Sleepy Fox Hollow i am going to cover myself with ashes of you and nobody's gonna give a damn

*makes this more awkward bc why not*

Asterr backs away as he approaches and doesn't answer his question, and instead puts a demand between them. He hesitates—even retreats a step or two—and watches her. He's losing whatever grip he had from the beginning but he didn't have a good handle then anyway. He'd stammered over everything and didn't know what to do, lost in his own world and worries. His tongue slides over his muzzle and snaps his teeth shut quickly, looking off into the distance for a moment longer.

"Make me yours," he tells her then, swinging his head back to look at her. Her defensive posture hadn't changed much in the silence few seconds he left between them. "You probably wouldn't be out here if you had a mate, or someone..." he trails off and shrugs and for a moment he thinks of Tavi and what he lost there. The thought turns sour and he shakes his head. "I don't mean make me your mate but I can help," he offers though he isn't certain what weight it might have with his advance. A rumble forms in his chest but remains inaudible, waiting to see how she might respond. "I'll be loyal to you."