Bramblepoint [M] Everyone swimming in a champagne sea

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With her daughter off with Bridget, Ibis could set up their camp to take in any more injured bodies that they found. It wasn't much; she dug out a shallow cache for the herbs that she had brought and worked at forming some kind of shelter, half using the packed snow and half using whatever natural formations of fallen trees or hollows she could find. Throughout all the work she felt hot and bothered — as if she could melt the snow with a single look — and an increasing nervous energy that moved across her skin.

Ibis had to stop and take frequent breaks, feeling as if she might overheat. The blustering chill of winter had been strong when the trio had arrived in the forest but had since dwindled, and now she wished it would come again to cool her; instead she found a familiar scent wreathing around her, which was a surprise to her. Now was not the time to be pining for the touch of her husband — there was work to be done — and, yet...

The 'yote hadn't moved on from this cozy little forest. Sure, it seemed pretty heavily trafficked by wolves, but so far, none had bothered him. Maybe they just hadn't figured out he was living here yet. It probably didn't matter. So long as he kept to himself, scavenged only what he needed, and kept a low profile, he figured he could continue chilling here for as long as he wanted. Besides, the wolves of this particular region seemed a little more laid back than other places he'd been.

He was meandering around the bramblewood when a peculiar scent hit him. It was the woman he had run into a couple of weeks ago, when the sky had lit up. He didn't recall her name (had she given it?), but there was something sweet about her scent that hadn't been there before. It was alluring, and Draper couldn't help but be drawn toward her.

Heyo! he called out when he spotted her up ahead. She'd been friendly before, and there was no reason to assume she'd be different this time around.

With her daughter away on the mountain and Bridget to guide her, Ibis did not have to worry for either of them. She could work at her own pace; gathering what she could from patches of melting snow, digging to build fresh caches for whatever she found, or occasionally checking in on Antares as he recovered. She found herself distracted more often than not, today; then there came a familiar sounding voice to call after her.

Spinning on her heel, Ibis looked around and almost missed the sharp-faced Draper; he did well to blend in with the forest. Ibis had been so busy with her work up until this point she had remained oblivious to his presence (but then again, she'd been nose-diving in to piles of plant matter which might have overwhelmed her senses).

Hello again! She called back, surprisingly cheerful considering the circumstances. Dropping her work for the time being, Ibis chose to take a quick break and go to greet the man properly. She approached him with a smile. I am glad that you are safe. We've been camping here a few days to check for survivors and help them. Ibis was glad to have a break from all that now, though.

Her greeting was cheerful, and Draper replied silently with a wag of his tail to her salutation. He was perturbed by the fact that she seemed to care for his well-being, at least on some level. Why would she care for a coyote? Then again, stranger things had happened. Like Charles, who was so clearly both coyote and wolf. Surely a wolf and a coyote had gotten together to create him, right?

Draper realized, after a moment, the slightly sweet smell that lingered around Ibis. Oh boy. He knew that one, although usually he was chased off long before he was close enough to do anything about it. Keep it together, Draper!

Oh, yeah. I've been camping out here, too. Mostly because it's convenient.

Convenience wasn't something Ibis considered on a regular basis; she took much of her life for granted and it took the man's comment to make her pause and think about that, reflect on it. Ibis had not stayed long upon the fen before seeking to lend aid upon the mountain, so she didn't have an opinion of her own home yet — maybe that was purposeful. She can't lose what she won't attach herself to, or something like that.

The man got closer and Ibis found herself wondering about him more and more. Anything to keep her mind off of the negative feelings she had stumbled upon; thinking about the move to the fen and the subsequent loss of her husband and daughter, well... She decided a distraction was needed, and this man would suit her fine.


You could come to the fen, if you wanted. She offered.

He reminded her of Teya, actually. The composition of his coat was a touch darker but he held the same sharp, thin composition of the Raven. The woman looked upon him appraisingly. You said before that it was your home... I feel terrible, knowing that we displaced you. We have the space.

But she remembered his reaction the first time she'd asked, weeks ago. He hadn't been keen to curtail living on his own. That was his choice and she wouldn't push the option too hard. She smiled, laughing softly to herself, and muttered, Mm, feeling a little deja-vu. Sort-of dizzy. I should sit... she swayed a little, and realized as she sank to her haunches how light-headed she felt. Ibis wasn't sure why but it probably had to do with all the stress she'd put herself under lately.

She repeated her offer, asking if he wanted to come to the fen, and dangit, he was more tempted now than he had been before. She was friendly, seemed to have empathy, and she smelled so good. Draper took a few tentative steps forward, inching his way closer to her. She swayed, then sat down. A true-to-life swoon if he'd ever seen one.

Uh, oh dear. You alright? he asked, coming close so that she could put her weight on him if she needed to. The smell was even stronger now, and he felt indescribably warm. Oh, you... smell nice.

As far as compliments go, you smell nice is a pretty off-the-wall one, even for a wolf's ears. Ibis blushed; she felt the warmth of summer on her cheeks despite the bite of spring, and let out a little tittering laugh as she shrugged off both the sensation of bashfulness that she was experiencing and the half-charm of his comment.

She bat her lashes unintentionally, trying to keep an eye on him. The dizziness abated somewhat by the time she noticed he'd come closer, and at that point she didn't really mind how close he was at all. He really did remind her of Teya. Maybe they were cousins or something — but in thinking of the sweet girl and the moonlight shenanigans that had conspired between them, Ibis found herself warm all over again. This time it wasn't just her blushing face but something deeper and more primal.

Her tail wagged and that perfume Draper liked so much spread between them, and Ibis felt compelled to lean close to him. She softly nosed at his fur, telling herself she was merely searching him for familiar things; new grass smell, wintergreen, anything that might link him to the girl. Instead she found foreign scents that were just as tantalizing. And an electric kind of warmth where she broached his physical space.

When the dizziness came again she wasn't floored by it, but she did pull back from touching him, remembering that he was not part of the fen. I—sorry, that... rude of me... Ibis murmurs as she looks at him again, so close. He was a stranger more than anything. Still, that had an allure all its own.

Her nose touched his fur, and Draper felt like he was positively buzzing. This may not have been his first year alive, but this was the first year he'd come so close to a woman during this time. He had smelled it on the air, sure, and he'd wandered searching for the source, but this was different. Direct contact was a whole lot more intoxicating than distant pining.

Still, he wasn't stupid. He knew what her kind would think of him if they saw them together like this in any capacity, and the clarity of that held him back for the time being.

Ibis, you—if your friends see us, they'll murder me, he said, though he didn't make any move to pull away. If she assured him that they wouldn't, he would be quick to shrug off any notion that this would be trouble.

What he said, the mention of murder, surprised her. It had not occurred to her that Draper was somehow different or that he might be at-risk for being near her; more importantly she felt a flare of anger at the insinuation, as if her newly founded home boasted a population of brigands and blackhearts.

They'll do nothing, she countered with more force than she meant to, spilling a little of her anger at the offensive comment before she could contain herself. Why ruin the moment? He was alluring because he was nobody; not a part of the fen, but a vagrant who could go places and be anyone. They'll never know.

Only they would know of what transpired here, if it were to happen. Her anger did not fade completely but rather, burned inside of her at a low ember, acting as fuel for other things. She presses a little closer to him and drawls, I am their leader. I can do as I please.

It was an over-simplification; he did not need to know how of the fen operated, he only needed to trust that they were safe together, secret.

Her response was, well, a little bit frightening if he was being honest. She did smell nice, and if she said it was okay. Actually she seemed to be saying more than just "okay" at this point. Besides, there was something neat about this being a secret. He could have his one-time fling, the kids would grow up thinking they were wolves (like Charles), and then he could deny everything. Unless Ibis changed her mind down the road, but... Draper wasn't really thinking that far ahead (or with his head at this point).

The coyote shrugged, grinned, and left the rest up to the imagination of the reader.

When all was said and done Ibis and the man would part, likely never seeing one-another again.

It felt good to have a method of distraction; he had left her skin buzzing, her head dizzy with happy thoughts, which was all she had been after. A part of her wanted him to return home to the fen alongside her, but the longer she thought about that (and the effects of their coupling faded) the more obvious things became. He could not come back with her. This was to be their secret rendezvous — and that was fine, too. Explaining herself (to him, or to her family) was the last thing on Ibis' mind.

Ibis took the time to rest and then sought a clean source of water with which to bathe herself, before finally turning back to the mountain path and finding her way to the medical camp; she had more work to do, much as she enjoyed the interlude.