Firefly Glen You belong somewhere you can feel free

He had to try and keep his cool, knowing that @Fennec would be staying at least for a few days in a mixed company of Moonspearians and new Firefly Glen wolves. He and Meerkat were also in the process of moving some of their denthings to the Glen, stashing them safely in a sheltered area, but they had yet to find another place that was anything like their mountain cave den, buried deep within a mossy ravine. He suspected they could find something along the red ravine that split the glen, but they hadn't taken the time to find it yet; it was taking them some time to set and establish well-marked borders, and informing roaming neighbours that they were staking their claim. 

But Fennec would be able to hear the wind whistling across the plain, and the soft rush of the water flowing through the ravine where it swelled and frothed in rapids in the place where the bends and turns became narrower and closer. After walking through the foothills and past the erratic boulders left behind by ancient glaciers, they made their way toward the forested area near the lake, which was where Bronco had stashed something away just for Fennec. 

"Just one sec," He said, as he padded away to reach into a little rockshelf where he'd stashed the foxpelt that Kukutux had helped him stretch and shape into a pouch that she could stash herbs in, and carry it in her mouth. Its black fur, with silver-ticked guard hairs, was still shiny and soft. He'd doted upon the thing, and now presented it to her like a treasured gift. "This, is for you," He said, giving her at least a moment or two to inspect it.

vaguey vaguey vague!

Fennec wasn't sure how long this stay would last, but at least for a while, she would officially get to see another aspect of the wilds.  This was different than even traveling with Penn.  Family still came into play, but she'd also earned her way here based on the skills Eljay taught her.  She was excited, proud... and yeah, okay, a little guilty.  But he'd get over it, and she'd be home at some point.

Selfishly she pushed both Eljay and Fig from her brain, instead focusing on the sounds around them.  A stream, not far off, and a lot of trees.  It sounded similar to the glade, but there was an intensity to the wind that did not exist within the fully sheltered forest.  They had crossed a wide open area to get there, and she silently wondered where that fell in relation to the mountain.  Her mind was already at work, spinning the blueprints to a map that would allow her to find her way about unaided.

Oh, it's the best thing I've ever seen, Fennec replied, then let out a breath of laughter at her own joke.  Now... what is it?  She reached forward to nose at it, trying to feel out what it might be.

It was hard for him not to take her joke just a little bit personally- as he'd had to tell himself that Fennec might possibly not see it as being as beautiful and well-crafted as it was simply because she couldn't see it...But that didn't mean she deserved only drab, ugly things. No, he wanted her to be the envy of all others who looked upon her, so long as they didn't look upon her enviously too long. He'd found something he believed was worthy of her, and had spent days tracking down the one particular fox, baiting it to make sure it had developed a schedule he could predict until he'd been able to ambush it. He didn't expect to see another like it for a long time. 

He did chuckle, though, and he nudged the pouch so that it was slightly open, with the carrying straps- the parts Fennec would hold in her mouth- off to the side. She nosed at it, and he allowed her a moment to try and sort it out on her own. "It's a carrying pouch," He said. "For, y'know, carrying things like herbs...And first-born babies," He said, with a smile. "It's foxpelt," Though he was sure she could tell that by the smell, "But it's...It's from a kind of, rare-looking fox. It's all black, an' has some little silver flecks through it. Nobody else will ever have anything like this." He said. "And it's uh, it's for you."

She could definitely tell from first touch it was a pelt.  It was soft, too.  Bronco had apparently put some time into fixing it up.  Fennec's parents had never been into pelts, but she recalled his mom had a bunch whenever she'd visit their half-siblings.  That reminded her of their last talk, and everything that had happened since.  She shifted a little as the reminder set her shoulder to itching.

Oh, yeah, okay.  She stuck her nose inside where the "pouch" part came in.  It was makeshift, but she could tell with a little investigation how it might work.  The fact that she would no longer have to carry less tasteful herbs in her mouth was a huge plus, but there was another bonus that actually made her expression light up in a full blown smile.  Poisons.  This pouch can so carry poisons!

This is awesome! Thanks Bronco!  She was so excited that she forgot to not be sincere for a second, and then realized it a moment later.  Only the best for your firstborn, huh?  She did give a little lean of her shoulder into his though, to re-iterate the thanks.  She wasn't sure why he had made this for her, but she could not wait to try it out.

He waited anxiously as Fennec investigated the pouch, sticking her nose inside it to see that it had just enough space for some herbs. While he hadn't really considered that Fennec would ever be carrying around poisons- or that he was basically now enabling her to do so- he had considered how bad plants might taste, and that this would be a good remedy to that situation. Her reaction was genuine- and it made his heart melt with pride, knowing that he'd managed to glean from her a little bit of excitement which she would normally have stifled in order to seem collected. 

That came soon enough, but when she leaned against him, he forgot what he was going to say in response, and rubbed his muzzle along the back of her neck. Had they ever really been this close before? He couldn't remember- nor could he process his thoughts terribly well. "Only the best, for," He said, trailing off. He paused for a moment, wondering if she might pull away yet wiling with every fibre of his being for her to stay close. "Well, we're...Gonna need a medic, here," He said.

She couldn't see his reaction, but the neck rub felt amazing.  Contrary to the way she sometimes acted, Fennec wasn't a wolf averse to touch.  It just needed to be invited, as the alternative never failed to be startling.    Casual contact was a part of her every day growing up, following Fig with pelts brushing.

She stopped leaning, but didn't bother moving away, as he mentioned their need for a medic.  And here I haven't even shown you my skills yet.  Are you that quick to trust any witch that promises to help?  Fennec jested.  Really, she was thinking.  Bronco wanted her to stay, which was cool, honestly.  But that meant she really had peaced out completely on Fig, and on Eljay.  She would definitely need to at least go home and say something to them herself before she settled here long term.  Responsibility really was a double edged sword.

I'll just have to see how well I like it here.  Keep my options open, yknow?  She added noncommitally.  She already knew the scales were heavily weighted towards yes.  Moonspear and the Glen offered the bonus of independence with the comfort of family.  But she enjoyed just even being able to say that sentence way, way too much.  The smile hadn't entirely disappeared, so he might be able to guess at some of it anyway.

The weight lifted from his shoulder slightly, and he exhaled too. While she hadn't pulled away, she'd simply sat up- and he'd been hoping that even that wouldn't change. When she mentioned her skills, he scooted closer to her, so that his shoulder rested against hers again. "I only trust one witch," He said. "And if you're wondering which witch I wish to trust," He said, "It's you." He nipped at a fringe of blonde fur near her cheek, finally pulling away so that he wasn't crowding her. He felt it was best not to push her boundaries, so she wouldn't get overwhelmed or spooked. He had to keep things casual, he thought, otherwise she might elect to leave simply because maybe, being wanted by someone might frighten her off. 

"Yeaaah, I mean, yeah, you can consider other options, but at the end of the day," He said, with a mock-haughty chuckle, "Yer not gonna find another place like this one, I tell ya, Fenn," He said. Like a salesman, he was ready to spit out a pitch, if she was inclined to hear it. He could think up a million reasons for her to find the Glen better than any other place if it would convince her to stay. "Think of it- you'd even get to be the foundation witch. The very first. Fennec, the first of her name, Foundation Witch of Firefly Glen."

Fennec only half registered Bronco leaning back against her as he spoke. She was more interested in what he was saying, because banter like this was her bread and butter.  True, Bronco was a little... smoother? Than she normally went with it.  She preferred to rile and counter.  But she'd be lying if she said the validation wasn't nice, and she reveled in it for a second.

When he nipped at her cheek, though, there was something about the gesture that felt different.  She felt a little flutter in her stomach, and immediately, her mind blanked.  The sensation wasn't unfamiliar, but the memories it brought were definitely unwelcome and more than a little conflicted.  Luckily, Bronco pulled away before she could, because she wasn't sure if she could have hidden the reaction otherwise.

Well, I guess you'll just have to prove it then.  She replied, standing and stretching her forelegs out to give her back a good stretch as well.  The casual motion would hopefully help to clear up the awkwardness of a minute ago.  I do like a title.  Foundation Witch, huh?  She acted as if she was mulling it over.  Throw in a few more honors and you have yourself a deal.

He grinned when she challenged him. "Oh, I will," He said. With a dramatic flail, he flopped down onto the ground at Fennec's feet, reaching up toward her with his forelegs with the intention of pawing softly at her, like someone reaching up for help. "Every bellyache, every scratch, every bruise, contusion, cut, bite, clawmark an' concussion, I'm gonna be callin' fer you," He chuckled, before he reached with one paw to touch her chest, and laid the other on his own. "Cross my heart, an' cross yours too." He chuckled. Dramatics over, though, he sat up still with half a smile on his face. 

He shook some of the dust out of his pelt and wondered for a moment if maybe this was her way of saying that she was at least considering staying with them in the Glen. It hadn't been what they'd planned, when he'd talked with her in the Copse; and even then, he'd been careful to make sure she hadn't felt as though he'd been trying to lure her into moving to Moonspear permanently. Now, though, he couldn't help but wonder if she found the idea of being a founding member of a pack as exciting as he did. He'd take what he could, from what she'd offered, without pushing her. He'd simply have to make his invitation irresistable. 

"Maybe tomorrow, I can take you to meet Kukutux, if you want?" He asked. "She's the one who showed me how to make your pouch," He said.

There it was, the eye roll worthy moment that she couldn't take advantage of.  She wanted honorifics, not work.  But she didn't not want work either, and Bronco she could screw up on and not be absolutely fucked.  Okay, that sounded bad but... the pressure was lower, alright?

Get too many concussions and your brain really will be mash, she replied with a smirk, and pawing back as he reached out to touch her chest.  She couldn't see the mirrored gesture, so didn't get the full point of the symbolism, but she could figure it out fair enough from his words.

Tomorrow was quick.  Fennec hesitated a beat.  She wasn't scared to meet her or anything, but she hadn't even figured this place out yet.  Didn't Kukutux still live on the mountain?

Yeah, sure.  She answered after a moment, shrugging.  She could handle it, and besides, if he was coming with it'd be easy peasy.  Just don't trip over yourself on the way up, because I'm gonna need you to show me how to get back down.  She bent down into a play bow, grin a little challenging.  Her wounds from her bout with Niamh had for the most part healed, save for a little scabbing.  She was totally down for a quick friendly tussle with Bronco if he was up for it.  That was twice she'd flung a light rib his way, she should probably offer hmm the chance to kick her ass for it.

Not that he would, course.

"Braaaaaaainssss," He echoed softly, as though to prove her point. He'd no real idea, of course, how miserable it could be to suffer multiple concussions and what it could actually do to his brain over time so he took the warning more as a joke than anything. 

When she sank into a playbow, he immediately took that as an invitation to spar, so he stood up, shook his pelt out, and also slid into a play bow, as though to show his readiness and willingness to playfight. "Oh I see how it is," He remarked. "YOU wanna be the one to tear me apart, just so you can fix me all back up again," He laughed, before he collected himself, and pounced toward her.

Fennec thought she heard the rustle of an answering motion, but the real tell would be if he decided to make the first move.  She was poised for it, but in a lazier way than she was when she fought Niamh or Towhee.  She knew her brother and Bronco well enough at this point to know they were both pushovers.  She didn't always win growing up, but they never went full tilt.

She couldn't answer him right away, but she smiled a challenge as she heard him push forward with a pounce.  Immediately she dropped, hoping that when he landed she'd be able to push up and shove him, using his own momentum to roll him.  She couldn't very well tell exactly where he was aiming, but usually a playful jump like that was a tackle.  You got that right, she responded as she propelled momentum upwards, the focus wherever his weight decided to land.

Bronco had trounced Fennec with the aim of simply being shover off- but she was both stronger and quicker than he'd anticipated, so when she stood suddenly, she caught the edge of his ribcage with the point of her shoulder and he was tipped like a turtle over onto his side and he flopped to the ground with a soft expulsion of breath. "Ahuh!" he laugh-coughed in surprise, and quickly scrambled to mouth at the thick, fluffy fur of her chest while he was below her, but when he glanced up, he found himself catching sight of some wounds- nearly healed, but frighteningly close to her jugular. 

"Jeez, Fenn!" He said, pulling himself into a crouch, "Hold up a sec- what the fuck happened here?" He said, reaching out to nose into the fur just shy of her jawbone. "Those're bitemarks, Fenn, who the fuck bit you?" He asked, defensive anger seeping into his normally placid tone.

She felt him go flying and crowed out a laugh of victory, but he was quick to pause when he saw something on her neck.  She hadn't even realized the signs of her fight still showed, and she huffed dismissively, still smiling.  That counts as a win, she answered instead, a little bit of a challenge daring him to argue with her logic on that.

But she knew Bronco wasn't about to be led off that easily, and as much as it annoyed her, she did preen a bit internally at the defensiveness in his voice.  

You should see them,  she said straight off, taking a step back and swishing her tail behind her.  Honestly, though, it's nothing.  Just had to work things out with... someone.  Well shit, last time she'd talked to Bronco, it had been to shit all over his mom in solidarity.  Now she'd found out that Niamh was actually pretty cool, and she wanted to think a little more about how she wanted to ride that line before completely coming clean.  Maybe she'd get lucky and he'd let it go at that.

He'd give her the win; he didn't care. There were healing bite wounds near Fennec's jawline, and he tilted his head this way and that to try and get a better look, though she pulled back and away from him. Unsatisfied, he stood up, shook the dust out of his pelt and felt his fur bristle at her tone. Fennec wasn't usually the sort of wolf to sugar-coat or to hide anything. He didn't know Fennec to lie, much less by omission. His eyes narrowed, and he growled, a dark and sinister sound as he studied her features for a moment, just long enough to drop to his own conclusion. 

"My Mom did that, didn't she." There was no question in his voice, but he allowed a short lull to quiet the growl he'd emitted, tempering it to a purring sound before another wave of anger forced his voice to crescendo into a snarl. He whirled away from her, unable to keep himself tethered to the spot for the frustration that sent an acidic burn through his veins. "Fucking bitch." He hissed, as he turned back toward her. "Did she hurt you? Did she mean it?" He charged her with the questions, wounded savagely by the idea that his mother had even dared to bite Fennec.

She'd been alright with the first bout.  But now he was getting seriously angry and Fennec found her balance tipping more and more towards irritated.  He didn't know shit about what happened, so what did he have to get so fucking worked up about?  She wasn't mad and didn't much like that he obviously thought she couldn't hold her own.

He hadn't said it, but it was what she got.  Even blind, Fennec tended to see what she wanted.

Yeah, and I fucking hurt her back,  She responded, letting her annoyance shine through in the tone of her response.  She straightened up and her expression took on a somewhat withering look.  Seriously?  I wanted to fight, we fought, she fucked me up, I fucked her up, and now we are cool.  Her tail lashed.  It isn't that big of a deal.  Takes a bitch to deal with one.

She didn't mean to flip quite so hard on him, but despite openly inviting him into the situation by venting to him, she didn't like the way he was nosing in on it now.  It hadn't really been her idea initially to fight, but she'd agreed to it.  She could make her own choices, and she didn't need him to judge her or his mom for them.

He should have known better than to treat Fennec like an untouchable ornament, frail and breakable- but he knew just how savage his mother could be, and he hated to think that she'd flipped on Fennec the same way she'd flipped out on him. It had had a profound effect on him, and to this day he still lived with a certain amount of dread that some day, his mother might not release him from her grip if she ever decided to force him into a spar again. 

Fennec, however, seemed to manage better. And he was surprised to see how resilient she was- and how she seemed to have grown stronger from the fight, which made him feel ashamed of himself. He wilted visibly, the anger seeping from him as his muscles relaxed and his tail dropped to hang, lightly tucked, between his hind ankles. He didn't like seeing Fennec get defensive- especially when he knew he was the one who'd done it to her. He frowned to the point where he pouted softly, and he dropped his gaze. 

"I'm sorry." He murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. She hadn't wounded him- but his memory had opened up a gash that had never really healed. He was quiet for a moment, and he exhaled softly. "She...She did that to me once. And it....Yeah." He murmured, turning his face away. Was he really so much more sensitive than Fennec was? He'd pissed himself when his mother had held him down for long enough, cutting off his air until the sky turned black, and he was horribly ashamed of it. The worst fact was that he'd given up on the fight long before that had happened. "Fucked me up a bit." He concluded dejectedly.

She couldn't see him deflate, but she could hear it when he finally spoke.  She released a breath and felt her expression falter, just a little.  The way he spoke took her back.  Lucky for me I'm already fucked up, she said, relaxing enough to give him a small companionable smile.  Alright, yeah he'd bothered her, but she'd forgive him. 

Honestly, I don't really remember it all that well.  It felt real, like the last time I actually fought something.  It had been a long time ago, but it was the same; both experiences had awakened something strange in her, some primal survival instinct that took over and shut off a lot of her fear and reasoning.  She's definitely crazy.  Fennec would agree with that, but the agreement almost sounded like a compliment.  Towhee would have never choked her out the way Niamh did.  Did Bronco really react that strongly to it?

She hesitated to ask for about .2 seconds before deciding hell, she wanted to know.  He could tell her to shut the fuck up if he wanted.  I thought you wanted to be a fighter?  Isn't that what fighting is?  She had no great visions of grandeur for herself anymore, just the desire to learn to protect herself.  But if he did, how did he get past the fact that he didn't appear to like fighting?

He was touched that she tried a bit of self-deprecative humour in what he assumed was an attempt to lift his spirits, but he simply gazed at her, his features softened by appreciation, but he didn't offer any form of a rebuttal. While he knew that Fennec- like all wolves- had her flaws, he didn't perceive her as being any more messed up than most others he'd met. He also knew that she might not believe him if he said so, and that she wasn't fishing for a compliment. She did that occasionally, but this time, he could tell she was simply trying to make him feel better. 

His cheeks still warmed when she mentioned the fight she'd had with Niamh, and from the sounds of it, Niamh hadn't taken it easy on her. She wasn't even capable of remembering it properly, which bothered him- and made him think that she'd probably suffered the same fate that he had. Unlike him, though, Fennec seemed somewhat impressed with the way his mother had snapped at her- he could tell that for some reason, Fennec seemed to admire Niamh more for having fought her...But it still didn't mean that he would empathize with Fennec's sentiments. Not after he'd seen the small puncture wounds just shy of her jugular. 

If his mother had messed up her aim even slightly- she could have killed Fennec. And it didn't matter to him that Fennec seemed to admire Niamh, for whatever reason, not when it meant his mother was taking such dangerous risks with her sparring. All it would take would be one inch too far in the wrong direction...

He swallowed hard when Fennec asked him the same question he'd asked himself several times, and he sighed heavily. Even though he'd contemplated it so much, he still wasn't sure what his answer was, though fortunately, he was at least somewhat prepared to offer his best guess. "I like being a guardian, because I want more than anything for the wolves I love to be safe." He said, quietly. He shrugged, then, as his gaze dropped to the ground. He felt small, as though admitting his weaknesses made him shrink. "And I'll do whatever it takes to do that, I just..." He murmured, and trailed off. A memory flashed in his mind's eye and caused him to flinch. When he spoke again, he sounded distant, quiet, but perturbed.

"I did it once, to protect Sugar Glider. I fought him, this...Guy, I dunno, I dunno who he was. And I beat him. I had him by the throat." He said, though he could feel his own tightening, slightly. "...I could feel his heartbeat, through my teeth." He shook his head. "And that's how I got these-" He said, trailing off. Fennec couldn't see his scars- she never would have realized that he'd had them. He scooted closer to her, knowing she'd be aware of his proximity by the sound of his breath and the touch his breath. If she listenec closely enough, he was certain she would hear his heartbeat as it raced inside his chest. "Here. Feel." He said, and he reached up to gently touch the underside of her chin with the bridge of his muzzle- so she might feel his face, and for perhaps the first time, get an idea of what he might look like.

It was true that Fennec was trying to make Bronco feel better by calling herself out; it was a tactic he was well used to, no doubt.  She put herself down in a variety of ways all the time, but never in a way that seemed belittling.  Bitch, fucked up, witch, blind, a mess.  Fennec's secret was that none of these to her were a bad thing.  At times they weren't great, but overall, they were just what she was.

Being separated from the pack, getting lost, and nearly dying alone had fucked her up.  She didn't talk about it now, but it was that she thought about when he spoke of his own trauma.  There were certain things you went through and couldn't come out of unchanged.  Before that she'd been content with following Fig to the ends of the earth; after that, she couldn't bear the thought of depending on anyone that much.  Not for anything.  When everything in your life could disappear as soon as it was out of earshot, how could she ensure she was never alone again?

She couldn't.

So she fought.  She struggled, she learned, and she got better.  She learned to settle for the things she could do, and in the end, she'd found she enjoyed them more than she thought possible.  Fennec had found a way to make herself valuable, had learned to defend herself to the point where Niamh didn't worry about holding back, and had proven herself capable of surviving the world without her family.  Now they wouldn't need to worry about her, and she wouldn't need to worry about being a burden to them.  She could have the rug pulled from under her at any time and remain on her paws.  She couldn't expect them to wrap their lives in hers forever.  No one does that.

She listened quietly as he spoke, but as he did she recalled Sugar Glider.  I have a secret.  Was this what she'd been talking about?  At the time she'd been annoyed because the girl wouldn't shut up about something she was completely unwilling to elaborate on; now she grudgingly admired it, if she'd been keeping it for Bronco.

Fennec felt him move in closer and pulled back instinctually.  'Here.  Feel.'  She'd never felt another wolf's face like that, not even her family members'.  She'd never had a reason to, or a curiosity.  Voices were her color, and she could tell everything she needed to know from a wolf's stride and their tenor.  There were perhaps times she'd wondered what other wolves meant when they spoke of attractiveness, and maybe even times when she'd wondered where she qualified.  Luckily, she was too blind to really need to worry about that sort of thing.

And weren't witches meant to be ugly anyway?

She breathed out a huff of air.  Fine.  She let her chin meet his nose and softly ran her muzzle over it, feeling for the scars.  The last time she'd done something similar had been when she'd cleaned Niamh's wounds, and before that, Towhee's.  This was different though, because faces had more to offer than a shoulder or a side.  She could feel the small break in the fur and had the thought - I wonder if I have any? - before continuing.  When her cheek met his she pulled back.  After a moment of silence - Did you kill him?  She knew the answer, but from the guilt she felt lay behind the statement he'd made, she wondered if he was as sure as she was.

Perhaps he'd expected more of a reaction from her, and he realized when she pulled back that maybe he'd been fishing for something he couldn't possibly catch. He was dismayed when she drew back from him as soon as she touched his cheek, and he wanted to reach out to her but...She'd pulled back. Maybe she didn't realize that what he wanted more than anything else was to be held, when he felt as vulnerable as he did right now. Or maybe she knew, but had chosen not to give him that, and maybe this was her attempt at making boundaries. Maybe he was reading into it too much- but for whatever reason, he felt the cold steal into the space between them, and felt suddenly aware that there might be an imbalance of affections between the two of them...And that he, potentially, felt more for her than she felt for him. 

So he sat back with a sigh, but was quickly coming to the realization that maybe he needed a bit of time to himself to think it through, and get over the fact that she hadn't even been interested in reaching out to console him. She'd even huffed when he'd gestured for her to touch him and feel the scars on his muzzle, and he felt that he'd offered a very sensitive part of his soul to her- and that perhaps, she hadn't handled it the way he'd expected. 

"No," He said softly, in response. "I let him go. But I felt like a monster, anyway." He admitted. Dejectedly, he felt that that was enough personal talk, given the fact he felt he wasn't getting the support he'd wanted to get. Was it pity or sympathy he wanted? He wasn't sure- but he'd wanted something. "Anywho. That's...That, I guess. I'm...It's probably time for a border patrol." He said, and he glanced down to the fox pelt he'd brought her as a gift. "Don't, uh, forget your...pelt, thing," He reminded her gently.

Fennec wasn't aware that there was more behind Bronco's admission than just needing to talk, or that there'd been anything behind the touch.  But she could hear the upset and the quiet dejection, and this was unfamiliar territory for her in a friend.  Usually with Fig she handled it by yelling at him, or inciting him into something to get his mind off of it.  Usually the route depended on how much the dejection involved Fig's stupid habit of blaming himself for shit that wasn't his fault.

You aren't a monster, she said, but with the blunt words she stepped around and sat down, leaning into his side.  She wasn't about to let him just dismiss himself that easily, and this was a way more comfortable way for her to share another wolf's space.  She couldn't do it with Towhee when they spoke, but she did like to take advantage of it when she could.  That and... she wasn't too stupid to tell when a friend might need a hug.

You're big enough for it, maybe, but you are way too warm.  She shoved her face into his side, smiling a little impishly.  So here's a deal.  You stay here for maybe 5 minutes, and I'll only take half your firstborn's soul.  Okay?  Fennec hadn't even begun to sort out how she felt, not with things moving so quickly.  And not when she felt like there was this imperceptible chasm between herself and wolves like him... wolves like Penn, and Fig, and anyone else who could just go where they wanted.  But she did know that this felt really nice right now, and she was going to haggle him into letting her enjoy it a little longer if she could.

AWWWWW Fenn just saved him from going major emo <3

He felt stiff and awkward when she sat beside him, as he'd been prepared to pick himself up and wander away that very same second- it'd only taken an instant, but he'd had his mind set on stewing about their conversation, and had begun to question why it was he'd chosen to tell her something he'd only referenced vaguely to others...But his murmuring thoughts were quieted as she leaned against him, and he felt the warmth flood back into his soul. She pressed her face into the fur of his shoulder and he shifted slightly, so that he could hold her closer, and smoothe his chin along the top of her head, resting his muzzle just behind her ears. 

"Ten minutes." He murmured, as a counter to her offer, nuzzling his muzzle into her soft, beige fur. "But I'll offer you my whole soul if you'll stay like this for twenty."

ok with this being the last for me, this thread got unexpectedly disgusting and I love it so much <3 ;.;

That's a pretty low price.  Deal.  She didn't move, but stayed snugged up against him, and his fur tickled her muzzle as she said it.  She always felt safest kitted up to someone like this, and she felt a little pang for the nights shared with Penn.  Something told her that Bronco would hate that thought as much as Penn would hate what was happening now, but she didn't have it in her to care.

As the weather got colder, her makeshift medicine store wasn't going to do it.  She hadn't had reason to yet, but before too long, Bronco might find her inserting herself into that space too.  It was only fair, since it was his idea for her to be here in the first place.  Inviting a witch and then allowing her to freeze was definitely bad luck.

sorry not sorry haaaaaa <3

He scrunched his nose slightly when Fennec likened his offering to being a cheap deal- and he wondered if he would've gotten away with asking for longer- but he figured he wouldn't need to ask. He could always simply lose track of time, and insist that there be another five minutes left, in order to make the moment last. When at last they did separate, his spirit retained some of the warmth, and it would serve to set his heart aflame whenever he thought of the moments he'd spent with Fennec, and his promise to give her his soul.