we go north

Continuation for @Scimitar

That moment changed something in their relationship, like a dam breaking. They journeyed far, far north, stealing time away from the mission at hand only to eat, sleep, and occasionally repeat the thrilling, breathy encounter of the first day - often in the wide open, for all the world to see.

Eventually, they had gone past even Duskfire Glacier, and on the third day, they saw it. There, darkening the skyline like a rising Goliath, was a single, ridged peak. Even through the haze of rain, they could see the evergreen tree-line striving to climb it, fanning out over the steep rise like an advancing army of bushy, dark green tails. Bazi slowed down to stare, tail and ears rising with the hope in her heart. "Scimitar, look."

A mile-long stretch of troublesome territory separated them from the forest. Troublesome was the only word that fit. It was an uneven and craggy plain of rocks, scattered with thorny bushes and the occasional stooped, witch-like tree. They would not be traversing it at speed if they wanted to arrive on the other side without broken legs.

He wasn't sure what he was waiting for as they continued north. Neither had made mention what land they envisioned bringing the boys and pack to -- only that they were heading north. A part of him felt a throb for Neverwinter Forest, but the logical part squashed that notion. This move was for a new future together, and despite the fact another pack bordered his old home.. The lingering ghost of Chakra would not settle well with him either.

They're stolen moments rejuvenated him. Their relationship solidified with each passing moment, and if for that alone, he was content. There was still a sense of urgency to come to a decision, return home and gather the pack.. But there was also a sense of contentment.

Bazi's voice drew his attention, and sharply blinking to the direction she indicated, the male eyed the haphazard brush with mild curiosity. He debated shifting direction -- desiring nothing but keeping her safe. Yet the intrigue that shone in her eyes at the potential that lay before them was the true deciding factor, and without word, the Frostfur nodded, his creamy paws moving forward through the thick brush carefully.

Her obvious excitement was enough. Without a word about the fields of rock they would have to cross and cross again, Scimitar moved forward. Bazi followed close behind, her nose near his flank, watching every step she took.

The crossing took longer than she could have imagined. The tangle of rocks, shrubs, spines, and slopes kept them both on their toes, throwing challenges at their feet with every step. Grass disguised sudden drops, and constant obstacles forced their route to meander and twist. When they finally reached the narrow ribbon of trees that marked the end of the natural minefield that had successfully traversed, Bazi's paws ached.

But it was worth it. In the golden light of the setting sun, the forest-cloaked peak before them was utterly magnificent. Bazi stepped into the close-cropped grass of their new front yard with wide eyes and an open mouth, staring. For someone that had become accustomed to the flat, the sheer variety of this potential home was jaw-dropping.

The jagged rocks beneath blanketed snow was much like traipsing through the ocean banks -- every so often, one was extremely sharp and pressed to his paws in a painful manner. Burs clung to his pelt as he waded through, and by the end of it, as they escaped the tangled mess, Scimitar released a gentle chuff, his eyes drifting to Bazi to see how she had fared. He was still bruised from his battle with Bane, and despite the strides he had made physically in healing, the trip through the scattered rocks and dips had certainly tired him.

But before them now was a forest -- scattered with alpine before giving way to a magnificent mountain side. It twisted his heart with want -- a desire so strong that he knew this was the replacement for Neverwinter Forest.. the unobtainable. Shifting himself, the cinnamon wolf drifted closer to Bazi, his muzzle touching her shoulder as she stared forward in wonder. He did not need to ask if she too found it breathtaking -- but it remained unexplored as of yet. "Imagine the boys playing in that forest," he murmured, a soft sigh releasing from him then.

She felt him at her side, knowing without turning that he shared her expression. Neverwinter Forest was not an aspect of his past she knew much - or anything - about, and she heard but did no fully appreciate the peace in his voice when he spoke. "Imagine the boys playing in that forest," he sighed, breathing hot air over her shoulder. Or their own children, she thought to herself, feeling her now gluttonous body respond to the closeness and the moment. She pressed against him, stepping forward to offer herself to him not for the first time that day. "Again," she whispered huskily, pushing their collective exhaustion to the back of her mind. "Then we'll explore."

Potential lay before them, waiting to be explored.. but the moment her heated body pressed to his in a growing familiarity, Scimitar's mind dropped to one thing alone once more. She molded to him perfectly each time, and the moment her voice breathily whispered in to the air, the Alpha would not have been able to resist had he even a desire to.

An elicited growl was given as he pulled her to him once more. Gentle embraces were becoming fewer and farther inbetween as need met them more frequently now. It seemed ridiculous to him that they hadn't awakened this sooner, and to make up for lost time, Scimitar was quick to meet her demands. Each time was different, and as he pulled her hips back, he knew this time he would try to make it last, as the rising view of their new home awaited before them.

Afterward, his breath unfurled in to the air like wisped smoke, his form pressed gently to her as they lay in the snow., hers an intricate ivory that matched the blanketed ground perfectly, his a harsh russet agouti. Crooning a growl to her ear, the regal made to press his muzzle to the back of her nape, a soft sigh escaping him. "Let's just stay like this," he uttered softly, thoroughly enjoying the time away from the drama life had presented them.

Scimitar indulged her desires, and the two wolves christened their discovery in a flurry of hot breath and lusty groans. Bazi's body was not yet in a state for their efforts to have the effect they desired, but the mere practising of the act brought that day ever closer. When they parted and fell panting to the floor, Bazi's mind was a dizzy cloud of sparks.

Scimitar curled protectively about his ivory queen despite the fact that she was the one born and bred to withstand the cold. Together, they recovered, exhaling plumes of white that swelled and faded. Bazi felt his hot breath in her ruff and giggled her delight, struggling to focus her tired eyes on the jagged outline of what would become their new home. The pines grew thick and tall here, she saw. The sharp, refreshing scent of it was strong in the air.

"It's perfect," she whispered, pulling a deep gulp of gloriously cold air into her lungs. "This - that" She indicated at the landscape before them with a tip of her dainty head, and craned her neck to look back at the wolf she would share it all with. "This is our forever place, isn't it?"

Stolen moments like this were a reminder of why it was they bothered with the everything lie threw at them and fought back with tooth and claw. Her warmth drew his muzzle closer to the crook by her shoulder and chest, and one ear flickered as she spoke, echoing his own sentiment.

But it was also time to drift back to the reality of life -- they had a pack waiting for them, and were days away. With a low sigh, the agouti male pulled away from his lover's embrace, pushing himself up to creamy paws before he bowed down in a leisurely stretch. His shoulders rolled back then, eliciting a small cracking noise form a stiff joint from his previous fight. "We'll never know if we don't go check it out," he murmured lightly, a smile quirking the corner of his lip before he nudged at her shoulder to get up.

As much as they both wanted and deserved to rest, there was work to be done. Beyond a narrow stretch of grass and bog lay a forest that needed vetting - for treasures as well as trouble. Bazi had not forgotten Njal and Tuwawi's great misfortune upon settling in the glacial forest and discovering that it was the preferred hunting ground for big cats. She would not have her own puppies pilfered by anything short of God himself.

Scimitar rose and Bazi unfurled, mimicking the low bow and complementing with the wolf version of the plank, stretching her aching back until it would crack and pop no longer. Mildly refreshed, the pair soldiered on.

Within less than half an hour, they stood at the edge of what would come to be called the Northwood. It was the very definition of a boreal forest, pleasantly dark and heavily scented, with an undulating floor that ascended slowly as plains turned to foothills. Bazi stared into the gloom. She was a tundra wolf, accustomed to open spaces and exposed rock. The idea of denning among pine needles made her skin itch, but the frosty peaks that backed this dense, coniferous woodland were enough to convince her.

She looked to Scimitar for his reaction, unaware that they were staring at a decent imitation of his precious Neverwinter. "I've never lived in a forest. Is this good?"

The moment his paws swept in to the ground of the forest, a familiar ache tugged at him. His shoulder would brush against one of the trees, announcing their presence to the world should another come forward -- his own beginnings of working toward staking a claim. Light filtered from above through the trees -- no doubt the forest would be even darker come spring, when the few trees that were not of the coniferous variety would sprout leaves. "It reminds me of home," he offered, his tail giving a sweep through the cool air as he coaxed her toward the foothills of the mountain. "Neverwinter Forest -- I lived there before I made my way to the Creek," he spoke, releasing a gentle sigh. It was a forest he could never claim again.. but somehow, that seemed unimportant when he stood here.

His eyes would scan from the myriad of pines and trees, noting the incline as they reached the foothills. There was much potential here -- smaller prey within the forest, and perhaps even goats on the mountain-side. His ear flickered at the sound of a gentle trickling, and allowing his muzzle to swing in the direction, his eyes fell upon a river. Flitting his muzzle to graze Bazi's shoulder, he nodded in the direction, wondering if the small river would give her some fond sentiment of the creek.

"It reminds me of home. Neverwinter Forest -- I lived there before I made my way to the Creek."

That explained his relief. Bazi was glad for him, and would grin and bear the pressing darkness if Scimitar wished to settle here. If the mountain was anything like distant views of it suggested, it was an even trade.

She did not know if the forest sensed her trepidation, or if the sound of Swiftcurrent's baby sister in her ears was just a happy accident. She would miss living by the water. It had played host to her first chapter in the Teekon Wilds, and to close the book on it would be a loss no matter what awaited in the one that followed.

Bazi took a step closer, ears angling towards the sound. The carpet of needles rustled underfoot. "Bitcurrent," she christened it with a twist of a smile, turning to look over her shoulder at Scimitar. "A little bit of where we came from."

World's crappiest post. o.o

She named the creek – a good indication that she could see them creating a home here. His approval was given with a lopsided grin, and the cinnamon male nudged her before he beckoned her forward to the forest, taking comfort in coolness of the fir trees. The sun glinted through the branches and tree tops, providing the male with stolen bits of warmth as they maneuvered their way upward of the foothills.

The trees would give way to steeper slopes, and as they climbed slowly, the leader would press his shoulder to hers gently every so often, soothed by her presence.

Wrap-up? :D I see you have also had the flu.. must be a Swiftcurrent/Nova leadership thing! I'm assuming that there's still plenty of tree cover - is that OK?

The ground rose and morphed slowly into rock, accompanied by a barely noticeable thinning of the trees. Bazi appreciated the feeling of hard, uneven stone under her paws, pausing to enjoy the fresh scent of the occasional stiff breeze that found its way to the ground. The hardy pines grew on every patch on earth available, and did not surrender until nothing but bare rock and a steep climb to the top of the mountain prevented them from going any further - like an enormous, natural wall.

Bazi stopped at the sheer rock-face and tilted her head back, squinting against the wintry sunshine. There were ways to get up there, but they required the sure-footedness of a mountain goat.

And never to be bested by a mountain, Bazi flashed Scimitar a challenging grin and proceeded to scale the mountain with swift, confident leaps.

They traversed up -- the steepness of the slope stirring only a small amount of concern for the boys, curious to how they would handle such a terrain. Yet still, sure paws could be nimble upon the mountain side, and Bazi, with a flash of a look, propelled forward with stubborn determination.

He was at her heels, and as they found their footing upon a ridge, his own steps would fall, his attention instead diverted to the scenery that lay below them. Inhaling sharply as his eyes roamed over a forest he felt rivaled the beauty of Neverwinter, he allowed his muzzle to swing to Bazi. "My grandmother lived on a mountain for many years just prior to giving birth to my mother. It was called Nova Mountain." There was a small pause, his eyes drifting over her slender features. "How do you feel about Nova Peak as a new home?"

They climbed to dizzying heights - up, up, up. Bazi was surprised to see a sparse smattering of trees at the very top, clinging stubbornly to the cold, smooth rock. Millennia of weathering had created an undulating ocean of cold, bare rock smeared with only the hardiest of moss. Stunted heather nestled in the crevices, braced against the cold and wind.

Bazi loved everything about it.

Only Scimitar's gentle voice stopped her from romping around the mountaintop like a lunatic child. She inhaled deeply of the cold air and turned to face him, studying his broad, bear-like face as he reminisced. Nova Peak. "Nova Peak it is," she agreed softly, gazing down at the treetops. "And this - the Northwood. For the pines, and the cold."

Hope it's OK to have Bazi name the forest!

Of course! One last reply from you, maybe?

She readily agreed to his suggestion -- and as she tagged on a name for the forest, his gaze swept out over the expansive forest of old pines, feeling soothed by it. "Yes," he agreed quietly, his tail giving a sweep through the air as he turned his cold nose to his companion, pressing it to her cheek.

The trio of boys would thrive here -- as would the pack. And soon, Bazi would be of age when she would have her first heat.. and they would introduce yet another litter -- one that fully signified their fresh start and claim to not only the land, but to one another.

Scimitar reveled in the stolen moment together, but knew their time was limited before they would need to head home and make their plans. With another nudge, the male began to move forward once more, his creamy paws gripping the steep slopes with a returning fluidity and grace he had once held when he had been a member of Tuatha De. "Let's continue exploring," he suggested lightly, his aqua eyes gleaming as they drifted over her hungrily. "I want to make sure there's nothing hiding on these slopes," he clarified, before beginning to lope away.

They were built for this land. The two wolves practically flew over rock and tangle, made light by the prospect of what was to come. Slowly, they mapped it out - Hogbelly Hills, Sawtooth Edge, and the Tangle they had battled through to get here. No sign of cats, or other wolves. It was perfect.

Just to be sure, they decided to stay the night - though Bazi did not allow her lover much sleep. It was unlikely that they would have this much time alone again until the move was complete, and she wanted to get in as many practice runs as wolfishly possible.

Two exhausted, blissfully happy wolves rose before dawn and made their way back to Swiftcurrent Creek.