Golden Glade Hit me with your best shot

@Embry

Heres the thread for us

She was bored to the bitter end, the Glade was usually bright and vibrant, but today it seemed as if the colors had been muted. With an unkempt growl, she prowled from her den towards the border. The dreary mist blanketed the Glade in a depressing manner, causing her to grumble as she walked. It had become her almost daily task to refresh the borders, so she guessed that she would probably end up doing that again at some point today.

She trotted gracefully, weaving through the oaks. Each familiar branch and fern lead her to her destination. She stopped, deadly still as a scent swept across her maw. It was distinclty foreign to her, and was entertwined with the smell of a carcass. A stranger inside the territory. It was all she could think before her primal side kicked in, leading her to the male. She stopped in front of him, a wicked snarl written accross her maw. Her message was clear, she was going to fight him.

Embry shivered in the morning breeze, eery depths of twilight swelling throughout the misted clearing surrounding his golden figure. If it wasn't blatantly obvious as it was, the fact stood with mounting vigor that he would have a sleepless night if he didn't make amends soon. Pawing at the earth, he trudged through the undergrowth with dull, groggy steps through the thick ferns beneath. He found it deeply unfair that the earth was so warm beneath him.

     His ears perked in alarm as his peripherals stirred, static save for the dense copse of fog and the visitor lurking within it. Surely he would not be intercepted... Not so close to his prized possession. For not two meters away lay the limp bodice of a caribou, no doubt slaughtered by the cruel frosts. He bared his fangs, lips parted to reveal the glistening fangs beneath. He was not the type for malice, certainly not when negotiation was perceivable, but he could tell from mere aesthetic that there would be no peace from this.

"Alright," he growled, voice low and resonant. "Let's get this over with. I'm looking forward to some nice caribou skin for the winter." His words hung in the air as he bolted from his position, leaping at the female with arms outstretched. The tackle was neither graceful nor powerful, but it made up for it's timidity with raw effect. He felt his teeth clip at her shoulder, snagging momentarily at a tuft of fur, before he was skidding away with a grim smile. "It didn't have to be this way, baby. Think of the alternatives... Winter doesn't have to be so cold, you know."

The stranger was a male.

As a petite woman, she felt the need to stretch to her full height. Lifting her haunches as high as they may and exposing as many of her pearly teeth as her maw allowed, she grinned almost disturbingly. Her ivory pelt allowed her blur in the mist, helping her become a ghostly threat.

She nearly second guessed her outwardly decision to fight, as she was much smaller than he. She nearly recanted her dominance with words, but he had already leapt towards her. She had not expected this. The femme prided herelf with her speed and agility, and yet he landed on her with such force that she let out a keening wail. Such a sound pierced her own auds, the teeth snapping at her pelt quickly turning the cry into a snarl.

The male slipped away too quickly for her to reply to his bite. With a feminene wink, she replied, "Maybe, if you hadn't stepped onto my territory, I would've considered you for my...conquests." She llaughed low in her throat, prowling forwards seductively, "If only you hadn't bit me, baby." She lunged at him, faking to his right before latching on the the left side of his scruff. She did not sink her canines to far past his skin, but she hinted to the serious damage these ivories coukd do. She let her arrogance get to her in that moment, leaving herself vulnerably attached to him.

Embry liked this girl. She certainly wasn't too shy to stick up for herself, no matter how inferior he had first suspected. She was an ostensible sort, not too enticing as far as introductions go, yet far from a boring artiste. Man, that woman knew how to play the game. And she played it right.

    "Conquest? On your territory?" He scoffed, his voice taut with sarcasm. "I think you've got it the wrong way around, mon cheri." He puffed out his chest fur, taking special care to gravitate his enormity in comparison to her fledgling form. Likewise, it came as a momentary revelation to poor Embry when he spotted the 'halfling' reeling towards him. In a desperate effort to avoid the coming damage, he reared onto his hind legs and scrambled to the side. His thoughts of what he had previously considered to be a near emaciated creature had fled in search of a new home (not far from those of his former hopes for a night with that caribou skin).
     
     In a moment, she was latched onto his flank. He could feel her breath hot on his neck, sending his heart thumping at a considerably rapid tempo. Blood pumped furiously through veins, who sat only inches away from mutilation. Her flank was sultry, warm against his own; heaving banks of pent-up muscle and energy. He couldn't help but manage a devious wink through the pain, his sea-green gaze sly despite their betrayal of his immense agony. A guttural groan escaped his maw, husky to the point of near hoarse tenor. "Last time... I checked... babes like you didn't... didn't know... how to - at this his paused to gulp - bite." He struggled to form the words, gasping between breaths as he shifted his weight to a less precarious slant. 
 
     Thin trickles of scarlet blood ran in small rills down his shoulder, crimson against his aureate fur. His neck throbbed persistently as he stumbled, but he didn't necessarily mean for it to be accidental. He shoved his shoulder upwards, smashing it into her snout with the upward momentum. With similar force, he managed to briefly pin her against the earth. Nose-to-nose, he let his orbs flaunt along hers'. "Where'd... you learn to do that... - cue the mischevious grin - princess?" 

     It didn't take long for him to evade her awaiting claws, no doubt primed and ready to rip into his underbelly without further preamble. He was careful to keep his focus appropriately aimed on his survival, and, preferrably, a little less on the opponent herself. His gaze trailed across her features, observing with artful pleasure the tense curves that founded his contender as he formed predictions for future rallies. Machiavellian though he was, the fur was what he needed most tonight.

By gods he was arrogant as they came, but really attractive. She eased her grip on his shoulder, crimson blood sliding down her maw. Her lithe form molded to his and she met his gaze.

Pain lay within his jewel colored eyes, but that cocky grin still greeted her. She could not help that her more..primal instincts desired him as he moaned. It was a groan of pain, yet the husky sound of his voice effected her. "Last time I checked, men like you preferred to be lovers-not fighters." She winked at him, displaying slight humor.

In that moment where she let down her guard, he moved. The burst of pain hit her like a wave, stars glittering across her vision. She cried out again, slamming to the ground as he shifted over her.

With a sharp intake of breath, realizing the compromising position of which she lay, she pressed her soft paws away from herself and against his muscled chest. His warm breath blanketed her from the chill along with his hulking mass. The desirable rumble of his words sent a delightful tremor through her, causing her to curse her own desires. "You pick up a few things when fighting for you life." She gave him a glimmer of a smile, a real smile, before attempting to shove him off. She tried to roll out from under him, snapping at his leg, but missed a slide right back to being nose to nose with him.

The two were back at it again, face-to-face, one supine to the other, neither caring how they'd gotten there. He'd never experienced a battle so intense as this, and it was hard not to notice how much he rather enjoyed it. He could feel himself growing desirous - something he feared more than any mortal wound could possibly inflict. The fur was becoming less and less of a priority, what with such nicer means of comfort lying directly beneath him.  He cocked his ears, jaw working as he stood there, blood dripping along muscular shoulders. He hoped beyond hope he'd get scars from this battle. It would be good to remember something pleasant when he grew old.

     "It's up to you," he breathed, struggling to contain the growing desire to stop. He no longer wanted to watch this beautiful, terrorizing girl cry. Yet, by some unknown magnetism, he charged onwards. His bulk loomed over hers', impressive save for the minute cuts along its exterior. He was overwhelmed with the adrenaline of battle, and his instincts were wildly coaxing him towards something he surely could not accept, and he just stood there for a moment; blank. Her feeble effort to roll away only made him further inclined to those urgings, and finally he had to distract himself.

     "We aren't fighting for our lives, now, are we?" He feigned surprise, a sheepish grin playing at his lips. "I thought this was a matter of stealing hearts." He attempted to jam his claws into her shoulders - maybe repay the favor - but that cute smile drifted into vision and he reverted to a clumsy, half-hearted leap for the caribou. Must - Get - Furs.

Its up to you. What the hell does that mean? She ffound herself confused. Does he seriously mean...? She pushed away her traitorous thoughts with a single blink. 

He still hovered above her, and if he remained their any longer her reasons for being beneath him in any way shape or form would change...drastically. The heat radiating from his form was nearly comforting, if she did not already have a feeling of clausterphobia from remaining under him for so long. 

Something glimmered across his eyes, causing her to shrink back into the compact soil between her shoulders. She knew the claws were coming, and did not return his playful remarks. Instead she just closed her eyes, waiting for the claws to shred her shoulder. 

Yet...they did not. She felt him shift above her, moving away. He was attempting to leap back to the carcass, and she frowned. It was on her pack's land, therefore she had to defend it no matter how she thought of the person desiring it.

With a flick of her claws, and the snap of her jaw she latched onto his shoulder yet again before releasing, "I suppose to you its a matter of stealing a carcass." A flicker of hurt glimmer in her eyes. She did not want to hurt him, and yet here she was.

Embry tried to shake the nagging sense of guilt, suffucating his lungs and dimming his vision as he raced toward the carcass. She stopped. He thought with a brief sense of enamor. She thought I was going to kill her. Even before things had changed, he had harbored no intense need to kill. Mercy, all he'd ever longed for was some warmth from this inane weather. He felt as though he was in a tunnel, advancing towards the prized caribou subconciously; entranced.
     
     He flinched at the female's sudden impact, staggering slightly as his body took the new weight into account. Muscles tensed, claws gripping deep into the earth. He grunted - it was all he could do to stifle the urge to howl in pain - as her fangs returned, more vigorous it seemed, into his flesh. This time, battered by emotions and exertion, he faltered in his step. He felt the soft, smooth release of her teeth in his skin and immediately pivoted. That's when her saw her eyes. His heart stopped; body shuddered. She looked... hurt. Not just physically, but also, it seemed, more deeply. Fur, Embry. His mind was playing tricks with his heart.

     The pause was short, but hard to miss. He slammed his large paws against her, driving her hard into the ground with unintentional rigor. His teeth were bared once more, a snarl substituting the previous grin upon his face. This time he had her sideways, claws across her exposed belly, a wild anger in his normally steady sea-green gaze.

     "What will it be, then? Do you want me to admit something? Is that what you're trying to do?" He couldn't control the mixture of fury and sudden, strange enamor that was rushing through his mind and body. She was so darn serene beneath him, just moments away from a love he surely could never attain. And then he spotted it, a gash across her hip, and his breath dwindled. His gaze softened and he was vulnerable, standing in confusion and utter disbelief. 

     "What is this to you, then, if not to provide for your family - your pack? Undoubtedly, you'd like to show him that you're useful? Is that what it is?" Part of him wanted to rip her apart, and the other wanted to save her. Wanted to show her a better Embry - the one that would never have hit a girl. His voice had droned into a low whisper as he stood there, dazed from the pain and lost amidst swirling thoughts, so that his murmur was almost inaudible. "Why are you doing this to me?"

He seemed different. Odd in a way. Cold. When she met his gaze, he looked far too focused at his task. Far too focused to care about what he did to her next.

The next second the air was torn from her lungs, crimson blossoming across her hip as she was ripped to the ground. She could not scream, or even yelp. All she could do was stare ahead as she lay parellel to the ground. The pain was spreading up her curves like wildfire, sucking away more of her words. She could not answer his frenzied questions, for it was hard enough for her to choke down air as it was.

His following questions shook her.

"This - is not to 'provide' it is to- protect and defend." She gasped in a breath of icy air, moaning in pain. Her next words came out in a huskier tone, the rasp of pain evident. 'My Alpha and Alphess are equal to me, I prove myself to them both. Of which I must assume they are a mated pair." She tacked on the last sentence because he had emphasized the 'him' of his sentence. 

She swiped out a deadly paw, but missed by a long shot. Having turned in order to swipe, she now lay upon her back, causing her to yelp in pain as the gash on her hip made contact with the earth. She brought her agonized gaze back up to meet his eyes, watching the thoughts and emotions swim through them. A flicker of shock slid across her ivory features as he spoke softly. She wanted to be upset, to tell him that it was his fault for entering the territory that the fight happened, yet she knew that he did not speak about that. She mummered up to him with a breathy note, "Why are you doing this to me?" For she had not started their tirade of flirtation amongst their fight. Still, when she waited to hear his remark, she found her amber eyes searching his. Yet she did not know what it was she looked for in those depths.

Embry backed up, his golden coat now coated in mud and glistening streams of crimson. He had hardly realized that it was true - that he had started this warfare. His ignorance was a sour note as he stood there, not sure what to do or say. She was slipping from his paws and he knew it. What was he to do? Her every gasp was pained now, and it only clawed at him harder with every second that passed. This has gone way too far.

     Her neck was exposed, an easy target. His eyes slid instinctively toward the soft, open expanse of fur. All he had to do was scare her. But he didn't want to scare her anymore. He felt himself lunge before he could halt the muscles at motion, teeth snapping inches from her flesh. All he managed was a small clump of fur before he felt his shoulder slacken beneath him, forfeitting to the over-stretched wound now gaping beneath his neck. He missed her body, slamming his forepaws into the ground to steady himself. They stared at eachother and he couldn't help himself. If this continued any longer, he would have to give in.

     "Alright, princess. You've got me cornered." His voice was dry; less humorous. He glanced at the fur with scandalous disdain. His body dwarfing that of the girl lying beside him, each breath wrenching daggers into his heart. He let his eyes wander along hers, hoping they spoke what he could not.

     The lust, the desire - everything that now governed him. "I'm doing this because life isn't fair, alright mon cheri?" He growled, aesthetically agitated. His body towered over hers, erect and still. "This... Whatever this is - it's cruel. It's one big cruel display of what I can't have. Because... Because I'm a loner and this just... This would be..." He trailed off, gaze wandering, paws securing her to the ground regardless. This would be too easy. Too much of what I want and too little of what the world will give me.

His eyes raked over her, seeming to pity her. They settled on her neck, and she knew exactly what would come next. With a shaky sigh, she tilted her head upward just so. She did this as he lunged, offering the kill to him. Offering for him to end this pain, whether it be physical or mental.

And yet, darkness never swept her into its grasp, instead she witnessed the man's injury stall his fervor. Perhaps those blows she inflicted on his sculpted form actually had some sort of usage, other than to make her feel ashamed of what she had done.

 Princess. The only man to call her that and live to tell the tale. It was an endearing term, one that would get her into trouble. His words echoed in her thoughts. Of course life was not fair to those that lived. She did not know whether or not she was allowed to be with anyone, for she had not been told those rules. 

She pulled in a tedious breath, her lungs screaming for her to stop. He still hovered above her lithe form, a protector or captor, she could not define. She struggled with the urge to lean up a bury her maw in his fur. Through her pain, her desires remained heady and strong. His words confused her, was he speaking about wanting that damning pelt, or of wanting her. Her melodic voice came out soft, "What you can't have?" She titled her head to the side, displaying her submission to the fight, and displaying her trust.

Embry felt all of his resilience dissipate the moment he heard her voice. That final, shaky breath and he was a goner. He didn't want her to be confused anymore. This was crazy, and he knew it. To meet a girl and want to kill and protect her all in one night. He was on the verge of laughing, but his wounds and hers kept him stolid. When she submit, he felt a tremor run through his body. Relief.

     His gaze trailed hers for unbearable moments of silence, but useful ones. Moments in which he only accounted for that which was the blood pumping through his veins. His golden fur was muddy, auburn upon his robust form. And then he finally succumbed to that which had been nagging at him throughout the hour. He had been pushed to his limits. "You."

     He turned and let himself sink to the earth below, gently offering the girl the only warmth he could summon. His coat was dirty and unkempt, but he could offer hardly anything more. She needed medical assistance and he was aware, but at the moment all he wanted to do with be with her. Her thin body felt so childish, so feeble beside him. He wasn't sure how she would react, heck he wasn't even sure what they were going to do. None of this made sense... perfect, blissful sense.

back button ate my original... :'( 

She was in awe.

It was only one word, and yet it changed the world around her. It bent every aspect of the life she was currently living, the life she could have easily lost in this fight. She did not know the rules. She did not know if he would leave or stay. Or if he even could stay with her, in the way that she would want.

Tthese thoughts were brushed aside as he lay down beside her. She pressed her back against him, allowing her slender form to mold into his. His size dwarfed her, yet this time it was in the most comforting way.

A low rumble emerged from her chest, remenecent of a purr. Her ivory fur blended into in golden fur, blurring in the mist that still blanketed them. She wanted to speak, but instead tucked herself closer to him, shivering, but not with the cold.

Time passed way too quickly for Embry, but he knew that soon they would have to figure something out. But what could he possibly do? Why would he ever end this moment? His muscles ached as he moved, ever so gently, to his paws. His main priority was the girl beside him, the one he nearly killed. How stupid were you, Embry?
 
     A half-hearted grin appeared at his lips as he moved, limping slightly on his injured shoulder, to the caribou lying now only a short saunter away. All of this would one, warm little blanket of caribou fur. He dismantled what he could of the pelt and shrugged it across his shoulders, dragging it with his teeth and body towards her limp, small form.
 
     "Here you go, princess." He managed a light smirk as he presented the token of peace. She needed it far more than he did now, anyhow. Soon the sun would be upon them and he would be at the mercy of more than just this woman, but of her pack. And he knew that was an inevitable threat. So, he sat beside her and carefully linke dhis sea-green gaze with hers'. 

     "Anything. You say the word and I'll do it." His voice was stronger now that he had been given time to rest. It was still painful to watch her flinch, nevertheless. "I don't know what your pack demands of strangers... But, if it means joining you..." He glanced at his paws. For the first time, he felt slightly timid before her gaze. He didn't know whether he was prepared to join another pack so soon. Yet, it seemed as though he had no choice if he had any intentions of building a formidable future with her. It was daunting to him, and he felt that, in turn, it questioned his integrity. But so many other things had already been changed, why couldn't he?

She felt the absence of heat before she saw him in her peripherals. Rolling gently to view him pad towards the caribou, she chuffed ever so lightly. It was a way for her to ask him not to leave without begging at his paws.

He dragged his prize back over to her, splaying the hide gently over her. She managed a wry grin, "Why thank you, but I think I prefer something a little more...golden." She floated a gentle paw across his expansive chest, meeting his gazewith a hunger that shocked even her. If only I wasn't so damn weak right now. 

she did not know if she was allowed to take a mate with her pack, but she knew they would welcome him as a member. "Jhala requires a spar before anyone joins...I think you have that covered and more." She could not help but shift her gaze to where the pelt covered her wound. She quickly pulled it back to meet his eyes. "I could..take you to them, an escort persay, and ask them to let you join us." Her words poured from her mouth like honey. He acually wants me. 

He seemed timid, and she wondered if he perhaps did not want to be in a pack. Yet, it seemed he wanted to stay with her bad enough to join. "Please stay with me.." she found her words came out vulnerable, displaying what lay within her sunset eyes.

She then faltered, exhaling a small laugh before a painful wince invaded it. She could not believe that she did not know an important part about him. With humor sparkling in her eyed, she mummered, "I do not know your name."

Do you want me to post a thread near the Golden Glade border and tag you or you post it and tag me??

     Embry felt immensely torn between himself and this other, delicate (yet surprisingly fierce) wolf in front of him. He had never known love, but he hoped this might somewhat encompass it. Her faint little grins and quiet gestures made his heart scamper harder than he could remember, beating at his chest like a bird. His grin widened as her paw touched his chest, and he wondered if she could also feel that steady rhythm, too. 

     "Escorted?" His sea-green gaze glinted roguishly.  "You tend to get a lot of things mixed up, mon cheri." His tail wagged, brushing gently against the earth as a pendulum. He could feel the energy pulsing through him, urging him to correct the situation. Anything to bridge this gap without further hindrances. Stay with you? He wasn't sure whether the pack required a higher rank to do the sparring, but it hardly mattered. Fight or no fight, he wasn't going to leave.

     When she spoke again, a chuckle escaped his lips. Why hadn't he thought of that? Mirth glittered in his emerald orbs, slightly betraying his attempt at having been aware of the notion. "How's Embry?" He nuzzled her cheek, the wound at his neck twinging. "What name could fit you better than princess?"

Prolly post a joining thread and tag me for the sake of it. My girl will be by his side, so she will most likely call to her Alphas

She looked up at him adoringly. How had this happened to her in such a short period of time? How had she found someone bold enough to match her wit and fiery attitude? Whatever had lead him to her, she was grateful. She could feel the thudding of his heart against her paw, and laughed lightly. My he must be struggling. I mean..With all this its obvious why he is a wee bit flustered. She nearly burst out laughing at her own thoughts, but instead focused her new burst of energy to gently pulling herself onto her forepaws. With a few quieted moans of pain, she was standing; albeit shakily.

She breathed out a light sigh of humor, "I do not mix things up, mon doux." She grinned at him, a devilish gleam slipping into her amber eyes. He was certainly a fiesty one, she would give him that. He must be even more so when he was at a hundred percent. The thought nearly cuased her to roll her eyes, he was going to be a handful.

His laugh was as endearing as they came, nearly causing her to drop to his paws and beg him to make that delightful sound once more. Embry. She liked his name; it suited him. "I think-" She paused as he nuzzled her, breathing in his scent, "-that you have a wonderful name." She grinned at his next words, "Feyre" letting the syllables, fay-ruh, fall from her tounge.

 

     Do we just run this one into meh joining thread?? (sorry it's so short, I'm in a rush right now)

     Embry's lips twinged into a thoughtful smile as she spoke, speaking with the air of regular royalty. He let his golden mass press against her's, paws shifting to steady her as she rose. He couldn't help but mutter a few derisory comments as he helped, chiding himself for every gentle moan she released. "Careful, now..." 

     He felt a rush of relief as she complimented his name, feeling a slight warmth rise to his face. He hadn't ever really thought about it as being much different than any other - a title and nothing more. But when he heard her own, he was forced to reappraise that philosphy. Feyre suited her so much more than any other wolf it could bestow. "Feyre." He let it play in the air, grasping the smooth tenor it applied. "Fay-ruh... It's so beautiful."

Yeah, we can let this fade out here if you like, or you can throw on another post to finish it :3

His help was vastly appreciated in her struggle. She would have fallen on her face without his solid form helping her. His mummer was comforting to her, causing her to smile faintly at him through her pain. She took note of the flutter of his heart each time she made a sound. If she had been in better shape she would mock him for it, but instead she just leaned into him further.

Her name upon his lips sent a shudder through her bones. She had heard it a thousand times, yet it seemed so regal coming from him. Her voice was merely a raspy whisper as she spoke, "I-it..err...Its just a name." She stumbled over her words like a newborn fawn as she met his gaze. "Are you ready to meet them?" She questioned, her head remaining tilted up to hold his sea-green eyes.

Geez it took me forever to reply! Watch out, it's a phone post XD

     Embry felt his fur brush against her golden coat, soft and trembling beside him. He had never, thus far, known something so delicate and valuable to him. Even flecked with grime and the aftermath of battle, she was luminescent. Up until now he had forgotten what living was like - the excitement, the terror, the passion. But everytime he met this girl's gaze, it all came rushing back in one tangled, euphoric mess. 

     He ran his snout along her neck, breathing in her scent and trailing his tongue across her wounds protectively. "It's not just a name." He murmured as he worked, gently nuzzling her ear with his nose. His tone was airy, playful - content. His tail thumped as he leaned away, looking up at the sky. When she spoke again, he was prepared. "What? Just the Alphas?" He offered her a devilish smile, eyes glinting mischievously. "I told you winter didn't have to be so cold..."

Same XD I'm riding out this 11% right now

Any more of these tender movements and she would be at his feet like an average lapdog. Every nudge and protective lick warmed her heart, a heart that had been cold for a very long time. The low timbre of his words resonated in her ears, causing her eyes to nearly cast over with an euphoretic fog. This man, he knew exactly what he was doing to her. His voice sounded aerie, light and sweet, like honeydew. She replied to him in a low senuous pitch, her voice threaded with distraction, "Not just a name.." All she did was repeat his words, her own barely audible.

"Just them, for the acceptance." She replied. With slow movements, to protect the clotting of her wounds, she slipped her muzzle under his. It was a gesture of reasurance, but her next gestures where for her own wishes. The fae tucked her head under his, leaning against his torso and resting her head. His fur was thick here, soft as down. With a delighted purr of sound, she nuzzled his maw from her position beneath him. "Yes, but did you know its spring, mon doux?" Her wit crackled like a flame, a smile growing upon her ivory features.

Embry grinned. His eyes closed for the first time in a while; the freedom of trust overwhelming his battle-weary mind and body. The paradoxical sight of the two opponents in the woods seemed to be a mere figment of his dreams. He turned to face Feyre and could not even bear to blink... It felt as though this entire situation was on the brink of a terrible tragedy. Nevertheless, for the moment is was easier only to laugh and enjoy the beautiful lady he had been granted time to spend with.

He stood and shook out his fur, nodding as if to suggest onwards. Together, they would figure out where to go. He just wanted to get out of this place, in which the elk carcass lay eyeing him from the frosted earth. 

"Spring?" His tail stirred into a slow wag as they began to exit the clearing. "Well even better."