Sunset Valley vant cho

welcome to males esp. mireille is in pr-estrus, will be interesting but not yet interested & will not yet conceive

the red she-wolf did not go far. she would only gather what instruments she needed and come back, leaving @Kelsier to sit with their charge.
but the wind slipped beneath her fur to caress her skin, and mireille closed her eyes with a gentle sound of pleasure. she no longer smelled of sapphique, only a tinge of salt that would fade as she rubbed herself along the ground, the trees.
soon her withers would carry only the story of the taiga; she held her packland like a jewel, guarding it.
mireille frisked across melting drifts in spite of herself.

Hope you don't mind Marcus coming in! He is currently on rebound from a failed relationship so thought this could be interesting!

Foliage here was trying to return to its former glory, as it had been in seasons past. But it was still too cold and the chill of early spring was unforgiving. Marcus surprised himself with how far he had traveled since arriving to this land. The autumn palette wolf looked back as if surveying his journey. It must have been a couple days since his last place of refuge. He barely noticed any sign of fatigue in his body.. oh wait no, there it was.

The man settled on his haunches next to a particularly large rock, his back pressed against it for cover. He was beginning to ache and would need to seek shelter soon. However, a telling scent pressed him to seek something else first. A female was near, and although he was unavailable for much interesting conversation or company in his tired state, the loner's boredom got his legs moving again to find her... and he did. 

Marcus watched casually as she effortlessly navigated the valley, looking like a firefly amongst weeds and bramble. The loner chuffed at the young woman, standing far enough away that he showed a piqued interest but still held respect for her space.

omg no its perf, thanks so much! <3

she was being watched; this awareness tripped across her nerves and mireille stopped short, stiffening, greenway eyes hardening as she caught the scent of a man.
another one. three now, she had met, though the first was disinterested, the second injured, and the third — well the third she did not know.
mireille blinked, chuffed. her hackles bristled. the slender muzzle tested the air. tested him. he was invited to come close, but not to test her in return.

The invitation was made and, like a switch, the male's primal instincts took over. His frame loped to close the distance. For a moment, he wasn't thinking of his past or worrying of his future. No, he was locked in. 

The bachelor noted her petite frame and took a moment to mentally shake himself free of his instincts. He imagined their size difference may put the young girl on edge and had no intent to overpower her.

Marcus stopped just shy of a few tail-lengths from her, the woman in red. Dipping his snout in a sort of greeting, he couldn't help but feel like he didn't belong. But he had no family anymore. He had no strings attached. "You're looking for something." It was an observation, not a question. She was a woman who did not wander, but instead had a plan. He could tell by her step. "Can I be of assistance?"

everything about him set mireille on edge, and she was careful to keep several feet of distance between them. "herbs," she said shortly, eyes missing nothing about his movements. 
he was handsome in a way that caught her eye as the others had not; he was purposeful as she was, and this attracted mireille despite her dislike of men in general.
but she was not yet far enough from sapphique. "what do you be seekin', stranger?" the seawolf queried, beginning to circle him as she had once done to svalinn.

Excellent, he would be of absolutely no help. "I don't much about herbs so I'm afraid I will be of little help there." He wasn't a man who needed to appear to know everything, but instead was quick to admit to his ignorance in hopes that no one would ask him for help with anything. But he was feeling chivalrous today, and so he tried. 

"I'm looking for a place to sleep for the night. Do you know of anywhere?" Marcus smiled softly, hoping she might have an idea of where he could post up for the night.

not good with herbs. she would not take him back to kel and the stranger. 
the glass-light inside her grew warmer, as if urging her on. mireille studiously chose to be more in control of herself, sensing that she was upon the very edge of that event which had so haunted her.
"maybe."
not quite an invitation; there was a heated and unreadable light in her tumultuous emerald eyes now. "it depends how well you want to be restin'." lifting her scarlet head, allowing the man closer if he wished. did she wish it? mireille did not yet know. 
she did not even desire his name.

He observed cautiously as she circled him, her gaze nearly searing into his own. He dare not break eye contact with the wisp of a female. She was slight but he was sure he shouldn’t underestimate her just by the way she held herself. Marcus fought the urge to smirk. Not in a rude way, but more of an amused way. She was cute.

“Probably… a medium amount of rest for me tonight.” The man felt his facade break as he flashed a small grin. Marcus slid closer to her, a couple steps and he was so close he could drink in her scent. It was sweet and the man’s tongue rubbed along the back of his teeth as he thought about getting closer, but he resisted. Not too close. “I don’t want to let my guard down fully in a place I’m not familiar with. With wolves I don’t know. I’m sure you understand.” Marcus looked her up and down briefly, still sporting a smirk.

mireille's nape stickled high as he roved closer. he was bold but not disrespectful, but the seawolf flashed her teeth all the same in what passed for a grin. "i understand more den you know."
for a moment mireille thought she heard the ocean, lapping softly. but there was no sea here. only her. and only him.
the gemstone eyes climbed to his cheekbone, higher. more forward. her physical self did not make contact, but she meant to hold him where he stood.
"tomorrow. de nex' day. somewhere in de taiga."
meet me. but not tonight. "be a stranger wid me t'ere too." mireille tossed the quip, waved her tail once. she was not ready to leave, aware of a deep and humming power that seemed to emerge from nowhere.

She flashed her teeth in jest and in turn Marcus's tongue broke free from it's own toothy restraints to lick slowly at his lips. He was curious to know what she knew. "Taiga? Is that where we are? And this stranger, should I be worried?" The last bit was said cooly, with a minimal amount of concern. He didn't actually care, just wanted to feel her out for how well she knew this 'stranger'.

The loner dare take one step closer, so that his gaze was now peering down at the smaller female. He smiled again, a playful challenge for the girl to meet the height of his eyeline. She couldn't. He would not push her any further than this.

he tested. mireille reacted, and she was becoming slowly aware of some hold she had on him.
she found his eyes now, pushed back against them with her dominant stare; daughter of sapphique, princess to the sea where her sister was now queen.
they enthralled her as much as the set of his face, the soft hues along his forehead. "you be de stranger," she corrected. "stay one."
but here mireille stepped closer, carefully, forelimbs tense to carry her back and off and away if he so much as meant to touch her; this alone, her breath upon the side of his throat as she sought the stories of the places he had been.

we could wrap this up and I could start us a new one :)

She was not afraid to speak words that sliced. Marcus crooned as the girl pushed forward. The two were in a dangerous tango. "I'll stay a stranger, if that's what you want." The woman in red did not disappoint. 

"I'll find my own way." He breathed these last words heavy into her ear before backing away, bowing his head like the tip of a hat.

absolutely! <3

"i do." her eyes searched his face; she caught her tonguetip gently between teeth for a smirk. "you t'ink i will come when you call? bold," mireille tossed, backing away with a flourish of her tail.
but she meant to see him again. warning him with a roll of her shoulders not to follow, the seawolf turned into the rolling land and was gone, focused once more upon the things she meant to bring back to kel and the injured man.