Storm Watch Butte como la flor

The wind howled like a beast with endless breath, tearing across the barren lowlands and battering the base of the butte. Ximena stood at its edge, her silhouette dark and defiant against the rising tide of dust that crawled toward her like a living thing. The air here was dry, each inhale scratching at her throat, but she ignored it. She had come too far to turn back now.

Overhead, a pair of vultures circled slowly, their wings catching the fading light of the sun.

Not yet, Ximena murmured, a smirk tugging at her lips as she watched them.

Here, in the raw silence, her thoughts drifted—unbidden, but not unwelcome—to the dark secret she carried. A secret that coiled deep within her, like a snake curling around the core of her being. A secret she didn’t fear but relished.

The memory tasted rich and wild on her tongue, a forbidden sweetness only she could savor. It was the power that came with seeing fear blossom in the eyes of those who had once underestimated her, of knowing that her existence alone could unsettle even the bravest heart.

feel. sand stung the winterborn's eyes, his nose, and his mouth when he dared to open it.

look. evenfall spots a lone figure in the distance, still against the whirlwind of sand and dust that is kicked up by the strong gusts. sol had begun to say goodnight for the evening, and the green-eyed wolf knows it is his cue to seek shelter. perhaps this stranger seeks the same.

smell. as he approaches, he shields his face against the storm as much as he can, his nostrils filled with sand and silt. he wishes to inhale her scent, to know more of her before he closes the distance, but it is impossible with the wind and debris.

taste. we should take cover! he suggests, sand filling his mouth as soon as it opens. the wolf gestures to a nearby overhang, sheltered on three sides and seemingly away from the storm. he does not wait for her response, but instead moves quickly to save himself from the torrent.

Ximena's golden eyes narrowed against the storm as she watched the stranger approach. He was a curious sight, pale and stark against the raging backdrop of sand, his movements deliberate yet desperate. The corner of her lips quirked into a faint smile, one that hinted at amusement despite the biting wind.  

As his voice reached her, muffled by the storm, she tilted her head, the faintest of shrugs rolling off her shoulders. Claro, she murmured under her breath, though she doubted he could hear her. She wasn’t one to follow orders, but the shelter he gestured to seemed practical enough.  

Her movements were slow, deliberate, as she trailed after him, her form cutting through the sand with practiced ease. When they reached the overhang, she shook the sand from her coat, each motion sharp and precise. You don’t seem to belong here, hermoso, she said, her tone light but laced with observation, as if she were assessing him.  

Her gaze lingered on him, studying his green eyes and his ragged breath. The sands don’t care how tough you think you are. They’ll grind you down, piece by piece. She chuckled softly, her voice smooth despite the storm. But you might make it through, if you learn to move with them instead of fighting against them.

listen. she does not seem concerned by the sand threatening to grate his eyes into blindness. her tone carries no haste, no worry, none of the things evenfall would expect from a sane wolf. then, she insults him. she says he does not belong here, that he will be ground down, that he has much to learn. evenfall is unimpressed.

look. he casts her a disgruntled stare, then curls his lip. you are unwise to insult somebody who is trying to share shelter. you may go back out into the storm and learn if you wish.

feel. his feet plant firmly on the ground, and he is ready to push her back into the chaos if that is what she wishes for.

Ximena’s golden gaze flicked to his, catching the disgruntled stare he threw her way. She tilted her head, her smirk softening into something more playful. Oh, she drawled, her voice lilting as if savoring a private joke. I didn’t mean to offend. Her eyes sparkled with a warmth that contrasted sharply with the cold grit of the storm.  

Her tone shifted, low and smooth, almost conspiratorial. These lands, they are not so different from where I come from. I know how they work, how they play their little tricks.

She stepped closer, her movements deliberate yet unthreatening. The air between them grew charged as she tilted her head, her golden fur brushing briefly against his shoulder. But I admit, she said softly, you did pick a good spot. So for that, I’ll say gracias.

Her tongue flicked out briefly to lick her nose, clearing it of clinging sand. Besides, storms like this don’t last forever. We might as well make the most of this little... retreat. She let the word roll off her tongue with a teasing edge, her smile returning.  

The faint, warm scent of her lingered between the sharp tang of dust and grit in the air. You don’t have to trust me, hermoso but you could at least enjoy the company. She stepped back, settling down into a graceful crouch beneath the overhang, her tail curling neatly around her paws. The desert doesn't always bite, you know. Sometimes it purrs.

listen. her rapid change in demeanor is like whiplash, and though evenfall is suspicious of her one-eighty personality, he relaxes. it is easier to go with the flow of others than grate against them.

look. he watches then as she morphs once more, now seemingly flirting with him. he pretends not to pick up on it, thinking it is better to go that route as they are trapped in this shelter until the storm subsides.

feel. evenfall lets the earth rise up to meet him, settling into the cool, hard earth below. her conversation requires no response, and so the sun worshiper remains silent.

ximena’s eyes danced with mischief as she took his silence as an invitation. her posture shifted, languid yet deliberate, as she settled closer to him, her tail curling neatly around her paws. the soft glow of the shelter’s dim light caught the amber flecks in her gaze, making her look as though she carried a piece of the sunset within her.  

you’re quiet, solcito, she murmured, her voice a melodic lilt that carried the faintest tease. the storm out there is louder than you. are you always this reserved?  

her head tilted slightly, ears flicking forward as if to catch even the smallest sound he might make. she let the silence linger just long enough before adding, or perhaps you’re just a mystery, sí? a puzzle for curious minds like mine to unravel. 

her tail swished, the motion slow and deliberate, brushing lightly against his side before retreating. ximena leaned in, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. tell me, quiet one. what brings a wolf like you out here? surely you didn’t come all this way just to endure a sandstorm with me.