Horizon Ridge Love, death, birth

I'm actually going to date this for January 1st, unless that doesn't work for your timeline. :) <3

Even as the sun began to set, painting the placid sea with tinctures of orange and gold, Pied turned to Kisu and said, "We should find a permanent den, somewhere where we can raise a family when the time comes." She smiled like a lazy cat stretched out in a patch of sunshine after finishing a warm saucer of milk. "I lived in a log in Blackfoot Forest and a hollow tree on the plateau. I wish one of those sequoias grew nearer the ridge," she mused, picturing the colossal trees, some of which took root in the nearby Ravensblood Forest.

After allowing her companion to voice his opinions on the matter, Pied said quietly, "I know Akhlut wants us to wait for his ritual to make things official between us. To tell you the truth, though, I already think of you as my mate. I think it will be fun to celebrate it with the pack but I kind of want to mark it between just the two of us." She paused, letting Kisu absorb that before finishing. "What do you think of marking today as the day when we made it official? I'm already yours, mind, body, heart and soul, and I'm ready to enter into that covenant with you, Kisu."

He nodded at her comments on a den, smiling himself at the almost sleepy way she smiled. "Where do you think we should locate the den? Maybe not too far from the pack den?"

"I think of you as my mate already, as well, mottled one. Where shall we do this 'official business', Pied?" He felt a nervous flutter in his stomach and wondered if he was getting cold feet. His worries of having stillborn, eaten, or slaughtered children filled his mind a lot of the time. It was almost an obsession at this point.

Pied simply nodded at his suggestion of finding a den near the pack's communal den. They could do that soon, though right now, she was more concerned about the topic at hand. Her heart fluttered like a bird trapped in her chest, a mixture of nervousness and excitement thrilling through her veins.

His mention of official business made a laugh bubble up Pied's throat and burst from her lips. "What do you mean—you want to consummate it?" she asked teasingly. "I hadn't thought of that. I'm not sure what I planned to do to make it official, except verbalize it. But..." She trailed off thoughtfully, then looked directly into his eyes, "I'd like to do that, if you're willing." Her heart, already quickened, sped up even more.

"Before we go off to rustle the bushes," she said a beat later, laughing rather nervously, "I want to tell you something important, Kisu..." Still she held his gaze.

Kisu almost babbled at Pied's straightforward talk of consummating the mateship. He had meant it as a ceremony, for he and Red Heart has exchanged words of promise and love when they had become mates. He wondered if things were different around here.

When she voiced that she had to tell him something, he wondered if it was her telling him she loved him. He already knew this, of course, but then his stomach dropped; he expected her to have suddenly changed her mind. Maybe she would tell him he was too old for her? Too... different? Either way, he nodded for her to continue on with her words.

Kisu said nothing, simply waited. Pied smiled demurely at him, their eyes still fixed. He had warm, beautiful eyes. You're going to be looking into them for the rest of your life, a voice in her head whispered. I don't mind at all... she thought in response.

"I love you," she told him, her voice quiet but firm. "I know we moved quickly but it doesn't make it any less true. I'm so excited to get to build a life—and a family—with you, Kisu."

A heart fluttered under white, grey, and rust-colored fur. He halfway jumped in excitement and gently tackled Pied to the ground, making sure not to rest his full wait on her. They were so close he was almost going cross-eyed, and he pulled back to look into her eyes before nuzzling her and whispering that he loved her, too into her grey-blue ear.

In some ways, Pied was quite conventional in her thinking, especially as far as gender norms went. She would be faithful and, at least to some extent, obedient to Kisu and he, in turn, would protect her and their young fiercely. Theirs was to be a very classic mate-ship, a romantic bond forged with the intent to raise a family together.

However, when Kisu tackled her, whispered into her ear and essentially smothered her with affection, Pied found herself being the one to ask, "Kisu, will you be my mate?" rather than waiting for him to ask. Her eyes glimmered up at him and she crooked her forelegs to wrap about his shoulders, loosely slinging them about his muscular neck.

ooc: that's right, muscular neck.
<--- this guy lifts.

He breathed in the salty scent of her fur, and let out a soft sigh of contentment. "Maybe I should be the one asking -- I am the male after all, and it is my duty to protect you. Be my mate, Pied." He more told rather than asked, playful aggression covering his words; the male would take her to be his, forever and always.

Don't skip the leg days, Kisu, lols.

I figure we can start to fade this when they go off to "rustle the bushes"... :P

A more feminist she-wolf might have objected to him insisting upon asking her himself, or even the way he phrased it as a command rather than a query. Pied, however, found it rather enthralling. In fact, the slightly gruff note in his voice lit a little fire in the pit of her belly, which then sent a spreading warmth through her innards and out into her limbs. She felt suddenly hot all over and she squirmed under him, feeling a need rising within her that was at once new and somehow familiar...

"I'm yours," she whispered to him, her own voice husky now. After a beat, she added silkily, "So take me." Pied didn't even really know what she meant by that, though suddenly she fantasized about Kisu grabbing her by the scruff and dragging her into the nearest bush to have his way with her.

ooc: I feel like I am two inches from writing wolf porn >_<

Kisu let out a rumble that resembled a growl, but it was more primal than that. He pulled himself from Pied, and almost roughly nudged her up to her feet, then herding her to a covered spot for their first time together. He told her all of the things he loved about her as they got comfortable, but shut his mouth when they began.

Nah, this isn't even HBO softcore... haha!! Don't worry, we won't be going there. As a matter of fact, I'd call that a wrap! :)

Kisu urged her onto her feet and Pied complied, finding herself happy to submit to his will. When he began to herd her toward cover, she made a point of lining herself up in front of him to give him the best view of her backside. She glanced over her shoulder rather demurely and sashayed her hips for his viewing pleasure. She then chuffed when he playfully shoved her into the trees.

"I'm yours," she reminded him, not that Kisu needed to be told. "All of this is yours," were her last words as she assumed the position.

Wordlessly now, they commenced the tryst made by males and females of all species, the very same act which would one day bring new lives into the world. It was many things—namely, passionate—and it made Pied happy knowing that not only were their bodies but hearts mated too by this ageless dance.