin felt a smile dance across her muzzle as she laughed. She said nothing in response, only twisted herself to aim towards the center of the rink where she slid to a stop, nearly falling as she did so, but managing to fid her balance just in time. There she steadied herself and looked around the outside of the cave until her eyes landed upon her friend, for whom she now waited patiently to join her, her tail wagging steadily.

Back to work tomorrow and I can't sleep! So here I am, Wolfing on my phone, hahaha.

She didn't respond verbally to his statement, but he heard her laughter and saw the smile on her face, even from afar. As he continued to circle, he watched as she changed her course. Instead of following her round path, she started to cut directly across the ice, making a beeline for Elwood until she reached the middle of their skating rink. There, she stopped -- a bit unsteadily -- and waited for him. The ball was in his court now.

Elwood completed his final circle, allowing it to bring him within a few feet of Finley. He paused, letting his paws slow to a halt until he was facing her. The Beta couldn't help but wonder what they were doing, presently as well as in the bigger scheme of things. Were they just going to keep circling each other endlessly, playing a game of cat and mouse that neither of them wanted to acknowledge? Their figure skating had been something of a metaphor for their friendship, though he didn't quite see that just yet. It would become clear in time.

For now, he simply raised his eyebrows at her, wordlessly asking, "What's next?"

tonight's post brought to you from Stevie's bath tub! Tablet in a tub, this can't go wrong right?

Fin watched patiently as Elwood finished his routine before sliding over to her. She wasn't sure exactly what she intended to do or say to him once he got there, so she chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully as she waited. Soon enough, the ashen wolf was standing before her, wordless but for the question clearly asked in the can't of his head and the attentiveness in his eyes.

What now?

Fin was not good at verbal apologies, even for the simplest, most innocent of accidents such as punching your friend in the face. While she could string together a sarcastic quip in seconds, words that required more depth and humility were absurdly difficult for her. What she did do well was to act. Slowly the silver mockingbird closed the distance between them to teach out and briefly touch her nose very gently to the tip of his, her ears smoothly sliding back upon her neck with the motion. It was a small gesture, but short of kissing his boo boos to make them all better, it was hopefully significant enough.

You are my hero. <3

A few long moments stretched between Elwood and Finley as he gazed at her, waiting for her response. He honestly didn't know what to expect from her -- would she spiral away from him again? Or maybe move closer? Or perhaps she would suggest that they do something else entirely -- do some more exploring, or head back up the tunnel and out into daylight. He blinked slowly, his patience never waning.

When she started to move towards him, he tensed up slightly. His golden gaze remained fixed on her; she came so close that he began to go cross-eyed. He shook his head gently and refocused his vision. By now, she was inches from him again. He started to pull back, preemptively removing himself from the situation -- whatever the situation was -- but she beat him to it. Her nose pressed softly against his for a split second, and then she was retreating again.

She didn't go far, but he stood still and simply looked at her. Time within the cavern had slowed to a crawl, and he almost felt as though they were moving in slow motion. No witty comeback popped to the forefront of the Beta's mind, so instead he stepped closer to Finley. He stretched out his neck, avoiding her face and instead burying his face in her scruff -- a wolfish embrace. Though the action was tender, he still feared her retaliation, so the hug lasted only the length of a few heartbeats before he withdrew.

<3<3

As Fin stepped away to give Elwood space, she had fully anticipated that that would be it. That maybe he'd give her a playful ewwww, but that would be the end of it and they'd move onto some either topic. What she hadn't expected was for him to follow closely after her and pull her into a warm embrace. In fact, the motion was so sudden and surprising that she didn't even have the capacity to fight it, instead she just froze as he reached for her, and then, helplessly, she sank into it while her heart throbbed in her chest.

Then, almost as swiftly as it had come on, it was over. Fin gazed at him as he backed away, almost completely overwhelmed by the intense urge she had to rush back into his arms and let herself go. To set free all of her fears and reservations and just let herself be with him, if only for one night, if only for a few minutes even. But she stood still, Finn suddenly clearly upon her thoughts like a heart-rending warning of what happened when she was careless, who would be hurt and how very deeply.

"Don't fall in love with me," the Blackthorn said suddenly, searching for his eyes. It was a warning she didn't really intend to explain, and willing he allowed her, she likely would walk straight past him and out of the glittering cave to disappear as the clock struck midnight, just like the angsty little princess she was. For the moment she paused, searching his face just to make sure there was understanding upon it before she left him/ran like hell from him.

The plot thickens!

Even as he backed away from her, Elwood was bracing himself for some sort of attack -- whether it was physical or verbal. He was starting to cotton on to the fact that every time they got too close, it was like Finley became an opposing magnetic force. She was quick to push herself away, with varying intensity.

This time, however, she lingered. He wished that he could hear her thoughts -- he could just see her mind whirring, spinning out of control with logic and emotion and whatever else made up Finley Blackthorn. He hadn't exactly intended his action to be so loaded, but there was no reversing time -- he couldn't take it back now, and he could only wait for the inevitable blow that Finley would deal him.

When she finally spoke, his eyes widened and his brows raised in surprise. "Don't fall in love with me," she teased, though there was a seriousness in her expression and her voice that gave him pause. He would have expected her to give a flirtatious shrug and bound away from him, inviting him to join her on their next adventure, but instead her gaze never left his.

How was he supposed to react to that? What even gave her the right to assume that he was falling in love with her in the first place? He felt a brief surge of anger, though the emotion died down as quickly as it had risen. It was replaced by a quiet determination, which he masked with a devilish grin. Two could play this game -- she was so good at deflecting her feelings and brushing them casually under the rug. It was time for him to give it a try.

With a roll of his eyes, Elwood turned and started to skate away from her. He snorted, exhaling sharply through his nostrils, and threw a glance back over his shoulder. "You wish," he said confidently; he wouldn't be so easy and predictable as she expected him to be.

dun dun DUN!

For a moment, Fin felt her breath catch in her throat as she awaited his reaction. When finally it came, she immediately felt relief wash over her. They were good, all was good, no feelings happening, no angst necessary. Whatever those weird little moments they'd had that night, it seemed that the deeper meanings she'd caught glimpses of had only been in her mind--a mind which likely was overactive and playing tricks on her on reaction to her recent dealings with Finn. She was so determined to avoid any repeat of that situation that her instincts had taken evasive action when it wasn't needed. That's what had happened. It's all good. She didn't need to run screaming from the cave. That would've been weird, am i rite.

Now feeling giddy as though she'd dodged a bullet, she smirked after the back of his head as he skated away. "I'm just sayin', Twig," she quipped with a wag of her tail, "I know I'm like crazy funny and cool and hot, but you need to resist the temptation. Don't make it weird." She plopped her but down on the ice to scratch at her side with a back paw, more to relieve her nerves than an actual itch. Probably later when she was falling asleep she would think back on what had happened and actually be a little offended at how quickly he'd dismissed the notion. But for now, she was just happy to be joking again with her friend.

Shall we finish this one up soon so that we can have more awkwardz with the two of them? :P

And just like that, everything went back to normal. Well, as normal as their relationship could be considered. Finley addressed him by his nickname, the one she had bestowed upon him and had subsequently shared with the pack. That reminded him that he had a bone to pick with her that he hadn't yet addressed.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We all know it's your good looks and your sunshine of a personality that got you into the Beta position," he joked, curving his body to circle back towards her. His claws scraped the ice in protest as he turned, but overall he was a lot steadier than he had been when he first stepped onto the slick surface. "By the way -- I could kill you for telling the newbies that my name is Twig," he added with a faux snarl as he drew nearer to her.

I'm good with that! I couldn't find a good place to fade with mine, you wanna give it a try? Lol





Fin found herself slowly trailing after Elwood as he slipped away, her ears perked so that she wouldn't miss a single word. "Uh, excuse me," she corrected him, playfully indignant, "You forgot to mention all of my sweet jokes." She smirked as she slid to a stop on the ice, watching as her friend approached with yet another grumpy-ass look upon his face. Fin quoted a brow at him, wondering what it was she'd done now.

His words made her snort with laughter. It took her a second to compose herself enough to respond, hopefully during which time he hadn't gotten his panties even further in a bunch. "Wait, who all calls you Twig?" she asked after a pause, realizing he's pluralized newbie, "In my defense, I only told one of them that was your name. I didn't realize word would travel so quickly." She snickered deviously then have him an innocent little smile. Hopefully he wasn't too bothered by it, otherwise she'd be giving him another awkward nose tap of apology and who knew where that would lead.

You can post once more if you want, or just archive it! :)

Elwood rolled his eyes at Finley's response. It was her fault that half the pack was calling him Twiggy, and she didn't even feel bad about it! But really, had he expected anything else? "Mikael and Tempest," he revealed, then paused. If she had only told one of them about his nickname, then that meant that she wasn't completely to blame. Whoever it was had started spreading the rumor on his or her own. He would still treat Finley as the scapegoat, however.

"Excuses, excuses," he muttered, shaking his head as he looked at her. "You'll have to pay the price," he then added. Normally, he might have lunged at her and initiated another wrestling match. Remembering the awkward incident that had occurred only moments before, he decided against that, and instead began to skate away towards the exit. "I'm getting cold. But I'm going to be thinking of a punishment for you," he said, pausing and looking back at his friend. He then leaped off the ice and began to creep back up the rocky pathway, not stopping to see if she was following behind him.

His departure was somewhat abrupt, but he kind of felt that she deserved it. Maybe she would be left to stew in her thoughts for a little while; if she thought he was such a pushover, then he was going to play hard to get.

Fin canted her head in curiosity. Mikael made sense, he had been the one she'd told to call the beta Twig. Tempest, though... Fin wasn't sure she'd ever had a full conversation with her before. Or had she. Had she? Remembering things was hard. In any case, she went ahead and figured word must have gotten out from Mikael, which was totally not her fault, and Fin was ready to argue that fact if her friend decided to push it.

Which he didn't. Instead, he gave her a little threat that caused Fin to tense in preparation for an attack that didn't come. Instead, Elwood turned away and left, with just barely an explanation and not a good bye even whispered. Fin stood still upon the ice, staring at his form as it disappeared up the tunnel and out of sight.

What the crap was that about?

Part of her itched to follow him thinking that maybe that was what he'd expected, but without a glance backwards or a call to her, Fin stood still upon the ice and didn't move a muscle. Did he not realize she wasn't behind him? Would he come back once he did? A couple of minutes ticked by and it finally occured to the beta that she'd totally been unceremoniously ditched.

Finley would indeed stew in her thoughts for quite a while on this, and very likely it soon wouldn't just be Elwood trying to come up with a punishment for the other.