Sawtooth Spire He's a man of few words, but he talks a lot within.

As the sun set on the previous day, she knew.

Irritable and with restless paws, Nyx roamed Sagtannet's rugged terrain in an effort to work off her growing frustration. Anxiety plagued her thoughts, encouraged her to withdraw from the world to wait her season out as she'd done the year before. Tempting as the idea was to her, so strong was that fear of repeating past mistakes, she spent most of the night considering calling her agreement with @Mahler off.

When at last the tawny Ostrega made her final decision, she moved quietly through the darkness in search for him. Reluctant to call out for fear if riling the fire-tempered Wylla or anyone else who might oppose Nyx and Mahler's contract to reproduce together, she maintained her silence. All she could rely on was the hope that he would simply find her, and they could swiftly get this part of their arrangement over and done with.

broad paws carried mahler's heavy frame along nyx' trail. it was for this he had been waiting, and so his senses had been honed to a fine point that now guided his inner compass.
much like her, he had kept himself awake mulling over the accused unfairness of his intended actions. suppose wylla made life hard for his children with nyx? suppose they resented not only him, but she as well, through no fault of her own? suppose his brood with his heartbeat also came to loathe mahler?
but the doubts ceased when nyx came into her time, and tendrils of her beckoning were floated upon the endlessly cold wind.
he and she had decided this before the season took their faculties. nyx had her doubts, mahler his own, but it mattered not when at last that evening he found himself in the woman's presence. gaze swept approvingly over her curvaceous figure before meeting her own.
are you certain?

She heard footfalls, a heavy stride that brought someone closer, closer through the crisp darkness and Nyx halted at once to peer into the endlessness of it. Atop her raven and golden crown, ears swivelled with nervous curiosity - steadfast in her chosen partner, she would not hesitate to sink her fangs into the flesh of those not permitted to partake in her season.

No, the father of her cubs had been chosen far in advance. There could be no other more suitable than her General.

There was relief in her yellow eyes to see him, so the raised hackles along her dorsal smoothed flat as he drew near. He looked her way and she looked right back, her stare sharp as it swept over his impressive form; all suggestion of anxiety melted away. Mahler was, in that moment, a perfect specimen, and Nyx felt driven by an unusual confidence as she answered his silent question with her forward prowl.

nyx swept forward, a new intensity charging her usual mellow nature. he sought her in the darkness, eyelids at half-mast as he allowed himself to be stirred, commanded. there was an intrinsic pleasure in being chosen this way, mahler decided, desire warming to life in his tall figure.
nyx did not wish him for a mate. she did not wish to own his love as had the fairy. their coupling, then, was unfettered by the mess of emotion that oft accompanied such things, and he was grateful for the reprieve. contractual, certainly. unfeeling — it would do neither of them well to be cold with one another.
he nipped the hollow of her throat with a low growl vibrating in his throat.

He welcomed him to her with a low rumble, a sound that she uttered in return. Mahler, normally cool and collected, reached out to deliver a nip of his fangs to the Ostrega's pale throat, though he could not understand the meaning behind such a gesture. Possessiveness? She hoped not. An encouragement? That would be more like it.

Nyx chose to be lulled by the second option, pushed her snout among the dense furs of her companion's raven ruff to breathe deep the scent of him. Her exhale was hot on his skin, suggestive, and her mouth went to work in grooming his pelt as she worked her way from Mahler's shoulder to the underside of his powerful jaw.

It was there that she delivered a fierce bite of her own, not enough to cause him harm but simply to keep him on his toes. Nyx pranced away from him, slinking out of reach should he choose to retaliate; despite their agreement she wished to be courted, desired, earned - if only for the night.

he lashed his tail at the sharp pierce of her fangs, a desirous, surprised sound thrumming in the deep barrel of her chest. nyx had come alive, a firethorn that tightened his loins and mahler coursed after her without a second thought. no thought of possession, only intrigue, the increased cadence of his heart.
the gargoyle sought to kiss her collarbone, butt his head gently against her shoulder, sweep her shoulder with his lips — he would follow, let nyx set their steps. his lilac eyes had darkened with the pleasure of it, the throb of his own heady groin as he sought the guard hairs between her shoulders with an affectionate sigh.

His pursuit was exactly what Nyx had been anticipating, and she summoned him to follow her with a needy growl and beckoning sway of her feathered tail. Her initial plan had been to hurry this part along and dismiss him when their coupling was complete, at least until she felt a need of him again. Now that he was here, however, seemingly enraptured by her, she found fresh desire to keep him close for as long as possible.

His dark muzzle found the fur of her chest, traced her neck and shoulder, gentle but fueled by clear desire. The tawny Ostrega allowed this touch, but it was his touch at her hackles that made her spring away through the snow again. A curl if her upper lip and flash of fangs issued in silent warning: not yet.

The same hot-and-cold manner she'd used with Lycaon in his courtship of her, intended to keep him guessing - keep him testing and trying for more. 

he attended the auraed she-wolf in stride, jerking muzzle away to amusedly eye her sidelong and continue his pursuit when nyx had moved onward.
compelled as much by her as the delectable fragrance she wreathed boldly in the air, mahler trotted after her with long strides, plume waving affably and gaze fixed upon nyx to the detriment of all else.
mahler was content to wait for however long it took the woman to truly wish him; in the present, he ducked forward, ears flattening as he sought to lick along her jawline.

She swept aside, loped elegantly through the snow, danced out of Mahler's reach as he actively pursued her for a time. Encouraging him along with yips and whimpers, her peppered tail never ceased its excited sway.

When at last she let her partner draw close enough to reach out to her, she rumbled approvingly despite a display of ivory fangs. Plume flagged, Nyx grasped at the opportunity for a moment of control - of being desired.

But at his touch, at the caress of his lips to the underside of her jaw, she turned to putty and felt herself melt beneath the gesture. The tawny Ostrega scooted closer, nosed along Mahler's throat until hawk-yellow eyes closed over and she pressed her head snug beneath his own. Her growl softened then, an invitation for him to proceed.

for a long moment mahler merely held nyx where she had curled herself in invitation, enjoying the feel of her light warmth against her heavier body. an intimate moment, during which he lowered his broad scarred muzzle to nose along the back of her neck, shifting upon nyx was against his chest.
lips explored the valley between her shoulders, nipped gently along one hip, pillared her between his strong forelimbs. mahler drew nyx back against the curve of his body and paused then, letting out his breath in one steadying sigh against her nape.

A low growl against the curve of his throat, a rumble that reverberated in her chest to slip past bared teeth. They chattered with her body's anticipation of his, clicking together as she fought an urge to deliver a sharp nip to the hide beneath her muzzle.

Instead, Nyx took a gentler approach. Her nose nuzzled between the dense raven fur there, searching, longing. She let him work through her own atop her shoulders, let him preen toughened guard hairs that lifted with the wolfish equivalent of goosebumps. More importantly, perhaps, the tawny Ostrega gave herself permission to enjoy Mahler's ministrations and exploration, so pressed herself firmly against his frame as he preened and pampered his way along her flank.

Soon he took his mount, hooked her hips between strong and eager forelimbs to guide himself into place. Nyx accepted him patiently, tail sweeping instinctively aside, and found herself holding a breath in quiet expectation of what was sure to follow.

the heady grip of her body sent mahler into a low keen, exhaled against the curve of her skull. spurred by the fragrance of nyx' beckoning, mahler set a rhythm for them that brought her close against his chest.
gracefully nyx fit into the arch of his body; the gargoyle was swallowed by a myriad sensation that threatened his control. a slow melt began in his limbs, and mahler drew in hoarsely as he began to ebb at the rein.

Fading here.  <3

Her exhale came shakily, each fibre of her being quivering in Mahler's embrace as he brought their bodies together as one. Nyx' eyes fluttered closed as she released a strained sound of encouragement.

He set a pace for them, not quite as frantic as their last pity fuck but absent of tease. This time was planned, she reminded herself, an intimacy with purpose - and she knew what to expect.

So Nyx gave herself fully, in exchange for what Mahler would gift her. Her focus remained on him, on the closeness they shared, mind absent of Lycaon or Wylla or anyone else who often threatened to invade her rare and peaceful thoughts. When it was over, she felt weighted by contentment and the promise of a brighter future, and curled herself sleepily against Mahler's stronger frame for a time until they chose to part.

She would present herself to him again, no doubt, as many times as she had to the ensure a viable litter and until her season came to an end.