Redtail Rise buoyant

the blue thing turned out to be a shell with scalloped edges. it was large as his paw, with a fetching design. not quite the color of @Lilia's eyes, but ancelin felt she might appreciate it all the same.
the rise hunter carried it over the borders and to the burned place, where he nestled it among the grass and called proudly for her. the afternoon was tinged with early rain, and if he wanted to get back to sapphique he'd have to leave soon.
but not yet. now ancelin simply waited, trying to ignore the scent of his mother at the borders.

She grimaced when she realized she’d missed his return. It’d been her intention to be caught in the middle of a patrol when she saw him coming from the Tangle. She’d kept herself primped and preened, so she might look both busy and beautiful- capable of both tending to the borders and keeping herself in prime condition. 

But when his call came, it was from within the borders. Of course, she couldn’t have patrolled only the borders where he would cross over, as that would have been selfish and negligent, but she had been tempted. 

”Lookit you,” She hummed when she saw him, ”Thneakin’ patht me when I’m on patwol,” But within the chastise came a note of affection too. He smelled of saltwater and other wolves- the gentle rain would cleanse him of that, she thought, though she drew near, hoping to integrate her scent amongst the raindrops too.

can i have him scent relic on her or would she be all scrubbed up :D <3

"hey, leelee," ancelin sighed out when he saw her, ears airplaned and eyes slitting as his tail madly waved. "good to see you." his voice was a shy mumble; at last he stepped back, not without a last brush of his jawline to her shoulder. "and — oh! here, i got this for you."
he showed her the shell with great pomp now, eyes almost riveted to her face as ancelin waited eagerly for her reaction. "do you like it? one of them almost drowned me over taking it, i think, something about liars and she was like shouting, i'm not sure. anyway!" and he was almost vibrating now.

It’s entirely possible- she’s been haunting the den Prophet made for her but would still see Relic. gopher it!

Where Relic stood rigid like an oak, Ancelin was fluid, like a willow. She could never be sure entirely how to read either of them- whether one was aloof, or the other shy. She was a bolt of lightning, regardless- drawn in to strike at both. 

She considered his bashfulness, and felt lightly suspicious. Still- she liked gifts, and she moved to behold the blue shell with wondering eyes. She drew in a sharp inhale; it was more cerulean, with waves of aquamarine- but very much blue, and beautiful. Perhaps this was how he saw her eyes, too; the thought made her heart flutter.

”Oh Anthuhlin!” she could tell how much he wanted to impress her by his excited chattering. ”I’ve never theen anything tho pretty!” She said, nosing it and gasping as the light made it shine. Wet with light rain, it looked slick, lifelike. She made a soft squeal and pressed herself against him- hoping he might not move away. ”I love it!”

ancelin didn't know if she smelled a lot like ensio or if he was projecting, but it was beginning to overwhelm him as his mind started to whirl. "uh, yeah. it's super pretty." but the excitement was fading out of ancelin as questions set in.
he didn't pull away, not at first, but then he did, under the ruse of a long stretch. "well, i'm glad you like it." ancelin flashed her a grin, because damn if he wasn't about to lose the moment. "what have you been doing while i've been back and forth?"
did it have to do with his stupid cousin?
the scars on his face throbbed.

As a vain creature, she’d hoped he might comment on her beauty, in comparison to the gleaming shell he’d brought her- and she was left to simmer slightly with her disappointment when he merely agreed. She did not like being denied a compliment, but she reminded herself that Ancelin was a boy- boys sometimes needed a bit more prodding to shape them into what a girl wanted them to be.

He fished for information, which was to her advantage. ”I been buthy,” She sighed, dramatically, though she paused to appreciate his form when he stretched. A faint grin creased the corners of her eyes. Even scarred as he was, her patchwork suitor was easily an eye-catcher. He didn’t often smile this way either- but she didn’t interpret it as being fishy simply because she craved his smiles so much.

She sighed. ”Prophet’th thtill not back. Pwetty shuwah he’th jutht not gonna come back.” she growled softly. ”Tho I been pickin’ up hith thlack.” She said, rolling her shoulders as though to loosen up tired muscles. 

If he wouldn’t compliment her, maybe he’d pity her. 

”I’m tired of bein’ walked out on.” She admitted, turning her stony gaze away- without denying herself a glimpse of his reaction.

prophet was gone. lilia meant to take his place. ancelin remembered her earlier aspirations to lead, and wondered if she had an opportunity now that the berserkr was gone, though he hoped the man would come home.
ancelin blinked and stepped to her side, nosing through her hackles. "well, i don't mean to go anywhere. and i'm sure if he could come home, he would."
there was a great deal of admiration in him for her.

She felt a chill lift the fur along her spine, and the bristling guard hairs at her nape feathered beneath his touch. She wasn’t sure whether to snap at him or allow the sensation. Wrinkles formed just above her nose, though she kept her teeth sheathed.

Being vulnerable, and getting sympathy for something that truly hurt was hard to manage. She felt her throat warm and tighten, and her cheeks flushed hot. Ancelin seemed both supportive and optimistic- and she felt suddenly very unworthy of his affection. 

She pulled away with a frustrated gasp. ”Thtoppit,” She could not fight the wriggling of her lips. She turned her face away fiercely, as her eyes began to brim with tears. ”Yuh too good to me.” She fumed. 

Prophet likely hadn’t intended to leave either. So if Ancelin did too…She wasn’t sure what she’d do with herself.

was she crying? ancelin didn't understand, but he wanted to comfort her. "no," the boy disagreed softly. "i'm just good enough." he meant it as a joke, but suddenly the weight of his entire birth family having walked out on him felt it was crushing the inside of his chest yet again.
and so without preamble, and carefully, ancelin reached out to lilia again, meaning to lay his chin over her head if she allowed.
something was threatening the sanctity of his own eyes, and so he shut them, drawing a long breath that shuddered at the end.

His joke fell flat, and Lilia’s ears turned back as if in annoyance. She curled her tail tightly around her haunches and hunched her shoulders. She’d been holding her breath, pushing it down and swallowing to keep herself from gasping.

He came closer and she snapped her head around to see the softness in his eyes, just as a tear fell down her cheek. Her eyes widened.

Ancelin knew the feeling; his parents had left him too. 

The realization that he shared the same grief made her break, though he fought so valiantly to keep his own emotions at bay that she did the same. She rested against him, lifting her head to be cradled beneath his jawline. 

She knew she could break down, cry, sob even- and that he would hold her, as though trying to hold the pieces of her together. But he had pieces that needed to be held, too. The loss they felt was a grief they shared- and whatever pieces they still had left seemed to fit together, and build an even more impenetrable wall.

holding lilia like this put an end for now to the desperate anger in ancelin's heart; he transferred the peace at once to the sensation of her against him, her breath, the touch of her skull beneath his chin, the mesh of their vary-hued pelts together.
he remembered how he had touched her before, and wanted it again, if only to distract them both. but some more mature part of ancelin suggested very much that he should not, and so he was only quiet, fighting his grief, his wants, desiring only to be a sort of immovable rock or obstacle, one that would close around lilia until she felt safer.

He stayed, and she was grateful for it. For some reason, he always seemed to feel warmer than she did- and even now, when Spring had come, she appreciated him for it. It wasn't often that they could stay so close for so long- and she had to fight to bury the growing impulse to toy with his fur, to try and get a reaction from him. He was no longer an experiment- she felt she knew what he would like, and felt he was more valuable to her if she didn't just toy with his passions. 

So when she leaned against him, it was because it felt right, for both of them. She lifted her head a bit, to lightly nudge the underside of his jaw again. "Nobody treat-th me like you do." She whispered softly.

that sucked, because he couldn't imagine anyone treating lilia differently than this. ancelin shut his eyes and leaned into her touch. "well, you deserve it." it lacked all nuance, a boy's statement of devotion, but maybe by now they had learned to read one another.
"i don't uh, feel close. to anyone. except you." he liked masque and redd, respected them, and gave the same awareness of relic's rank to the boy who had torn his face up.
but there was no intimacy there, not with anyone when it came to ancelin. save lilia. he felt vulnerable, but tried to sit with the feeling, assuring himself that she wouldn't ask for more explanation than he could give.

I don't, She thought ruefully, though the way he leaned against her insisted that he believed what he'd said, even though his tone lacked some sincerity. She knew how hard those words were to say, and how clunky and awkward it felt to try and say them. Forcing her voice to sound as though she meant every bit of it was nearly impossible- but she knew the feelings were there. 

Her cheeks burned. Could she say the same to him? In a way, she could; but there was no hiding the fact that she had been entertaining attention from more than just Ancelin. Where before she had taken delight in having both boys invest their time in pursuing her, now she felt the obligation to choose. She had to wonder how aware Ancelin was of the competition she'd sparked between the boys- after all, she'd not known for certain that their quarrel had been over her. 

Relic was a viable suitor; he'd proved that he would provide for her, and had promised her what she wanted- only the best. A comfortable den, pelts to sleep on, and he treated her with the finest foods, saving for her the tenderest cuts of meat when he caught something for them to share. 

And here was Ancelin, who had lost the fight, but who endeared himself to her more personally, and had pulled from her truths and experiences she'd shared with no others. While she'd had to ask him to bring her a gift, he had done so- and she felt his companionship was worth more than gifts and trinkets, no matter how much she appreciated it. He'd awakened something within her, but did not seem to judge her for it. The unanswered question still remained- stowed away like a dagger on her hip- tangible but sheathed. 

She felt she could not have both- and when she considered her life not with one of them, but without the other, she felt an immediate rush of dread at the thought of turning Ancelin away, or losing him to another wolf. 

"Anthelin," She said, her voice trembling. Her heart fluttered; anxiety begged for her to secure him. "I want you. To be mine. Only mine."

be mine. only mine.
ancelin stared at lilia for a long moment. it was a momentous event for the boy, who until this moment had not understood what the pink blush in his chest was when he looked at her.
relic was forgotten; he stood not wavering but silent, not in judgement but observation. he knew what this could mean, for them. for their future. 
"i want you too, lilia," came the roughened cadence of his voice, and he sent his breath out in a rush, dipping his muzzle to touch her cheek and proud arch of her neck.
it was easy enough to commit, and now his scars lost their ache for the first time. "okay," came his muffled breathless voice against her hackles.
ancelin found he could not stop smiling.

In the instant following her confession she felt fer grip her, rattling her to the core when she wondered how to backpedal if he turned her down, or showed even a lukewarm response. She remained frozen as though dread chilled her to the bone, with each passing moment stealing a bit of the warmth from her heart.

 One moment longer, and she might have pushed him away and called his silence rejection- but it was with such warmth and sincerity that he spoke again that her doubts melted away. His touch broke the spell which had turned her into a frigid statue, and as he sighed so did she. Blood returned to her extremities, and she felt herself practically glow when she realized what they'd just spoken out loud to one another. 

He was her only, now- and in spite of all of the wonderful moments she'd spent with others, she grieved those opportunities very little, now that she knew Ancelin would be committed to her. She felt so full of gratification that she felt she couldn't even look at another wolf, now that Ancelin was hers. 

She could hear the smile in his voice, and felt her cheeks begin to burn as well, from a grin so broad it was almost a grimace. She nuzzled the fur of his shoulder, uttering a soft whimper. "You're my only, too."

ancelin had never felt like this before. he was almost drunken with it, with their nearness, his own want for the touch and the warmth of her frame pressed against him. 
my only
the bearclaw boy was not a romantic, nor much of a speaker. he had not inherited his grandfather's malicious wit, nor the solemnity of his father. and of his mother's kindness and own quick teeth, ancelin had only taken one of those qualities.
"and you're my only."
but with lilia, here, now, he knew he desired to be better. to be more; to be, for her, what others had not been for him. he nuzzled through her fur again, letting his breath out in something like relief, while his cheeks burned with the force of his grinning.

It tickled her to hear him repeat what he'd already said, but she imagined it was a promise; the more they said it to one another, the more it was made true. She thought for a moment that they ought to announce it to the pack- but wanted to indulge in having him all to herself for a moment, while she had him. She leaned against him, a whimper beguiled from her throat by the feeling of his warm breath spreading through her fur. She felt a shudder threaten to shake herself from his side, but she fought it off. 

"Thtay hea-uh, for tonight?" She asked, her voice wispy with urgence.

"yes," ancelin said without hesitation, something unknown thrumming upon his spine and the line of his hips, hitching his throat.
it was a moment monumental for many things; he pressed closer, closer, tongue now straying across the side of her cheek as an answering sound hummed in his chest.
dizzy! giddy!
nervous.
dazzled!

Drunk on unknown hopes and expectations, Lilia nodded, and uttered a soft growl, pressing against Ancelin once more before she rose to her feet, keen on leading him further into the pack's territory where they might not be bothered by the next wolf that came by on patrol. She ran her shoulder along his side, and tilted her head to press against his flank as she passed, affectionate as a housecat. Before they would go anywhere, she would pause to gaze down upon the gemstone blue seashell once more, coveting it for its beauty and for the promise it had brought her. She smiled greedily, and picked it up with gentle teeth. 

She looked back over her shoulder toward Ancelin again, allowing the seashell to tilt forward slightly, revealing a flash of blue that complimented the fair cerulean of her gaze, inviting him to follow her with a grin.

each touch lilia gave was a gift that sent a smouldering line of smoke through ancelin. and like a cat she commanded him; he knew her teeth to be powerful and now she only used it to lift the shell, to guide them.
lilia was a beacon and ancelin answered in thirst and affection, a rapidly growing concoction of hormonal sensations that grew and grew and pressed against the inside of his chest.
he was hers, and helplessly, thankfully, the bearboy followed.

With the promise of fidelity, Lilia lost the heavy cloak of paranoia she did not realize she'd been shouldering until it had been shed. Somehow, she felt her place was secured, having found a suitable partner even though she had barely reached her first year of life. Her integration into the pack somehow felt more complete, now that one of the wolves born into the pack accepted her as his own. His only.

She felt light as a feather as she whirled away, whisking through the wilderness with her beau at her side. Her laughter pealed like bells, but nothing could have shaken the precious seashell from her grasp. And in her heart, she held Ancelin just as tightly.