Ravensblood Forest The whispered promise

Isley had found a small patch of roses and plucked the most striking. She'd nibbled the thorns off, carrying the yellow bloom towards the area shed been curled up in with @Palisander. Isley laid it down and started to arrange the herbs shed collected, wanting everything as nice and neat as it could be before Palisander  arrived. She was feeling better and was able to move easier now that she had mostly healed. She felt like the pack was on the cusp of something real and strong and she felt it thrumming like her pulse in her veins. 

Maybe everything could be real there, maybe things could work. She had to believe in it, she had to trust in it. There was no other way she'd ever survive it. 

Palisander trotted towards the place where he would sleep with Isley. What he didn't expect was her to lay out all the herbs she gathered and even had some flowers there. His blood orange eyes looked surprised at the displayed beauty. Palisander let out a soft woof in greeting and trotted up to her. His tail wagging. As he got close he greeted her with a lick on her cheek.

"What is this?," he asked curiously. He wondered what her idea behind it was. Perhaps it was just beauty or perhaps it was another hint that their relationship might take a step further. He rather liked it to be the latter, though he could appreciate the beauty of it too.

Isley's spirits were lifting now that the Family was growing, was settling. She felt herself stilling some too, and while thoughts for the meadow they had left were few and far in between she found herself filled with less longing. She left the herbs to dry out, waiting for Palisander to finish his tasks and return to her. Not to their home - but to her. Possessive thoughts were dangerous ones, but they had taken root all the same.

When Palisander approached her tail gave a few wags, her body near curling towards him as he licked her cheek. She gave a little laugh as he asked about the rose, smirking. "And here I thought you an educated man,"  She teased, plucking at a little tangle in his fur. "This is called a rose, and they smell sweet." She said with a playful grin. 

Palisander snorted in amusement. He knew clearly what they were but he was not sure what kind of ritual she was doing right now. The male quirked up his lips softly when she teased him. "I am, and I know that is a rose. I just wanted to know your purpose," he asked. This might be a better way to formulate these questions.

He plopped his but down and looked at all the other herbs and plants. Perhaps he was a drying process, but he hoped that it was for something else, something to that would link to romance. Soon all the pants would die and the trees would shed their colorful leaves. Then they wouldn't be surrounded by flowers anymore.

It wasn't anything particularly special when she laid the herbs out other than to dry them for winter. The rose however, was something special, something she'd picked just for him. "Hm, I haven't found it yet." She teased as he settled down on his haunches, slowly settling against his side in a comfortable recline. "Have you settled in well?" She asked - it felt like they'd both been so busy, and everything getting settled, it was almost astounding they'd find the time to see one another when they weren't sleeping. 

"It feels like days since we spoke properly." Isley admitted, and found in herself a small well of fear - what if he'd found someone else who struck his fancy? What if he'd found someone prettier, who wasn't as much of a hassle as Isley? 

Palisander smirked at her when she teased him. He gave her a little nudge when she leaned against him. The young male hummed softly. "Alright. Alright," he hummed at her. He quieted down when she started talking, knowing it was very important to listen to girls. They liked that after all. His ear turned to her, liking that she leaned against him. "Sort of," he admitted when she asked him.

"I did some hunting, and I met a female, pale of coat," he spoke to her. Not knowing that he was kind of feeding her insecurity. "Didn't go so well. She hated my singing! Even the song I thought out for----," he let out a with a puff and groaned lightly. He was almost a bit offended. "Umm-- you."[/b] He then smiled at her. "I didn't make that many friends yet. Oh well, I'm sure that feeling will come later, as long as you are liking it here I'm liking it too," he spoke with that same old smile.

She looked up at him as he spoke, emerald eyes fixed on the particularly enchanting orange of his gaze. A frown grew on her face as he spoke, admitting he had been less than welcomed by Furiosa. "She is...a different lot, certainly." Isley offered quietly, reaching up to gently nudge his cheek. "I am sorry I was not there to hear your song." She mused quietly. While she was finding herself more at peace in The Family it seemed that Palisander had not felt the same way; had not had the same experiences as she had. "I do not want you unhappy." She said softly, licking her lips a bit anxiously. 

"Promise me that you do not put aside your happiness for mine." She said as she looked up at him, giving a soft sigh at the prospect of Palisander being unhappy and knowing that she had a small part in it. "There was a peculiar male that came sniffing about. Had the strangest accent, it was hard to understand." Isley said, referring to Maude. "I offered to teach the Family some healing arts in case there is a need when they are beyond my reach." That was something she could have Palisander's help in, she felt, if he was willing. 

Palisander realized that Isley met the pale female too, naturally. He listened to Isley and watched her with his warm colored eyes. "I'm not unhappy. I kind of teased her by continuing to sing," he admitted and then smirked his usual smirk. His tail giving a brief wag. "I kind of made her annoyed with me so don't worry. I expected to be already more like family where one could tease one and other without being offended too much. I guess I was wrong."

Palisander didn't mind some conflict, after all that was what made things interesting. How could relationships go from there or how could it be resolved. The only conflict he wasn't a big fan of was fighting. "Well, you could tell me a few things, like the basics," he offered. "If that means I get to spend more time with you," he grinned, not so subtile anymore with her lately. It was pretty clear in his eyes they were fond of each other.

Isley was relieved when Palisander admitted he'd perhaps goaded her on, she was worried over him not settling in and if he was unhappy she would have been worried. She offered him a little smile, nuzzling against his shoulder for a moment. "The time will come," She promised with a small smile. "Until then, you only have me to tease." She offered. She wouldn't mind the interaction with him, not at all. It was weirdly relieving to her that he hadn't gotten on with Furiosa immediately; it was one less person to potentially be jealous of. 

"The basics, you know." She pointed out with a smile, nosing along his shoulder. It was subtle, mixing their scents and in a way marking one another. "What has you curious?" She asked. "Do you want to heal, or harm?"  

Palisander could only agree with her on that, after all that was what would come with time. Relationships would grow, bonds would become closer and they would become a true family. He hoped so to say the least. The male smiled at her when she told him he could tease her. The male instantly broke out into more of a grin. Because he wouldn't mind teasing her and just having fun. "Are you sure you want that?," he laughed.

Then the male grew more serious. He did know a bit of the basics. He wasn't entirely convinced that he could do that in the moment of panic, but time would tell. Plus he was not telling Isley that. "Of course I want to harm everyone in this words. What is that for question Isley," he stated, instantly starting to tease her since she gave him permission.

Isley looked up at him, almost debating what he said for a moment. Was she certain? About him, yes. And it scared her. Maybe it was time to tell him about why she was the way she was. Isley considered the question that had been posed to her, thinking of things. "I could handle you, I believe."  she said honestly. She felt confident in that regard. She looked up at Palisander, gaze softening a bit as their eyes met.  "Come with me," She said as she stood, guiding him to the borders. She knew them like the back of her paw but still - every day she marked them to reinforce their borders. 

"My family has healed for generations. We know antidotes, we know how to help and what to do. We know how to hurt, too, how to poison and kill even. My mother Tiva is the reason I know those darker arts." Isley sighed, stepping from him to mark a spot for a moment before joining him again. "My litter was forced upon her and from her came my distrust of males. That brute by the river did not help, but, I feel safe here."  Isley didn't meet his gaze, wondering if he thought her insane or somehow a lesser creatur. 

Palisander grinned even more so when she told him she could handle it. He was pretty sure she could too. She had been very tough since the beginning and he doubted that he could hurt her ever. He walked with her to the border when she told him to follow. It was quite easy for the male. He wondered what she wanted to tell him, perhaps he would gain some more information about her, or perhaps more insight in what she would see in them.

Palisander turned an ear to her as she started talking. As it turned out Isley was pretty dangerous. She knew about the bad flowers too. Well, he should remember not to piss her off. Palisander wondered why she was telling this for a brief moment, before he pushed that thought away. She was sharing this with him because she trusted him, and she felt safe with him, of course! Palisander smiled more genuinely instead of his usual smirk.

"I'm glad you do, otherwise you would still be alone in that meadow. I wouldn't want to wish that life upon you," he spoke to her. "I'm glad you told me," he added. He looked at her briefly and then cleared is throat. "You don't have to be worried if that is the case, I wouldn't force a litter upon you. Just so you know."

She rubbed on trees, marking it with her scent as they wandered the borders. He was quiet for a moment and Isley was nervous, wondering what he thought of everything that had happened in her life. She didn't know where her siblings were or what had happened with them. She hadn't gone home either, to consider what her life might have been like. "Would you want children, even? " Isley asked curiously. "I haven't considered it myself. We.... We have time if we wanted to consider it, but... I'm wondering."  

Iskey felt tiny, then, even more so than normal. It was a lot to consider and she wondered what Palisander might think - maybe he wanted children, or maybe he hoped for children with someone else. 

Palisander's face turned into a light surprise when the female started about pups right after she explained how her mother was used and had her against her will. Did this meal Isley wanted young already? But he wasn't even sure he wanted to be a father. Though the male showed a smirk soon after his initial shock. "You thought of carrying my young. I'm flattered," he spoke.

The male then cleared his throat, because of course he would not show insecurity to a lady! "Well wouldn't we want an actual relationship first? Besides. We are not the alpha pair or high ranking. I don't think we are allowed to breed," he returned almost casually. He stepped closer to her, clearly she was marking the borders to have an excuse to do something with herself. "So what do you say, huh? Would you want me as your boyfriend then?," he asked, smiling.

Isley started to correct him for a moment - she hadn't actively thought anything. She hadn't figured on any sort of contact or anything else. But it had been brought up and so perhaps he might have considered it himself. Maybe. "I ask because it was asked of me, if we were considering children." She said quickly, almost a bashful look to her. "We were the first loyalists of the Forest." She pointed out, giving a little shrug. "But. That...I do not know." 

She chewed her cheek for a moment, breathing out after a moment. "Is that what would make you happiest, Palisander?" She asked - finally lifting her emerald eyes to look up at him. "Would you....want me, as your own?' Not just companions - but something more. Unexplored, something new for her entirely. 

Palisander was surprised to hear that Isley was asked if they were going to breed. That was a rather personal question was it? Though it was good to know that she hadn't been thinking about it yet. The young male laughed. "So because we were the first loyal persons of the family we get the breeding rights?," he chuckled.

He looked at her with his own orange eyes, so contrasting compared to her green ones. It was a tricky question. He didn't know if that made him the happiest. The young male did like the idea of her being his own. "Yes. I rather like to have you as my own. As long it makes you feel happy too," he spoke with a smile.

When Palisander questioned she gave a little laugh, shaking her head in a way of showing she wasn't sure. "Perhaps because we would make the most attractive children." Isley teased. She could imagine the children they would make, painted like burning sunsets, splashes of orange and timber colors - strong sons, quick and clever daughters. 

Gods, she was truly thinking about it now. 

Isley smiled tentatively up at Palisander, basking for a moment in being wanted by the male. "It would make me happy, I believe." She said honestly. She did not know if there would be any differences between what they lived their life like now, or, what things would be like later. "It would be a challenge, see how long you can handle me." She said with a smile.

Palisander had to laugh about that because they perhaps would look beautiful. Though he was kind of panicking from the inside because he was not sure if he even wanted to have pups of his own yet. Was that weird? It would sound like a lot of effort, especially if he looked how he was as a child. The girl seemed to like the idea of pups though, perhaps they could have some fun first. Hopefully she would not go in heat soon.

Palisander slowly grinned. "Well good because then that means that you are mine and I know that I can definitely handle you. The question is if you can handle me," he grinned at her. He started to give her little licks over her cheek.

The notion of children was an eternity away. Spring was the magic season, far off and mystic, and she didn't have to give any thoughts at all to it more than a fanciful notion. Palisader didn't seem outraged and so she could settle in the knowledge that there was a distinct possibility that they might test out the waters - learn one another better than they had even in their months as companions. 

For a moment Isley closed her eyes, basking in his affections as she had denied him for so long. A moment later she reached out to lick his cheek, snout rubbing back till she was just beside his ear. "Catch me if it can, and perhaps you will earn a prize." She teased coyly before she took off through the trees, running quickly to entice him into chasing her. 

wanna fade here? Maybe have a new one soon :D