Redtail Rise But She’s Always a Woman to Me.

ancelin laughed a little at that, though the sound was sheepish. "yeah," he said, rolling his eyes a little at her teasing and then stepping back. "it works for me." the pain was immense at times, as it had been with relic, but each time ancelin felt a little more sure of himself.
not pausing another moment, he swung his jaws for her left shoulder and feinted at the last moment, experimenting not with jaws but rearing in an aim to grab her tightly with his forelegs.

She squinted and blinked lightly, as though blinking away a gentle rain. At times, his honesty could cut through all of her disguises and reveal a tenderness that she’d kept sealed up tightly. Ancelin was hardly a violent wolf, even when provoked. 

When he moved toward her it was swiftly and with a deftness that caught her off guard in spite of having been openly invited. He moved with the certainty and brevity of a thief with a hidden knife, drawing her attention in one direction while striking in another.

She waved her head to the side to avoid the brush of his teeth only to feel the pressure of his forelegs on her shoulders as he grasped her. She felt a rush of adrenaline- something that cured her almost instantly of her woe. She uttered an ululating growl and bore the weight of him in her shoulders for a moment, before she braced herself and pushed back, throwing her chest against his and rising onto her hind legs. She grappled at his forelegs with hers, claws spread and sprawling, in an attempt to pry his forelimbs off her, and force him back to the ground- and she would follow him if he did.

so close, ancelin felt the latent power in the girl who wanted queenship. she twisted and bulled ahead, a young puma. his jaws clacked against her own, against her claws, buffeted by the force of her roar.
backwards on hindlegs he stepped, until he stumbled and fell the same direction. now his own paws sought to grip her sharply; he brought all four limbs into play, arcing as she had, snapping in a flash of bold eyes because now he wanted to be above her, and the snarl this time was true, for he had committed wholly to their game.

On hind limbs she stepped forward, snapping her jaws to compliment the clacking of his own. The percussive clicking sound was the herald of misplaced bites, but of gestures too. After all, they weren’t truly trying to kill one another. 

When his weight came down, she swung her hips toward his, planting her forelegs firmly beneath her. She felt his claws rake at her just behind her elbow. He would find himself grasping her, but now by the waist. Surprised by their positioning, Lilia crow hopped backward awkwardly, beneath him- not sure entirely how they had ended up in such an awkward situation.

they grappled, and ancelin found space for a breathless laugh or two.
until her strong legs turned to dark pillars and the hardness of his own paws had slid to her — waist.
lilia seemed perplexed; ancelin found himself transfixed, the latent servitude to a dominant female softening his eyes, a self-deprecating laugh feathering into her withers as his arms tensed for a moment —
the latency, not so much now, forced a reaction from his body; he intook his breath sharply and pulled away before he could hopefully be noticed. "uh, okay. well. i'm gonna —" but he didn't, just stood staring at lilia a half-foot apart with his heart in his throat.

Her teeth flashed, both as she grabbed for his fur, and grinned, in equal parts. Not an uncommon occurrence with Ancelin, who seemed capable of stealing her breath away with both his touch and his voice. Spars became a means both of training and a fit excuse to get close to him. In any other dispute she might have done more to push her opponent away- but with him, she craved the feeling of being swept up. 

Such was the case when they moved in such a way to bring them into an intimate embrace, albeit for a fleeting moment. She felt very vulnerable for a second, and the feeling persisted for a moment after his limbs slid from her waist. Still- she felt the space between them was less comfortable. 

”Have you ever wondered….?”

it felt like his pulse was not going to come down. ancelin scuffed at the ground, then glanced up into lilia's face in time to hear her speak. wonder. "wonder what?" he asked, trying to steady his heart rate and his breath.
something like an unlabeled breaker had switched on inside the young wolf, though he had no words for it, and only instinct to guide the fumbling unsurety. and even that was unreliable.
he glanced off into the landscape, but only for a moment.

”Wonder what?”

Lilia’s ears slicked back, and her cheeks grew hot with shame. Her eyes grew wild and wide for a second, before she zipped her gaze down to the ground, feeling a pulse of anxiety clutch her heart within her chest. 

She punished herself internally by holding her breath, hard. He’d never think of her the same way if he knew she was thinking about that.

”Nothing!” She blurted hastily. Obviously, he hadn’t thought about it- ”Whatever! It’th nothing. Jutht fohget I thaid anything!” She exclaimed defensively.

ancelin stared at her a long moment, sides heaving with deeper breaths as he tried to calm himself. "okay. i —" but nothing felt right to say. and quickly it was becoming awkward, this weird thing between them that neither of them could name for some reason.
did he wonder what?
"gonna go on patrol. welcome to come with." backing a few steps, ancelin offered lilia  a wavering smile and then essentially fled.

Her eyes flicked up, and she watched his expression for any sign of disgust or judgement. He looked puzzled, rebuffed, but it didn't seem as though he would think of her differently for suggesting something so intimate. Still- she couldn't help but be a little disappointed to not know if he'd wondered the same things she had. She couldn't help but feel as though perhaps there was something wrong with her, to have had those thoughts...She'd try to bury that deep shame, but it would dog her like a shadow. 

His swift departure only made her feel as though he wanted to get away from her. Eyes burning, she watched him go, waiting for him to turn and cast a look over his shoulder to see if she followed. If he did, she'd go after him-

but he didn't. 

He simply left, at a brisk pace. She waited for him to come back for her for a moment or two, before she made a small, strangled noise, and stormed off to wallow.