The Sentinels There once was a village

Ears swiveled to catch the howl of request, her name and Kirain’s on the wind of it. Solenya was reluctant to leave, lounging in her den, away from the others. This week was the worst of it all—where she craved connection of the dubious kind. 

There was a male present, Sam, and every time she caught his scent, she felt the coiled snake low in her belly, striking at her to relieve it. She would whine and growl, warring with herself to remain restrained, or to let herself free. 

Though she loathed the idea, she stood to greet who called on their borders. Kirain was still away—only soil knows where she treads now—so, it was left to Solenya to do what must be done.

She padded quickly, wanting more than anything for this to be over so she may return to her tormented solitude. The closer she got to where the howl had come, the more she smelled it: male, familiar. She did not stop the deep inhale, her body wanted to take in more of the delicious scent.

But, when she finally saw who it belonged to, she let loose a soft, keening whine. Rodyn, clad in aged bark with gilded, kind eyes, stood before her, a pack laid out before him. The lupine woman had stopped well out of reach, further than she would have liked on a normal day, but it wouldn’t be enough to where, if he paid attention to such things, he would know her affliction.

Rodyn…

Her greeting was soft, slightly strained, as if his name on her lips was the bowstring threatening to snap. Her cheeks heated, her eyes flitting between him and anywhere else. Her body screamed for recklessness, but her heart was just winning the battle—ever so slightly.

I’m-I’m sorry, if it were any other time, I’d come closer, but I fear I don’t have much of a handle on myself… Her body trembled with the restraint, her voice mingled with that awful keening. 

She was curious as she eyed the pack, however, nodding towards it, her thoughts putting two and two together. You must be on a trade route.