Ravensblood Forest stark

@Murk

the frost bit at her nose, but meredith pressed on. she'd been weaving through the undergrowth for what felt like hours, her fiery energy dimmed only slightly by the chill in the air. a breeze stirred, ruffling her coat as she paused, lifting her head to scent the air.

where are ye, captain? she muttered under her breath, the words carried off by the wind. her eyes, sharp and glinting with determination, scanned the landscape ahead. it wasn’t like nox to be far from his crew, yet he had a habit of slipping off into the shadows like the ghost he was.

with a snort, she adjusted her pace, steps quickening as she followed the faint traces of his scent. the woods whispered around her, branches creaking under the weight of snow, and she couldn't help but grin. if he wanted to be found, he’d be making it easier.

ye can’t hide from me forever, she called out, voice bright and teasing, though the growing ache in her legs suggested she might be wrong. still, she wasn’t about to give up—not when there was always something worth chasing.

Meredith's promise of a raid had sparked a fire in the captain's eyes. There were preparations to be made, feasts to prepare, skills to sharpen - the list went on. It was almost overwhelming, but Nox understood that this was the duty of a leader. Who would be there to hold the crew together if not him?

In a moment of downtime, he set to patrolling the borders, strengthening them so as to not invite other interlopers into their domain. The girl would prove to be an asset, he was sure, but he was loath to leave Murkwood's borders open for interpretation. 

He was unaware he had a shadow until her voice carried vibrantly on the breeze. She was looking for someone - for him. Any snowflakes that had settled on his inky fur began to melt as his pelt flushed with warmth. What was she after this time? The fire burned to a roaring flame as he darted into the bushes, forging a deliberately noisy path through the snow-covered bushes. 

Let her find him this time.

meredith trudged through the snow, her steps a mix of determination and frustration. the captain's scent clung faintly to the frosty air, teasing her, but every time she thought she was close, it seemed to slip away like smoke in the wind.

yer makin’ this harder than it needs to be, she muttered to herself, her breath puffing out in visible clouds. her eyes flicked to the trail ahead—broken branches, fresh tracks. all deliberate. the captain was playing with her, and she knew it.

the snow grew deeper as she pressed on, her paws crunching with each step. every now and then, she paused, her ears swiveling at the faintest sound. a snap of a branch? the rustle of bushes? no, just the wind, or maybe an animal skittering away.

fine, she huffed, tilting her head to the sky, as if expecting some divine guidance. keep yer secrets, captain. but there was a glint in her eyes, a challenge accepted.

she wasn't giving up—not yet. with a shake of her fur, she kept moving, the thrill of the chase warming her against the cold. he couldn't hide forever.

The noise of her pawsteps confirmed the girl had taken the bait and, like a fisher, the phantom would reel her inwards.  Purposefully slowing to a trot, he forged a path through the deep snow, wincing as the cold brushed his belly. This sea of white was a wholly different beast than the undulating waves he was used to.

Nevertheless, he pressed onwards to where a weeping willow tree broke the monotonous sequoias. The snow had not quite penetrated the branches here, leaving an almost perfect circle of frost-bitten ground. Breath pluming, the captain shook the remaining snow from his pelt as he waited, concealed behind a leafy curtain.

It was only when her golden figure came into view that the phantom materialised, melting from the shadows with a cocky grin. 

"What's the fun in secrets if I've got no one to share 'em with," his voice, though dampened by the snow, held a mischievous tone.

meredith’s sharp eyes caught the phantom’s movement just a second too late; his cocky grin only served to fuel her energy as she barreled toward him. the golden girl’s paws churned snow into the air as she leapt, aiming to tackle him into the frost-bitten ground beneath the willow.

gotcha! she declared, though the actual pin was more playful than dominant. her weight pressed into him briefly before she rolled off, plopping into the snow with a laugh.

secrets? she said, her voice teasing, eyes glinting with mischief as she dusted snow off her muzzle. captain, i’m real good at keepin’ secrets. better than most, i’d wager. her tone dipped conspiratorially, and she leaned closer as if to seal the promise.

cross my heart, she murmured, dragging a paw over her chest for dramatic effect. ain’t nobody gonna pry ‘em from me. you can trust me. she grinned, clearly enjoying herself, waiting to see if he’d take her bait.

It seemed he had walked straight into an ambush. The captain had little time to react as the girl careened into him, knocking them both over in a flurry of fur and snow. His eyes widened in surprise as his back collided with solid earth, air escaping from his lungs in a startled oof.

The warmth of her body held him in an icy net; a welcome respite from the cold though the dig of an elbow into the tender flesh of his stomach became increasingly uncomfortable. "Watch where yer stickin' those legs," he growled, teeth snapping half-heartedly at a flaxen ear, though it wasn't long before a rush of cool wind signalled her departure.

"With yer big mouth? Surely not," he jested, voice tinged with annoyance as he flopped nearby. Shame on him for letting his guard down, but he was glad to see the girl possessed some physical prowess. Her antics were met with an exaggerated eye-roll as he replied with mock seriousness. "What makes me think yer not gonna blabber to the next lad ye see?"

meredith flopped onto her back beside him, her chest still heaving with breathless laughter. the captain’s mock annoyance only fueled her mischief, a playful grin splitting her face as she turned her head to look at him, snow clinging to her fur like tiny crystals.

aw, y’don’t trust me, cap? she teased, her accent thick, words dripping with mock offense. i’m hurt, truly. thought we were mates, we were.

she stretched lazily, shaking off the snow from her legs, then smirked, her tone lilting with exaggerated innocence. don’t ye know? me big mouth’s only for singin’ yer praises. the next lad i see’ll be hearin’ all about how handsome ol’ nox took a tumble ‘cause of lil’ ol’ me.

her laughter bubbled up again, her tail flicking as she watched his reaction, clearly enjoying the banter far too much for her own good.

Was she always this...childish? In a way he envied her spirit. Growing up rough had chipped away at his psyche, so much so that he no longer extended his trust to those that were not close to him. Her words had struck a nerve, though he was careful not to let it show beyond a subtle frown.

Torn between the want to indulge her and the urge to keep his distance, he sloughed onto his back in a pseudo display of defeat. "Oh please," his paws dangled above his chest as he decided to humour her. There was a time and place for correction, and Nox was perceptive enough to realise she was only teasing. "Ye wouldn't betray me like that, would ye? If we were mates, ye'd leave out the tumble part." His own laugh bubbled at her obviously-joking use of the word handsome; Nox knew he wasn't much of a looker.

From his position on the ground, Meredith's face was silhouetted by the weak winter sun, casting her in shadows that dichotomised her playful tone. "Anyway, what secrets are ye desirin'? After all, ye did catch me off guard. Think ye deserve some sorta payoff."

meredith plopped herself down beside him, her grin as wide as the winter sky above them. she rested her chin on her paws, tilting her head to peer at him with an impish glint in her eye. the captain’s attempt at humor only fueled her mischief, and she wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip by.

oh aye, mates don’t go spillin’ secrets now, do they? she teased, her voice sing-song, the mummers accent thick and playful. but, y’see, cap, it’s the tumble bit that makes the tale. what’s a good story without a bit o’ humility? keeps ye humble, don’t it?

her ears flicked as she considered his question, her grin never wavering. secrets, though? oh, i dunno, cap. reckon i deserve a bit more than a secret for knockin’ the great nox flat on his arse. she smirked, her tone turning mock-serious as she propped herself up slightly. maybe a title—meredith the mighty, has a nice ring, eh? or perhaps yer undyin’ gratitude.

she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a stage whisper, full of mock conspiracy. or maybe just a promise ye’ll keep yer guard up next time. wouldn’t want folks thinkin’ yer goin’ soft, now would we?

with that, she flopped back into the snow, laughter bubbling from her chest, her joy as uncontainable as the wind rushing through the trees.

"Needn't I remind ye of our first meeting," he countered her explanation with a wry smirk. The image of the girl in a soggy pile of snow was certainly humiliating, and Nox let out a small chuckle as he listened to her ramble.

Almost as soon as he offered to spill his secrets did he instantly regret giving her the freedom to ask something of him. That was the thing about Meredith; give her an inch and she'd take a mile. He imagined it would prove useful in a bartering situation, but Nox simply raised an eyebrow at her suggestion.

"Titles are earned, y'know? Takes a lot more than knockin' someone over to proclaim yerself Meredith the Mighty. And a lot more to earn my respect." Shifting his weight, the captain rose to his feet and shook the snow from his pelt. He had to admit, it had a nice ring to it. What would his be? Nox the Noble? Snorting at the silly idea, he spun to face her with a seriously fierce expression.

"B'sides, I ain't goin' soft anytime soon. Don't know if I could say the same about yerself though." It was time to knock her ego down a peg. "Ever learned how to spar?"

meredith rolled her eyes dramatically, though the grin tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement. she propped herself up on her elbows, the snow clinging to her fur like stubborn little ghosts. oh, spare me the lecture, cap, she drawled, her mummers accent lilting with exaggerated exasperation. i don’t need titles to be mighty. i’ve got... finesse.

she stretched out languidly, her tail flicking like a cat’s as she let the word hang in the frosty air for emphasis. sparrin’? nah, not my style, she admitted, shrugging. all that brute strength, brawlin’, throwin’ paws—it’s messy work. i’m more of a stealth kinda gal, y’see.

her grin turned sly as she tilted her head at him, cerulean eyes sparkling with mischief. what i lack in muscle, i make up for in brains. why go toe-to-toe when ye can catch ‘em off guard? y’know, like knockin’ a certain captain flat on his arse.

she chuckled, brushing the snow from her paws as she pushed herself up to sit. but if yer offerin’ to teach, i might consider. though i reckon ye’d better keep yer guard up—i don’t fight fair, cap. the smirk she threw his way was pure mischief, daring him to call her bluff

Finesse.

Well, that was one way to put it. Nox wasn't quite sure he agreed, though the girl did always seem to have a way with words. "Finesse. Is that what ye call all this?" He waved a paw around dramatically, gesturing to everything and nothing all at once.

Letting her ponder that for a moment, he turned his attention to what she said next. There was some truth to it - fighting was a messy job. But it didn't have to be. "Ay I hear ye," he grumbled, beginning to get exasperated at her continuous jabs. "Still, it's good to know the basics, especially if yer planning on stickin' around. Never know when yer gonna find yerself in a sticky situation." Trotting a few paces, he waved his tail amicably. "The offer is always there."

As if her smirk was an invitation, the phantom darted swiftly past the girl, teeth snagging her scruff in an attempt to unbalance her. "I'll let ye in on a little secret," if his hold was successful, he would release her unceremoniously back onto the frost-hardened ground. " A fair man's a dead man." 

meredith shook out her coat, her grin growing wider as she recovered from his quick strike. the audacity of him—she liked it. oh aye, i’ll find ye sometime, cap, she replied with a playful tilt of her head, brushing snow from her shoulder like it was nothing. maybe ye can show me the ropes... if ye think ye’ve got the patience for it.

she trotted a few steps to match his pace, her tail swishing with a carefree confidence that bordered on cheeky. and don’t ye worry—i’ve no illusions about fairness. but if ye think ye’re gonna keep knockin’ me off balance, ye’ve got another thing comin’. next time, i’ll be ready.

her tone was teasing, but there was a glint of determination in her eye that said she meant it. she didn’t shy away from his challenges—she thrived on them, her mischievous energy feeding off his banter. with one last flick of her tail, she added over her shoulder, just don’t go soft on me, captain. i’d hate to embarrass ye too much when i finally get the upper paw.

exit mere

ty for the thread!

Meredith was swift to collect herself, much to the captain's bemusement. Instead of putting her in her place, the bluff seemed only to inflate her confidence. "All that big talk better be worth somethin'" he chided with a smirk, shoulders rolling to ease an ache. 

A spar would be good for her, he decided. Besides, he was curious to see what she was really made of.

Following her tail for a few paces, his ears flicked to catch her final tease. "Trust me, yer gonna wish I went soft on ye." Her cheek lit a fire in his soul; he'd show her what it meant to be a pirate. "Whenever yer ready, meet me here. I'll be waitin'." And with that, he left the willow behind and veered from her path to return to the borders.