Haunted Wood When will they learn this lonliness

Long black limbs slid through the pristine white of the snow and ice. Green eyes, a time from spring past looked out and about. Around his neck he carried the herbs in the pelt. They were getting lighter and lighter, he would have to find a place soon enough to settle at least to start building up his stores again. It was only right. he was liking these teekon woods, he may make a permanent stay of it. 

Fog clung to his fur and made it damp an heavy. Oak trees reached up and down and over. Their gnarled hands digging at his fur and his psyche if he moved to close to them. He followed their pointed fingers to deep beneath the long tendrils of hair, eyes searching for the water that fed the willow trees. Finally he found the river and settled neath a birch tree, eyes dipping through the grass and plants that made up the area. It was gorgeous and he would need to remind himself to come here come spring. The life he could pull from these herbs, it was astronomical.

the man was alone.

he maneuvered through the oak-heavy forest as if he knew it well, and zharille watched him from where she had bedded for the night. when he came close to the river which she had fished up her dinner, she chuffed an appraising sound - not meaning to draw his attention, but curious of him, and unabashed in her staring.

the gloss of his coat spoke of good health. he did not limp, and moved with finesse over roots or through the grass. when he appeared interested in a scent among the green, zharille rose and moved closer, watchful and wary; he was large like herself, and all women knew the inherent danger of men.

Sixth sense and a couple of years of traveling alone and he knew when he wasn't alone.

Black ear tilted backwards at a chuff and he turned large black head. Evergreen eyes taking in the she wolf coming near him. She was the color of most timber's, but she was larger than he.

He studied her and dipped his head downward with a small smile. Hello. he called out and then bent his nose back to the ground. He was taking in the greenery. 

I bet it's pretty here in spring.

he took notice, watching her. she was not afraid of the pine-green of his stare. as they watched one-another zharille's stride became easier and also more bold, striking close to tempt him, and to test.

would he be offended by how close she got? he opened his mouth and a ripple of tension carried through her neck and shoulders, and she braced herself, but all that came was a sound. a soft snort came from her in return as she reached close and tasted the air around his face.

a flick of tongue across her teeth, and she finally relents, looking away. pleased with him for the time being - and silent, careful.

Alaric raised a wolfish bow, a further impish grin on his face as she stepped nearer, bold and vibrant. He knew a tease when he met one, and she was def something of the sort. 

She drew nearer and nearer and she was all but a hair breadth away. If he wanted he could reach out and touch her. But he kept his paws to himself. Though he did test the air around her as well. She didn't smell like any others. So she was clearly on her own like him.

There was a careful teasing wariness to this she wolf. And he wasn't sure how to take it. So he allowed her to take up space near him and waited to hear if she had anything to say.

an itch creeps along her shoulder, so she half-sits, kicks the air with a foot, and rids herself of it. as she stands again she feigns disinterest in the foreign male and begins to mosey around him, to his other side.

her tail whisks the air, and she reaches suddenly to clip the air by his cheek, playfully. she is too big to be fast, but tries to pull away after, watching him for signs of aggression or entertainment.

He watched as she moved carefully around him. She had him on edge. She was unpredictability in the flesh. It wheedled underneath his skin like a itch. And though it filled him with a sense of wariness. It also stoked those fires that the unknown always  did. The adrenaline of the moment, leaking in to color out all other rational thought. This was a challenge and he enjoyed it.

There it was she turned and was set upon him, but he didn't sense danger beneath her veneer. No this seemed like play. He dodged and whisked around, quickly to his feet and snapped back ,but met no flesh. And with a careful prance, moved around her, and bowed low on her other side.

She wanted to play, okay. He could play.

he rebounded after her, snapping, and she heard the click of his teeth as they came together just out of reach of her. she rounded, watchful for signs of any change in their game. one could never be too careful. she would posture with great care, to make it known with her raised tail and stomping feet that she did not mean him ill at all. he got the message.

the man bowed and welcomed her close to play, and so she would romp and snap and press her luck as close as he would allow. her tail-tip shifted with little shakes in between her actions, to openly telegraph her good motives; this would go on, her veering one way or another, her snapping, until she was out of breath.

at her size, it did not take long before she was open-mouthed and panting.

She watched him warily at first. She had wanted to play, so he didn't fully understand her reluctance, but she soon shook the cobwebs loose and jumped into action. She made sure to let him know she only wanted to play, she meant no harm. he took it as such and smiled.

They romped together and moved back and forth. She pressed and he pressed and they did a bit of a dance. She shifted he shifted. Snapping teeth. It fun. But soon both of them were getting tired and winded.

He lay on the ground and wagged his tail. A small smile on his maw, tongue hung out in a pant.

he flattened to the earth and rolled, breathing heavily as a mirror of her own effort. she chose to sit instead and the thumping of her tail against the grass matched her heartbeat. after a few minutes of this, she scootched closer to him and wedged herself near his hip, flopping down to the ground on her chest and then adjusting until she was comfortable.

a yawn - more to dispel any stress from the game than a show of anything else - squeaked out of her. she licked her nose, then seemed interested in a scent he carried, and nosed lightly at his scruff with some curiosity.

He watched as she sat, but he didn't move. Instead he grinned and closed his eyes letting his breathing slow, his panting stop. Though his eyes flew open as she moved closer to him against his hip and his side. 

A yawn squeaked out from her maw and he chuckled. He lay a paw across her shoulders if she'd allow and slowly preened at the ears and neck of her. Getting teh grass and dirt from their romp in the dirt. She took his scent he took hers.

fade? ty for thread!

he groomed at her for a few minutes, which she tolerated until she didn't, at which point her fur bristled along her shoulders and wherever he tried to grab at her. it was overstimulation and annoyance that crept up on her now; but that faded when he stopped, if he stopped. one look was all it took, and she reached to grab at his cheek with her front teeth roughly, as if to correct him. after, she was content to rest alongside him until such time as they might part from one-another.

Certainly. Thank you

Her fur bristled one look and he released and moved. There was no need for the harsh reminder to let her be. He knew what was what and when to stop.

He lay his head to his paws and let her rest near him. They would leave each other amicably.