Barrow Fields do you believe there is loyalty in a man?

Blistering wind breathed life into the forest, its nippy exhale gusting the first leaves of the season awhirl. The tree boles braced against its strength, their leaf-budding branches playing whisper games amongst eachother—talkative, and outstretched towards the welkin as a young children reaches for a parent. 

The murmurings fell upon the ears of the little black wolf as she picked her path in some indiscriminate direction. She’d lost her other half a number of miles ago. Their reunion had been fatefully arranged with Lusca in receptive form––a form rare as any, and they often walked astride, pressed against one another. Nights prior the pair had consummated their bond, coupling frequently in the days after at nature's insistence, but her desire to be near him constantly began to fade as an instinct and some independence was like a gasp for oxygen satisfied after the flash flood of pheromones dragged her under its tow.

On present morning, much to her revulsion and his glee, the universe presented Tachyon with another Tachish Delight. A finding to which Lu snootily turned her nose up higher than ever before––she wasn't hungry much to begin with, but what peckishenss was present there had retreated to the back of her mind with queasiness’ resurgence. Something about moshpig's malodor didn’t sit right with her. However, to precisely no one's surprise, Tachyon was more than happy to polish off her share––but not before rolling in its carcass, of course. She found that his preference for cologne lacked a certain appeal.

Eventually emerging from the woodline into a meadow suffused with the opalescent colors of mauve and gold, Lusca tried to gather her bearings, snuffing at hedgerow and probing the rimy groundcover with a reserved sort of interest. 

EStinky, solemn and in solitude Tachyon realized Lusca's sudden absence . After a bout of slumber (no doubt precipitated by consuming Lusca's share) the Druid woke with a start. She was gone and a fear overtook him. 

Baying and loping he strode off after her scent - and it was some time before their reunion. When e spotted her alone in the sunlit bosk his heart claimed and he bounded towards her with overjoyed and playful strides.

Her solitude was not long for the world––after some time spent prying into the nest of a quail and snaffling the hen's flecked eggs, Lusca heard a break in the woodlot and turned swift on her feet to face the incomer. 

Her tail hung pensile at her ankles, gaze trailing Tachyon as he gaited animatedly toward her. Her ears incurved, chin tucking into her neck as he drew close, and she greeted him with a sharp whine. "Have a good picnic?" 

every molecule tachyon possessed was abuzz as lusca turned to face her -- he felt himself melt in her beauty, the sharpness of her features. he nodded earnestly. a sloppy grin accentuated his wobbliness as he flopped in front of her with a bevy of kisses aimed at her chin. as far as he was concerned she was his world entire, and to be acknowledged by her was to be stroked by the soft hand of god. his tail beat in the ground as he wriggled around her, relieved that she was not gone. "i missed you." he whined sappishly, lovestruck in the sickly manner of a teen.

She was permissive of a few lashes from his tongue on her chops to clean off the ropy yolks of quail ovum, then dodged him with a lift of her chin, clearing out of the way of the lousy-in-love bath he drew for her.

I missed you, he said, and her eyes were the bowstrings that shot him a look of consternation like an arrow true to its mark. His pygmy goat-like back wriggling made it hard for her to keep track of his expression, so she could not be sure if he was bantering or if his statement was said in earnest. So she took her paw and tried to pin him in place, eyebrows furrowing as she stared down the swart barrel of his snout. "And why did you do that?" Miss me. Why did you miss me. Why would you subject yourself to such an action?

as lusca raised a paw to subdue him, tachyon grew limp -- though in the manner of an overwriggly, excited eel. to him any physical contact was a gesture of affection -- positive reinforcement, if you will. the idiot practically beamed under her restraining hand, sending a flurry of licks up her wrist as she queried him. why? this question stumped the man and for a moment confusion crossed clearly across his face -- as if he were at loss for words.

unfortunately for lusca, he wasn't -- and with a grin he wriggled underneath her and rejoined: "because i love you, silly." awkward.

lusca rn and tachyon always

An air-raid of storm petrels swooped on her, dropping ammunition of love-proclamations. Was this kid for real? He was neck and neck with Usain Bolt, if Usain Bolt was racing to the finish line of holy matrimony. Jarred, Lusca stared intensely at him (you know, the thousand yard variety), then bumbled backwards, shaking her head. "Sorry, I blacked out. For a second I thought you said you loved me." The L-word was spoken with such repugnance, it practically oozed from her gumline. Gold and orange eyes interlocked. "Imagine if you really said that to someone you barely knew.. red flag, right?" 

tachyon felt dejected by the not-so-subtle rejection - his ears swooped down and he lowered his muzzle solemnly, his golden gaze forlorn. he rolled onto his back, his head resting on lusca's paws-- his own paw outstretched to rest on her cheek with an adoring love-tap. as dismayed as he was to be rejected, it would not dissuade him. "i did say it -- i'll say it again -- i love you." he was not at all bashful in his affection, and attempted to issue a few more licks to her chin despite being upset down.

TEAPARTY CRASHING TIME! pp of tach bc he mine and also slight pp of lusca w permission -- tagging @Kjalarr if he wants to hop in, this is backdated to when lusca was found w/ tachy!

she had noticed lusca missing, and had been livid -- how dare the wretch leave the haven caiaphas had painstakingly carved out for her? she had tracked the sullen little wisp to this location, and once she saw her consorting with a stranger, her blood boiled. without thinking she was outnumbered, or thinking of some sort of strategy, she lashed towards the couple with her fangs outstretched. with a snarl her teeth sunk into the meat of tachyon's exposed leg, and she wrenched back her head to cripple him. the male, defenseless, whooped out in surprise and pain and rose upright, standing protectively over lusca with the wounded leg raised. his expression was hurt, but caiaphas' gaze rested hotly on lusca.

"back off," she demanded, her nose uplifted in a savage snarl. "if you do not leave, now, lasher will know of your insubordinance and my teeth will find you again." her gaze flashed from tachyon and once more fell on lusca, brimming with simmered ire. "as for you -- come with me now, or i will break that paw of yours again."

sorry overdue because that's the kind of person i am

He was tireless in his searching for the wickwar flame in the young woman’s eye, but all he would find there were the brambles and briars of unrequited love. She stared down at him, fazed by the hustle of his heart, his fierce sentiments––how illuded he had allowed himself to be. "I think you're confused." If she had anymore words for him, his ears wouldn't be an audience, for Caiaphas set upon them cloak and dagger adorned; a lethal black distortion of the landscape as she advanced against the pair. 

Her initial target was Tachyon, whose position of vulnerability was blatantly favored––the enraged aggressor crashed into him broadside, and dealt a prostrating blow to his leg. The Donnelaith man swept upward with a stricken yawp and Lusca in turn took a tumble, flailing incapably in the grass beneath him as he hovered over her like a broody storm cloud.

Lusca peered from between his legs––one of which now wept sanguine––tension blackening like smoldering coals roasting together on the grates of a grill as they bartered glances. A waterlogged hiss of fire and brimstone broke the deadheat––Lusca looked away and dragged herself out from beneath Tachyon, finding all four feet and withdrawing from his side in a step back from the menacing Saltwinter matriarch as she heatedly made her demands.

An unfamiliar name brought her eyes to slits, but the next threat erased every squinched line of suspiciousness inlaid in her expression and replaced it with the familiar sensation of scorn. Her threat of violence was insipid––it'd been all she'd offered to the omega in months. "You're dreaming. The moment I'm back there I'll leap from the cliffs." She said coolly, in the same manner she would inform the woman of the mundane habits of the weather. 

tachyon would have turned to return fire to his assailant, were it not for the recognition that flooded his gaze as his eyes fell upon her. he shrank back -- not out of fear of her, but out of fear for what he had done. had his tryst unknowingly jeopardized donnelaith? lasher? his eyes widened as pain seared his psyche, but all he could do was murmur small and stifled whimpers. he was helpless -- and in this position, pathetic -- how would lusca favor him now, knowing he could not stop  the siren queen from executing her command?

with a cowed whimper he departed lusca one last kiss along her cheek, though he did not rally besides her.