Neverwinter Forest goldenglow

set for tomorrow

Her heat hits her suddenly, nothing like the gradual onset of past seasons. She wakes suddenly with a burning in her veins, an uncomfortable churning in her abdomen. It isn't pleasant at all; it never is for her. Agitated and unused to the feeling even with her experience, she avoids seeking @Mal at first. It's in her plans for the day, of course, but she finds herself at the borders in the earliest hours of the morning. Pacing. She can't think about anything but the discomfort spreading through her, the beginnings of sharp pains shooting through her belly.

At some point when she'd wandered, she'd gone by where Mal had slept. Her scent had wove its way through his dreams and roused him from his sleep. Drowsily, he dragged himself to his feet and started walking before he was fully conscious. As the scent grew stronger, fresher, 

He was actually a little anxious? Of all things... Every other time he'd just kind of YOLOed on, but with agreements... It meant more? Something. He needed to find Aibreann though, that much was certain. He wanted -- needed -- to impress her. The fact her trail now seemed to be leading to the border had him more concerned, and he sped up then to a quick trot. She couldn't leave --.  His heart had jumped up to his throat by the time he got to the borders, but it settled closer to where it should have been when he quickly spotted her. Aibreann? he called out, trotting over her way. He needed to get her away from the borders. He wasn't going to stop there, but would come up to her (or meet her, if she turned towards him), to try to start guiding her to somewhere less exposed to the unknown.

Hot needles prickling her insides, consuming — but Mal's voice interrupts, and she finds herself relieved. She'd meant to find him soon, but now that he's here, she wonders why she hadn't done that first. She turns toward him, tail swaying despite her discomfort. Mal — I was going to look for you... It suddenly occurs to her that the outskirts of the territory isn't a good place to be right now. She steps away from the border and toward him, allowing him to guide her wherever he chooses.

His nostrils flared as she got close. No doubt she was in heat. He looked briefly to the world beyond just to make sure that her trip here wasn't attracting any unwanted attention right now. Without the feeling that he had to convince her, instead he felt more possessive, if anything. Maybe not the right word. But close enough.

And though Mal lead her along, he didn't let her fall behind. Well, you got close -- went right by. If you don't want trouble from anyone else, you could stay with me. That would be best, would it not? Look, every wolf he'd slept with thus far had been an one time thing. He always wanted more than just once, but everything had been unplanned. But now she should stay with him, right? Prevent someone else from getting any funny ideas. Look, he had no idea when you got right down to it past the broad view of things. All Mal could figure was safety first, then he could focus on Aibreann properly.

Focusing on his words is difficult, but the last part stands out to her. Yes, She agrees immediately, pausing a beat as pain ripples through her lower half. Until my heat is over. The reminder is soothing; a source of stability in the middle of her internal chaos. She's never had anyone to see her through this, protect her and... tend to her needs, she supposes. The thought is odd. It suddenly occurs to her that she could touch him, if she wanted to. She reaches out to brush her muzzle against his shoulder, touch lingering that extra moment that crosses the line from friendly to intimate.

His head was buzzing, not with coherent thoughts, but just noise. But Aibreann interrupted him -- his steps hitched, slowed at her touch. He was so easily distracted by anything remotely resembling affection still, anything other than typical camaraderie. It tingled from his shoulder, out across his body. He'd looked back to her again, gawping a moment before pulling his brain back to the surface again, It's not far -- we'll be there, uh, soon. Sooner, please. He paused reaching to her, to touch her cheek or something, since that was probably the easiest part of her to reach if she was half a step behind. I can do-- get you whatever you'll need. Now, later. Whenever. Slightly distracted.

The touch slows him, and she finds unexpected pleasure in seeing the effect it has on him. She leans into the returned touch, brushing her cheek alongside his muzzle, hardly caring whether anyone stumbles across them for the moment. Her thoughts are oddly scrambled, focus centered on Mal and the strange feelings sparking between them. She's been with others, of course, but never during her heat; it'd never been the right time, or the right place. But now it is, and the intensity of it all is distracting.

He'd stopped, hadn't he? Well, that would make sense since he turned towards her and hadn't tripped on himself, so he probably wasn't continuing to walk in the direction they had been -- it was some combination of half a step back and one sideways towards her. He found himself at her side, gently up against her. He again nuzzled her cheek, moving slightly to groom at her fur from there to at the base of her ear. Mal was attentive, very much so -- he wanted her to tell him what she wanted, whether she wanted the chase, the game, something. As far as he saw himself, he was here to fulfill all her desires, not just his own, and looked on her with a sort of worshipful awe that had been dragged to the surface by her touch. It had been effective on a normal day, but super effective now, 1-hit KOing Mal's ability to string words together basically immediately.

Unfortunately for Mal, Aibreann's ability to form coherent speech has also flown right out the window. The only language she can comprehend in this moment is touch — one that Mal seems to speak rather well. A soft, breathy whine slips from her, barely audible. Her head tilts slightly to the side in invitation, offering further access if he should choose to continue his affections. Right now, she can't think of anything she wants more.

Seemed like no games, but she liked what he was doing. So, good there. The way she offered up her neck, it drew him in closer, not just next to, but up against her, around her if he could have. His teeth raked through her fur there, working his way down. However, Mal did pause, his nose buried deep in her scruff, just breathing in her scent. It lasted a moment before he reached back up so he could nibble at the corner of her jaw, crooning softly, desperate to please Aibreann but not quite sure yet if he should make a move. A shift of his weight suggested he was considering it but backed out for this instant.

She's patient under his affection, enjoying the moment, but the shift of his weight sparks mild agitation in her. She's in no mood for teasing, and she sees no reason to delay the inevitable conclusion. They'll have plenty of time later, during the rest of her heat. What are you waiting for? She murmurs, nipping at Mal's ear. It seems to be the push he'd needed. The leader wastes no time after that, and Aibreann is grateful for it. Eventually, after they've satisfied each other for now, the two even remember to continue on their way to whatever place Mal had in mind.