The Sunspire XXX

back on the trail of the killer, augur sought @New Snow when the pack stopped to rest. 

he kissed her cheeks. he kissed her eyelids. he had missed her, and let her breathe all the scents he had gathered in his travel.

some were sneezing among them. he checked her own mouth and nose for the illness, mouthing her jaw.

New Snow moved with the rest. Young Blood Spot had fallen ill, but since the nothing of it New Snow had kept her distance. Fortunately, thus far she kept in good health. For the most part, New Snow kept near to the rear of the group along the way, ears and nose working to be sure that no unwelcome or uninvited thing went unnoticed. While normally she was inclined to stand near the side of her man, New Snow felt it important to be sure with their thinned numbers that they were spread enough apart to not be taken by surprise.

This was not the first trip of this sort she had been on. Her family had needed to journey once before to chase out trespassers that had hunted in their territory. 

Night fell. It was now New Snow sought out her man, and her tail waved to see him approach. New Snow bumped into him and noisily greeted him, not shy in her adoration. She too had missed him! Her nose worked it’s way across him, pausing at points of interest. 

By the end of it, she was alongside him again. As he checked her own health, she in turn inspected him. He seemed in good health still, which provided her much relief. She gave him many kisses, and whined a questioning note. 

Did he hunger still? He had done much; New Snow would not feel content until she was sure he was well.

their breath mingled. he kissed her again and again, low whines feathering in his throat.

even on the verge of war, even with a sneezing child among them and concern over that illness, the spring was coming.

augur felt it and so sought to tell new snow with loving nips that he wanted a renewal between them. more children. he was too delighted to hunger, not in this second.

but in the next his belly growled, and he snorted in amusement.

New Snow felt great affection for him. It never seemed to go away. It only grew, even in the few (long) days he had been absent on his mission. She rumbled fondly toward his whines, huffily beginning to execute the same ministrations.

Her tail sent snow helter skelter around them, heedless to those surrounding them.

To spite the bite of winter, Mountain Boulder brought the kiss of spring.

It warmed her, and she returned it; the warmth they shared brought the snow that now fell to melt swiftly on the bridge of her muzzle. New Snow whined happily with him then, pressing to his side. As she heard the rumble of his stomach, New Snow huffed in low amusement and moved now so that they were ear to ear.

Mates. And hunt partner, for all of their shared life. She would not let him grow hungry!

And yet she did not want another minute apart. New Snow would be swift. Or he could give chase with her. New Snow moved to conserve energy through the route they had already used; along the way, having thought much of him and her desire for him to be looked after, she had found a den of lemmings (they had taken up residence in an old, abandoned fox den nearby).

new snow departed.

he followed eagerly.

his woman had found a place of small warm things. augur sniffed around the den and then lunged inside, scattering them.

blood to his teeth. blood running down his chin.

he snapped again and again.

Her tail waved as she watched him. New Snow kept low, waiting, until

They came! Several bloodied by Mountain Boulder, one incapacitated entirely and snared by him. New Snow dove at those that sought to escape, those that had scattered beyond their den.

Blood on their teeth! Blood on both of their chins!

New Snow's tail swung faster as she moved to herd the final few back toward her man with deafening barks, fresh blood dripping on old snow.

she was beautiful.

white upon red.

augur swept toward her with long licks of his loving tongue.

his eyes burned into her own; he rumbled in pleasure.

All around them was death, though none of it unnecessary. New Snow would ensure her man was sated, and would eat as well. Whatever was left would be for the other travelers of the Rise. New Snow emitted a wolfish laugh, golden eyes bright and warm as he bestowed dozens of kisses upon her.

Again he marked her, and New Snow reclaimed him as she always would with the press of her bloodied muzzle to his cheek. And then she returned his loving gestures, tail beating against the earth, stirring the soft snow in its wake.

She spun toward his side and pressed her cheek to his, her ear against his own. She drew downward to nose the food toward him with a huff, a gentle demand that he eat and keep his strength. New Snow loved him; she would show him by continuing to provide, and remain at his side.

she was a good wife.

he hoped he was a good husband. the want was formed without words. he hoped for more children also.

augur knew he must provide for these things to happen.

and yet for now it was sweet that he should be the one doted upon.

he ate with great gusto.

She was happy to see him eat, and huffed her approval. And once he was done she would lick away the remnants he did not manage to get himself with a wagging tail. New Snow stepped over the mountainous wolf, nipping at his withers before she turned and splayed her forelegs against the bloodied snow; she hoped to engage him in a bout of play.

Huffing again, New Snow whirled the opposite way in quick bounds. She would be easy to catch this game; she knew the importance of conserving their energy! But she also delighted in this game, and his pursuit.

augur hardly spared a lick to wet his jaws before he was whirling after her.

two white wolves racing in white snow.

the drifts washed the blood and dirt from him. he growled and surged and meant to grab for her playfully.

augur's eyes were bright.

Her strides lengthened in a game of keepaway; she herself was the object!

And yet she did not want to do this for very long. New Snow found that she wanted no distance at all!

So she turned on her heel, the snow cleansing her own furs as well as it flew everywhere. Next New Snow found herself in his grip then, and she happily yielded to the great weight of him as she sought to mouth whatever was within reach in swift retaliation, wolfish grumbles sounding off in playful protest.

mouth and chin and forehead!

he wrestled her down into the snow and held her there with long gentle kisses.

his tail pounded furiously in the snow behind him, heart and mind and soul filled with a wordless warmth.

New Snow wrinkled her muzzle and grumbled, though sneezes relayed her jesting. She was not a tall vexed, and her tail swayed beneath her on the earth as she moved to playfully nip at this face. But soon she began to lave her own tongue against his face, too, on every inch of it that she could.

A laughing breath came from her. New Snow had never known life could be filled with this much joy. Her gaze was a mirror to his own as she sought to wrap her forelegs around him to pull him closer in a wolfish sort of hug. Not for a minute did her tail stop in its movement.

augur's chest was filled with a warm vibration. he lay down over new snow, supporting his large weight on his elbows, and nipped at her chest and cheeks playfully.

like her own, his plume beat in the drifts behind them, throwing showers of white over them both!

he was delighted with her.