Dragoncrest Cliffs Sunstone

Portia held the belief that regret was stupid. she felt that if you had wanted to do whatever it was you did, you shouldn't regret it. if something you desired-- or even so much as casually wanted-- was important enough to you at one moment to actually do it, then it isn't worth regretting. Portia was also keen on acting on every want she encountered. she was a slave to lust and greed and moved wherever her heart told her to, so it was rare she had an opportunity to regret not doing something.

until today, maybe.

the dragon had woken and was furious, for some reason, though she'd never heard a story about a volcano that was kind to anyone. it had taken from them their home and had taken it's toll upon each one of Drageda's members. it was mostly fear that was sparked in the skayona after the incident, and even further than that it was terror. she'd never been so afraid of anything in her life. but the moment that she saw @Dio the whole situation changed. she wanted to do nothing more than smother him in kisses and have him wrap himself around her. he was safety and warmth and though she was still afraid, her terrified sobs turned into tears of joy and relief. to see him, for one, but that he had come for her, to find her, in all that mess-- that was something she'd never experienced before.

and still, after all that, she had to hype herself up to do that. commitment just wasn't something she was usually down with, free-spirit and all that. but she'd settled with Drageda, and that had been one of the best decisions of her life... perhaps she could settle with a man, as well. the thought scared her, but somehow she knew that if she didn't, regret would come to bite her in the ass.

so, patient as ever, the skayona waited for the ivory male. she figured he'd come and check on her sooner or later, anyway. 

The borderlands of their claim were steadily taking shape thanks to the diligence of several. He was feeling more and more secure in them with each and every pass he put over them, but that lingering discontent of being so freshly uprooted remained -- but maybe deep down it had only been a matter of time before it came to that; their claim had been a smoldering mountain before. He was an adaptable creature by nature, at least, yet he still couldn't help but hate the timing of it all.

Even with their few losses considered (the viking queen's pups most notably) he held fast to the hope they would rebuild, and soon arise anew. It was already taking shape, and matters on the whole were on the mend. The scent of smoke no longer hung on any of them. Instead, seasalt predominated things. He'd never been the most fond of the sea, but perhaps it could grow on him. He had never gone to its shoreline in times of good in the past. Maybe a fresh start there, with a new approach behind it, could not hurt him any.

Nevertheless, in establishing his new routines, the hunt for today felled him a little rabbit for lunch between the redwoods. Now with it hung slack in his jaws, he further carved his pawprints into a path quickly becoming familiar. Since having been out on patrol, then the hunt, he missed her -- as was also part of the new routines.

Upon spotting her finally, his chuff was muffled through the rabbit but unmistakable all the same. He jogged in close to greet her and bump his muzzle against hers before finally dropped his kill between them. "Hey." His tail swayed and he felt some of the stern tension from duties loosening; it had no place here, but there were other concerns he'd handle quickly. His ears splayed subtly before he spoke on next. "How's your shoulder feel?" Dio put one of his paws on the rabbit when he gestured at the shoulder Chessur had reset for her, and seemed to remain on the mend. He was still worried about it causing her aches and pains, so therefore prone to over-checking. "Want any?" It wasn't a whole lot, but they could still share just a bit, he reasoned.

"Dio," she said quickly when she heard his voice, her tail wagging. anxiety was written on every feature, but excitement seemed to cover it up well. this was a good thing, at least that's what she kept telling herself. she wanted this, even though it scared her, and if she'd have to keep reminding herself of that then dammit she'd do it. "i'm fine, hun," she reassured him, referring to both. she slowly moved herself into a sitting position, feeling that sitting upright made the conversation feel more right, somehow.

she reached out to give him a kiss on his cheek, her usual greeting to him. it felt warmer, somehow, now that she had some big follow-up behind it. "i think," she began with a rushed tone, "it's more common for men to do this, but, i really couldn't wait... and mother always told me that men shouldn't have all the power in a relationship, so, i don't think it's such a big deal..." she hushed herself, the rambling beginning to grow a bit wild, making her a bit more antsy. "i love you," she murmured, ears falling ever so slightly-- he'd feel the same way, somehow she didn't doubt it, but the mere announcement made her mind run wild. "[b]it hurts my soul every damn second you're away from me..."[/b] she added with a small smile, her gaze looking for his.

Her greeting came quick and he couldn't guess what he should expect in the face of her evident excitement. Since the Dragon had evicted them, he'd withheld even less when it came to her because why bother? He was fond of her, and wanted it this way. Maybe it was more gradual than it seemed to him, but he was certainly making himself comfortable with his life intertwining delicately with hers. While he was glad she was fine, shoulder-wise, he was getting suspicious by the second that there was more. He peered right back at her thoughtfully, beginning to forget about the rabbit for a moment.

She made him curious right away. He was certainly all ears, and accompanied by a tilt to his head, he didn't know what this was going to lead to: and of it all, not necessarily that. Dio gaped at her quietly then reached in for a soft kiss against her muzzle. When disaster came upon their old claim, he'd known first he had needed to get to her and to ensure that she was safe. The rest of Drageda was not far behind her, of course, but somehow he'd admittedly let it become so much more. While once it had been easy enough to write it all off as protecting what was valuable to the pack, this just wasn't like that anymore, and really hadn't been for a while. His ears moved anxiously then he huffed, dismayed and stricken at once but he'd not let it frustrate him too badly; this all was coming sooner or later.

There was still a hesitantly happy switch to his tail and he felt so much, so fast while splaying his ears a lot like hers had been. "It's not easy to be away, either. Especially in this still-foreign place and not knowing what could even happen to us all next. But.." It was his job, and for the well-being of the Drageda. He sighed, always torn and feeling it badly now that her admission of love left a lot of his doubts discredited and him scrambling to regroup. "Damn. I don't know. I just want you to be in my life, Portia, and to be in yours." He stared back carefully. Was that love, too? Did he want it to be so? Hell if he knew in truth, for it manifested differently. There was no doubt she was an exquisite balance of many precious, beautiful things he scarcely felt deserving of having all to himself. "I hated not knowing if you were okay when things first started falling apart at the Dragon. I guess I've been thinking about it a lot since then? Winter, too.." He licked his lips and leaned to nuzzle her cheek, should she have it.

at first, for some reason, Portia couldn't tell if he was going to agree with her. she had been confident moments before, but his words seemed so jumbled she just couldn't decide if he was telling her that he felt the same way, or if he'd take a different turn. but it fell more in line with what she had said, and relief flooding through her. he was everything, in this moment, and she hadn't felt this happy in a long while. he leaned in, and she let him nuzzle her cheek before she buried her head under his chin and into his chest, her ears pressed to her skull.

now she was at a loss for words. he hadn't said the words back to her, but everything he said made her heart warm. "this place is new, but we'll figure it out. we were not brought here to suffer, we came here to prosper," she said softly, breathing in his scent and breathing back out into him. "i will not leave you," she then said with confidence, she would not, and she prayed he wouldn't either.

Convoluted as it all admittedly was, he hoped his point got across. He'd been juggling this for a while and had found, in his hesitance, that it had been changing even still. He'd thought of her first for a long time and happily took solace in her touch more and more with the day. It had become part of his routine and him as well. "We will, I know. In time I know I'll feel a lot better about it all," he sighed quietly because she was absolutely right. Soon, they'd prosper again. "And good, because me too." She had always put up with his company before, and he'd enjoyed so much with her -- even the plain, quiet domestic moments when all was well and warm.

He was frustrated he'd let it become like that so casually, but there was little point in denying it now. "It just always seems so easy and right when it's us," he murmured. He looked forward to it, hated leaving it, and returned eagerly. "I have never put the most stock in formal titles for bonds, in whatever way they are," he explained carefully with ears falling back more with every word. "and never would I want you to feel stifled or slighted.. but I want to be yours, however you may have it, whenever.." he said, knowing fully that his impending litter with Wildfire may cause her reservations in these topics he brushed upon, as well as her favor for freedoms, but he really wished she knew he was in no hurry and very flexible in this. He wanted her happiness, her well-being, and all the better if he could intertwine his own with it.

"i've never found a wolf i've wanted to put a label on... not.. not before you," she said, her eyes blinking slowly. truthfully, she couldn't tell if he was telling her that he didn't want to label them, or if he just never had before. she was unmoved on this topic though. besides wildfire, who she knew she couldn't do anything about, she wanted the wocha all to herself, and she wouldn't let anyone get in the way of that. "i want others to know," she added, ears pricking, "i want your name all over me... like i couldn't even try something because everyone would know that they'd have to get through you first." her lips curved in a smile, white teeth showing through as her tail beat slowly against the ground. "tell me you're okay with that. that's all i want, you and you alone and for the world to know that you are mine, and i am yours."

it was corny, and felt dumb-- but she meant every word. she realized after she finished that she might've skipped over one or two of his points, but she hoped he'd overlook that. that he'd understand what she was saying and what she wanted-- prayed to God that he'd agree. 

He was torn somewhere between heart-warmed and overwhelmed to hear that such a want was reserved for him alone. Dio didn't really have the words for how he felt, other than a big messy I can agree with all of that. Maybe he just hoped it could all speak for himself and sight of her tail waving made his want to match it wholly "Of course I'm okay with it," he did manage to muster with a soft grunt, all before fondly running his muzzle against her neck. If she was, all chaos around their upheaval considered, then he'd be a fool not to be the same. She made him happy, and gave him so much so effortlessly. He peppered gentle nips at the bottom of her jawline in a silent promise: yes.

Yours, his, hers, he was more than alright with it.

the skayona bathed in his gentle affection for a moment before she let out a breath, smiling. "i'm glad, because i wouldn't have taken no for an answer," she purred, pressing her nose to his cheek. her tail waved against the earth, leaning into him fully now. she probably wouldn't have though, mostly just because she was stubborn, but also because she would've looked like a complete fool if he had said no-- and portia rose was no fool. she let out a slight giggle, her tail still wagging happily. "i love you," she repeated once more, moving her head back slightly just to meet his mix-matched gaze.

He'd not expected this, not hunted for it.. or so he'd thought, and yet, she pressed so neatly against his chest that he simultaneously never wanted it to not be this way again, and scolded himself for not coming to it sooner.

Dio would've been a fool to say no and he was not surprised -- Portia deserved no less, and perhaps even more. For her happiness, his matched it with ease and he too was glad he could have her here with him. Thanks to her, his days were better and because of this, he'd have no reservations in his next words to mirror hers: "I love you, too," he breathed gently into her nape. Nothing else could come close to summarizing what he knew was true. He'd gladly love her, protect her, and greet a new future at her side -- whatever it may be, he believed it would be better thanks to her.

ew at i'm a big holdup. you can fade if you wanna or leave it here ;)