Stone Circle you'll do nicely

@Chaska

She'd seen the brute on daily trips through the territory but never had Belle stopped to speak. It wasn't until her plan with Steady came to a halt that she really considered what the other could do for her. Now that the winter was really setting in (the first snow she'd seen for the year was that very morning), Belle thought it time to get moving, thus she tilted her head upward and called for Chaska's presence.

Chaska's ears flicked as he rested in his den. Someone called for him. But this howl it was unrecognisable to his ears. Someone wanted to meet him, and he guessed it was a new member somewhere. So standing up, he moved to find whoever called for him. 

And that he did. A female, someone he had not seen. Eyes weary, as they usually were, he stood several paces away. "And how may I help you..." he paused, waiting for an introduction. He doubted he needed to introduce himself.

Belle adjusted herself accordingly as the male entered her vision. Yes, she began, a coy smile teasing at her lips, I'm Mirabelle. I've made it a mission of mine to meet all of my packmates but you seem to be one of the few that I haven't come across yet. For each pace left between them Belle inched forward until only a couple feet sat between them. She was really milking it this time around.

The other wolf introduced herself as Mirabelle. He hadn't heard that name around, so she musth ave been a recent addition. "I know how that is. Every now and then, I still meet someone new. I swear, it's lke everyone's just popping out of the ground here and there like moles." He noticed her edging closer, but thought nothing of it. "So what brought you to this pack?

The way things were going so far, Belle began to wonder if Chaska was competent enough to match her. She'd tried to be as obvious in her advances as she could but so far her efforts had gone unnoticed. With a sigh, she answered his inquiry, I needed a home and Easthollow was there. What about you, eh? She adjusted her stature to be lower than his and her eyes to be large pools of awe. If he wasn't getting the hint yet then she might give up.

Chaska  raised a brow at the sigh. He listened to her reasoning, and it sounded good enough. Why, he had done the same. With a few other reasons in that. Her change in posture started to confuse him a bit, but he still answered. "To seek refuge. It's a..sad story....Is there something wrong, by any chance?" he asked, looking her over. Ever so blunt to such things.

Belle was taken aback by the question, What? No, but she cleared her throat and readjusted herself once again. Now this was getting to be annoying at best. Do you have a trade? she asked after mentally calming herself. 

Chaska eyed her carefully. Then, let it past with a shrug. "If you say so. Just making sure" he said in reply. He seated himself down, his tail swaying slowly behind him. "What do I do? I'm a chronicler. I tell stories, fables, stuff like that. Usually I use them as advice, or to teach a lesson." And sometimes, it worked on others and himself when he rehearsed them to himself. Other times, not so much. What was a lonely guy to do, besides talk to himself?

Now sitting on her own haunches as well, Belle tilted her head curiously. Oh? Tell me a story, then. Chaska didn't seem to keen on advancing just yet (Belle was sure he at least knew her intentions by then) so she would play along, take things slow. At least, as slow as she could manage before going batshit crazy.

The male was a little caught off guard. Usually, he had a story already on the tip of his tongue. But he didn't this time. "Ah...sure. How about...a tale of a wandering pair, perhaps?" he asked, curious to know if she would like the idea of that. However, he planned on having a twist on the end. He loved giving twists. 

He cleared his throat, ready to begin. "Once, in a far off land, there were two wolves. They were lovers, always stuck together. And they never strayed from one another. They only knew each other, and spent their time only together, and with no others. Their world was just the two of them, and their journey. They one day came to a forest, where they decided to spend a night. Little did they know, there was something nearby." He smiled lightly at her, waiting for a response to his climacitc suspense.

Belle's reply was one of forced awe. The air between the pair became thick with intrigued gasps, especially once he came to a pause in speech. What was it? she asked, actually a bit intrigued. There was a joyous glint to her eyes as she looked up at him and waited impatiently for the tale to continue. 

Chaska smiled lightly. If there was one thing he enjoyed, it was a gasp and a genuine reply. That was how he took it.  He could sense that he might take a liking to this wolf, as a friend. "Well, what was nearby was another wolf. A female. And, she was in heat. The male of the pair sensed it as soon as they arrived, but he oved his mate. His curiosity did not drive him that way. Until his mate fell asleep that night. He went out to find it, and there he saw the lone female.

After a meeting, the scent drew him in. The night was filled with passion, but the male knew after he had done something terrible. So the female gave him a choice. Stay with her, or go back to his mate. What was he to do?

In the end, love conquered. He returned to his mate. Told her everything. And just because of his choice, and how he owned up to it, she did not let him go."

He finished the tale there, stretching his muscles after not moving them for some time. "So, what did you think of it, Mirabelle?" 

What did she think? Belle thought that it made for a hell of a lot of foreshadowing half-decent tale to have been told on the spot. Not bad, she had to admit, but of course, the ever selfish Belle decided then that she'd heard better. It was excellent, she cooed to the male. I've never had a mate of my own, Belle admitted, remorse lining her words, but I've always wanted one. Have you ever been mated?

Chaska liked to hear that. He never admitted it, but when it came to stories, and it rarely showed, he had a bit of an ego about them. And when others said they liked the story, it touched his ego. "Thanks. I really enjoy having feedback."

Chaska could swear he had a conversation like this before. But he couldn't remember it. Still, it was one of those things the grey wolf rarely thought on. "Uh, no" he said, shaking his head. "Never had the opportunity. Or found the right wolf to spend my life with." He didn't feel sad, since he never felt like he wanted one. But he'd changed his opinion before, even if it was just because he hit his head.

Perfect. A soul untouched by the hell haven called Love -- Belle would have a ball with this one. As he finished his statement, she made a coy pout and sucked her teeth. Well that's too bad! I'm sure she'd out there somewhere; maybe you just aren't looking hard enough. With that, she turned her amber eyes directly to his and stared into the light pools of brown. I've never been in love either; not for real, at least. I wonder what it's like, you know? She gave him a smile and hesitated before gently nuzzling into his shoulder. This could be her chance to rise, and she refused to let another opportunity slip from her grasp.

Chaska listened to her words, and thought on them. He had never really been looking. All this talk brought him back to his conversation with Zaria that felt so long ago. "Well, I guess..." Chaska started, stopping when he caught her looking into his eyes.

"I have wondered. Never felt that kind of love" he said, not being able to look away. But soon he did, when she nuzzled against his shoulder. he wasn't sure how to respond to that exactly, so he ended up returning the gesture, assuming it was just a friendly gesture.

Provided, some liberties were taken with Belle's next move. She saw him return the gaze, she thought she heard the seductive hint in his tone, so she assumed it would be okay if she moved in, just enough to gently nuzzle his shoulder and lift her head so her breath brushed against his ear. Belle retreated quickly, as though she wasn't entirely sure and confident in her actions, but internally, she was sure she'd gotten him hooked. I'm sorry if that was wrong, I just...I should get going. With a small laugh under her breath, Belle shook her head and turned to walk away, careful to trail her tail along Chaska's side as a hint that she wanted him to find her in the days to come.

Whenever you are up for the next thread, I am ready

Chaska's ear tingled in an unusual way when she let out a breath against it. His ear flicked, being rather sensitive to the change in the air around it. And yet, it was an oddly satisfying feeling. He was about to comment about it when she pulled back, then left.

But not before sweeping her tail across his side. Her scent filled his nose, and now he had her scent on him. He wasn't sure what to make of it at all. But surely enough, he was going to ask the next time they met, just the two of them.