Moonspear Lights go down

As night gathered around the wilderness, darkening the air like a bruise, Wildfire's mood did the opposite: it lifted, lightened. Perhaps it had something to do with napping the entire afternoon away or stuffing herself with a freshly killed rabbit moments after awakening. She didn't question it, shrugging off her earlier and uncharacteristic crankiness as she slithered through the woods at the mountain's base. She was well-rested and well-fed, though there was another appetite that awoke inside her even as the rest of the world began to fall asleep.

"@Floki?" she called, sotto voce, when she struck the Beta's trail and tracked it down to its source. Her amber eyes squinted through the trees, darker bars of black against the deep indigo shadows. "Are you there?" She had seen him this morning, before they'd gone off to their respective tasks—she experienced a vague echo of her earlier resentment—but she veritably thirsted for his company as she slunk through the twilit wood, stumbling over a tree root with a quiet oof sound.

Floki had finished his last patrol hours ago, and had intended to call it an early night, but for some reason he was still awake as dusk gathered around him. He strolled around the lower reaches of the mountainside, breathing the crisp, frigid air and trying to clear his mind. He still clung tightly to the anger he felt towards Tevinter, but the swiftly darkening sky suddenly made him see things from a different perspective.

He paused, blinking in the shadows. Tevinter suffered from a visual impairment that kept him from seeing properly in broad daylight. Therefore, he was most active at sunset and into the night. For the first time, Floki considered what that would be like. He frowned, realizing that it would have a major impact on his day-to-day life. The last thing he wanted to do at the moment was empathize with his twin, but the wall of frustration slowly began to break down.

His ears flicked when he heard a soft voice calling his name. He pivoted, paws crunching in the snow, and replied to Wildfire. "I'm right here," he said, standing stock still to allow her to track him down.

His voice called to her through the darkness and she zeroed in on it like a homing missile, finally plucking his pale gray silhouette out from the gathering gloom and trotting to join him. Immediately, her snout bumped against his, her tongue poking out to lick his chin, before she skimmed her nose along his cheekbone. "Hey," she breathed against the fur and skin beneath his left eye, her own gaze lifting to meet his for a brief moment before she reluctantly stepped back.

"Sorry if I seemed grumpy this morning," were the first words out of Wildfire's mouth. She hadn't really plummeted into her bad mood until after they'd parted but Floki had probably picked up on her stiffness. "I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed," she quipped, shrugging one shoulder loosely. She could have explained it in deeper detail but she didn't want to put more weight onto her strangely sour mood than necessary.

"So," she continued in the next breath, "wanna hang around and be schmoopy with me? Let me prove my love and all that?" Her amber eyes glistered like jewels as her black tail switched unseen through the dark air.

Only a few seconds ticked past before Wildfire appeared, and she wasted no time in closing the gap between their bodies. Floki smiled, her presence warming him even in the frigid night air. "Hey," he replied, ears swiveling as she apologized for her mood earlier in the day. To be honest, he hadn't quite noticed -- and it was likely a combination of being an unobservant teenage boy and the fact that she had hid it well, at least until he left to tend to his duties.

Instead of answering her question about spending time together, he made a query of his own. "Why were you in a bad mood?" he asked. He reached out to nudge her cheek with his snout, his eyes wide with innocent curiosity.

Rather than answer her question, Floki posed one of his own. She paused, wondering whether to be totally honest with him or gloss over it a bit. She decided to go the latter route and shrugged a petite red shoulder as she said, "No good reason, really." Actually, that was pretty much the truth. The young Beta kept his priorities straight—patrolling mattered more than flouncing around with her—and it wasn't right to get angry at him over it.

"But you're here now, so I'm in a great mood 'cause we can spend some time together," she declared in the next breath, enjoying the sensation as Floki pressed his nose to her cheek, his warm breath washing over her face. "I know it's late but I napped all day," Wildfire commented, smiling cheekily. She knew that, unlike her, Floki was probably worn out after a long, dutiful day.

But she was nothing if not considerate. "Why don't you head up and get comfy," she said, motioning vaguely toward their little sleeping niche up the mountain, "while I grab you something to eat? I'll bring you breakfast in bed! Well, dinner," the Gamma amended with an airy little laugh. "Go," she said, brooking no argument as she tapped his left hip with a forefoot. Wildfire wouldn't depart until he acquiesced.

Her reply was enough to satisfy his curiosity, and he smiled when she added that she was no longer feeling grumpy because she was in his presence. That was how it worked for him, too -- the only reason he had gotten angry the other day was because of the mention of Tevinter, but it had had nothing to do with Wildfire herself. Being around her had simply been enough to lift his spirits otherwise.

When she proposed that he relax and let her bring a meal to him, Floki couldn't resist. He grinned broadly. "That sounds fantastic," he said, even as she shooed him away. He obliged with a swish of his tail and began to scale the mountainside, glancing over his shoulder once to see her taking off in the other direction.

Nimbly, he made his way to the little place that they called home each night. As he took the last few steps, he felt the effects of his long day beginning to take their toll as fatigue settled into his bones. Suddenly, he was thankful for Wildfire and her consideration. He curled up among the rocks, resting his chin on his forepaws, but his blue eyes remained a bright contrast against the shadows as he waited for her arrival.

He obeyed her command promptly, clearly looking forward to his meal on wheels, and while Wildfire was thrilled to do this for him, she stared longingly at his retreating back for a moment before dragging her eyes away. She broke into a trot, feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as she shifted into hunting mode.

When she arrived at their sleeping spot nearly an hour later, a lean rabbit swung from her jaws, still dripping warm blood. "Dinner's up!" she said after dropping it at her feet, grinning down at her resting beau. She ducked down to nuzzle at his ear and whisper, "You weren't sleeping, were you?" Wildfire laughed airily, her breath causing the little silver hairs just inside Floki's ear to rustle. She wondered if it tickled.

She didn't ask, though she suddenly had an idea and acted upon it without giving it much thought. She snuffled against his ear, pressing her nose into that narrow tunnel of flesh and fur before poking out her tongue.

Although Floki likely wouldn't admit it to Wildfire, he dozed off while he waited for her to arrive. The longer he was still, the more tempting sleep became. The days since his promotion had been filled with activity after activity, whether it was patrolling the borders independently or shadowing Charon. He would never regret his brother's decision to elevate him into a leadership role, but it was taking a toll on him from the inside out.

His eyelids fluttered open and he jerked his chin up from the ground after about an hour. Wildfire's breath fluttered across his face and ears and he licked a stray strand of sleepy drool from his lips. "No, not sleeping," he protested even as the tip of her nose grazed the shell of his ear. He chuckled, giving the appendage a gentle flick, though he was unable to predict or protest when she inserted her tongue into the orifice.

"Oh my gosh, what are you doing?!" he cried, reeling back from her and vigorously shaking his head. He hadn't even noticed the rabbit meat laying nearby, so distracted was he by her wet willy.

He jumped, earning a surprised snort and then a snicker from Wildfire. "Flirting," she answered after a beat, smirking playfully at him. "Did it tickle?" she asked, genuinely curious. No one had ever stuck a tongue in her ear, as far as she could recall. But she had been tickled in other places—the crooks of her legs, the span of her ribs—and Floki's reaction made her think it must have felt similar.

She wondered if he would exact revenge on her so she could find out, so in an attempt to stall any mischievous retaliation, Wildfire declared, "I'm gonna prep this for you." She struck out a paw, resting it lightly on the rabbit carcass. She then dragged it closer to herself, flopping to her belly and beginning to tear at the fur and flesh. Skinning the carcass was a messy job, yet soon she discarded the bloodied pelt and began gnawing the various body parts off into edible portions.

When she was finished carving the rabbit, she nudged the choicest morsels toward Floki: the head, of course, as well as both thighs, and the heart and liver. The rest she would put aside for now. If he was still hungry after the main course, he was of course welcome to the leftovers. If not, she would make sure to stash them before they could rot out in the open.

"Eat up," she encouraged, motioning toward the chunks of meat even as she began to run her tongue over her chest and legs, removing all traces of blood and gristle from rendering the hare's carcass.

"Yes, it tickled," Floki replied, trying to sound annoyed but failing due to the smile in his voice. He reached up with a hind leg to paw at his ear until the tingling sensation went away. "You sure have a funny way of flirting," he quipped even as Wildfire moved away to begin preparing his meal. He settled back into a comfortable position and dropped his chin onto his forepaws, watching with interest as she sliced and diced the rabbit.

When she was finished, she pushed the carcass towards him and instructed him to eat. He did so without protest, tearing into the tender flesh with his teeth and using a forepaw to brace the body. The meat was warm and satisfying and he made an appreciative humming noise as he ate his fill.

Licking his lips after a few moments of silence, he looked up to find Wildfire cleaning her forelegs. "That was great. Thanks, sweetie," he said with a smile and a thump of his tail.

When Floki called her "sweetie," Wildfire glanced up from her impromptu bath time, her amber eyes glowing mirthfully at the endearment. She flashed him a quick grin and said, "Almost decent enough for some quality cuddling," then hastily returned to her grooming, making sure every last bit of gore was removed from her pelt.

Slightly damp but clean and free of any lingering smells, she scooted back toward her beau. "Remind me to move those to a cache before I go to sleep," she murmured, gesturing at the leftovers. "Unless you're still hungry?" she added, brows lifting inquisitively as she sidled up alongside him and slipped to her haunches. She flopped forward onto her belly beside him with a contented sigh.

"So? Did I prove it?" Wildfire murmured into his nearer ear, right before sticking her tongue into it again.

He waited patiently as she finished grooming herself, then welcomed her presence as she moved in closer. "I've had enough for tonight," he replied, gesturing towards what remained of the meat. "I'll go with you to put it away," he offered in the next breath, though she was already snuggling up next to him and it was clear neither of them would be going anywhere anytime soon.

Her voice was sultry next to his ear and he grinned, though the expression soon changed to one of horror as he felt the wetness of her tongue again. "No!" he cried, rolling onto his side and away from her. He reached up with his paws to cover his ears, wrinkling his nose in disgust while fighting laughter. "You're going to undo all your hard work and lose your points if you keep that up!" he teased.

He jerked away, his expression a curious blend of amused and disgusted as he playfully threatened her. Wildfire grinned like a Cheshire cat, pleased to discover this secret weapon. It might come in handy in the future. She did not attempt to do it a third time, however, and instead held up her freshly-washed paws in a gesture of peace; she would cease and desist.

"Wouldn't want that," she breathed against his cheek as they slowly moved back in toward their previous positions, their shoulders pressed together and flanks brushing. The Gamma hummed under her breath, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth and proximity, not to mention Floki's distinctly woodsy, masculine scent. She found herself pressing her nose against his collarbone for a lingering moment.

Drawing back slightly after a time, Wildfire queried, "There are points? And I can win and lose them? Hmmm." She chewed over this. "What's my prize, once I get enough points?" she wondered, amber eyes dancing with a bit of mischief. She felt a strange dipping and swooping in her lower belly that she could neither describe nor explain.

Floki shook his head in agreement, glad that Wildfire was putting her tongue-weapon away for a while. He settled in next to her, relishing the warmth radiating from her small body within the confines of their cozy little nook. He returned his chin to his paws once more, though his ear rotated towards her when she posed a question.

He couldn't help but grin. "Well, what would you want as your prize?" he asked, casting a sidelong glance up at her. He could, of course, return the favor of breakfast (or dinner) in bed, but had the feeling that there was more to it. He waited with anticipation for her answer.

Wildfire didn't answer right away. She could think of so many things she wanted, things he could give her: a kiss, a meal, a few minutes of his time. Yet Wildfire's stomach clenched more tightly as something altogether different occurred to her. Suddenly she was thinking back on that time when Floki had climbed on top of her. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassed heat and she looked down at her paws, biting back a giggle at the memory. Somewhere between then and now, she had figured out what they had really been doing (wrong, as it were).

Would he want to try again, for real this time? Was that something they could and should do? She knew it was a physical expression of love and she most certainly adored Floki. There was no risk of puppies, thanks to their ages... but should they be more committed first? Wildfire turned over all these questions in her mind, humming under her breath and likely ratcheting up Floki's curiosity with every silent second that ticked by.

Eventually, she lifted her honeyed eyes to his, then began to move her snout toward his ear. Wildfire paused halfway there to assure, "I'm not gonna lick it again, promise," before swooping in to whisper something* instead, tone tentative. When she drew back slightly, her cheeks were warming again, a blush unseen beneath her red fur. She worried at her lower lip, feeling both a thrill of excitement and thread of anxiety, then forced herself to catch his eye again. Heat licked low in her belly as she awaited his reply.

* "The D. You. Your body."

;)

Floki winced and leaned away from Wildfire as she made to whisper in his ear, although he was just teasing her and let her share her secret message after she promised not to give him another wet willy. He was smiling when she started to speak, but his expression faded as he registered her words. He felt simultaneous excitement and anxiety -- she wanted to make love, and last time they had tried, it had ended in hilarious disaster.

But now they were older -- even just by a couple of months -- and their relationship had progressed. It seemed like the next step, although Floki was still as clueless as he had been originally. He couldn't deny that he wanted to try it, but he worried that he would hurt her or do something wrong. There was a sparkle in Wildfire's eye as he met her gaze, and it was that quiet confidence that eased his soul.

Without responding verbally to her, he stood and waited briefly for her to do the same. When she was on all fours, he leaned down and pressed his snout into the thick fur of her scruff, breathing deeply. Her scent filled his nostrils and, while it didn't smell any different than usual, he felt dizzy and his paws started to tingle. He slowly traced his nose along the curve of her shoulder and then to her ribcage, pausing as the sensuality of the moment caused an altogether strange yet familiar stirring in his loins.

*c-blocks*

His expression was momentarily inscrutable. Wildfire didn't worry. She didn't doubt his love, nor his interest in expressing it physically, not really. The anxiety was just, well, part of her personality. It did surprise her when, rather than replying, Floki stood and nudged for her to do the same. Brows knitting quizzically, she obeyed his silent command and rose, lips arching slightly. Then it dawned on her that he was trying to initiate now and before Wildfire could stop it, she burst into laughter.

"Don't I have to earn the points first?" she teased him. She truly hadn't anticipated doing it right this very moment, though as she regarded his face and saw what could only be called Floki's bedroom eyes, she felt her insides stir with heated curiosity. A little breathlessly, she admitted, "But I'm down if you are, if this is what we both want."

Want to fade this one out since we have a newer one going? ;)

Wildfire's laughter stopped Floki in his tracks, and he looked back at her with confusion evident on his face. His heart had gotten ahead of his mind, forgetting all about the points that Wildfire needed to collect in order to earn her prize. He very nearly threw the whole idea out the window and followed his instincts -- but what was the fun in that?

He took a deep breath, the cool night air calming his fiery insides. "Oh, of course. You're right -- I was just giving you a little preview," he teased, stepping away from her as he spoke. He lowered himself back to the ground, curling into a ball and glancing up at her with mischievous blue eyes. He stifled a faux yawn with his forepaw.

"Time for some shut eye, don't you think? You need to get some rest so you can start earning more points tomorrow," he added playfully. His eyelids closed and he pretended to fall into a deep sleep, although an anticipatory tingling in his extremities would keep him up for another hour or so.

These two, hehehe. :)

Just when she was starting to get caught up in his vibe, he passed it off as a joke and sprawled back on the ground. Wildfire arched a brow at him, yet she was laughing more than a little breathlessly in the next instant as she settled beside him. Her heart was still skipping beats in her chest. She honestly couldn't decide if she was more relieved or disappointed. She definitely wanted to get frisky with Floki, yet maybe she wanted a little more advance notice to prepare (physically, mentally and emotionally)...

"It's going to be hard to sleep," she joked quietly, sleepily, in his ear, "with that on the table." She chuckled under her breath, then Wildfire slowly let her head drift down to rest over Floki's outstretched legs. "I look forward to both earning and cashing in my points," she murmured against the bones of his forelegs. She hummed, content, eyes drifting closed as she fell easily into sleep despite her previous energy. It was just that being beside her beau was so restful.