Redsand Canyon lush flowers taken for granted

merrick had never forgotten @Donovan Azura, nor the titillating spar they had shared in the hunting lands of ursus. he told no one of his departure, loping along the red path at dawn into the wildflowers of the meadow, and beyond toward the rocky juttings in the distance.
mid-afternoon when the sable boy arrived; he shook out the strawberry cream of his summerlightened ruff and paced unsteadily along the mountain paths, searching for any scent of the tiger.
a bold attempt, one that would cost merrick a day if he was not correct. in time, however, the foolish gambit paid off, and he breathed the vicious scent-marks of the great man, leading down into a canyon hued in autumn. here merrick paused upon a low ledge, calling down into the echo of the cavern for the sensuous brute to join him again.

Donovan lurks about near the great walls that make up the edge of the canyon, marking the red clad environment as his own. His dark paws seem to always have a film of red dust over them, like a bee that covers itself with pollen. Still, it doesn’t bother him, rather it reminds him that he has a place of his own, with his own pack — a family.

So as his paws urge him forward through the sands environment, a howl meets his ears. It’s not one that he instantly recognizes, but the voice found within the song is oh so familiar.

Wasting no time, he seeks them out. Massive limbs going from a languid walk to a brisk trot, tail held high over a strong back and ears constantly on a swivel. He weaves in and out of the mountainous trails and finally a form is revealed to him. The single fiery eye and the dark pelage a signature sign of who it is — the infamous Merrick.

As if he is unable to help himself a sly smile creeps onto his maw. Honey eyes rake down his form finally to meet lock eyes. He gives a suggestive hum of acknowledgment before he speaks. “To what do I owe the pleasure of such a visit, Merrick?” He asks with a curious tilt of a massive head and an inquisitive yet interested gleam in his eyes.

it was not long before the tiger himself attended merrick, still wearing those same robes, tones, smirk. the coywolf sauntered close with tail waving, pausing some feet away. "the pleasure is mine."
he cast a rowdy glance pointedly downward, where the path led into the canyon, then back to donovan. the scents of many clung to him; a myriad wafting of warrior and women alike.
"is this where my allies have settled?" the boy purred upward into the man's face, brazen, daring despite the open walls and easy visibility of them both. "ursus has come to pay their respects."

He gives a playful lift of his brows as Merrick’s admits that the pleasure is his. He quickly follows the gaze to look over the heart of Redsand Canyon. The extravagant walls shaved down into oddly curved shapes by hundreds of years of erosion. The site is truly spectacular and he almost wants to drag the coy downwards to show him. That will come later, for now he follows the single eye back and settles his gaze on the other.

Is this where my allies have settled? The dark male murmurs up to him, a curiously attractive hum in his tone that makes Donovan want to do other things than just talk. Donovan would fall right into the trap if it was one and he can’t help but purr back a low, “It is.” Then he quirks his lips up into a suggestive smile and settles his muzzle by a ruined ear. “I could think of a few other ways you could pay your respects.” He whispers gently, husky yet honey smooth into the males ear.

Though it’s only fleetingly teasing touch as he pulls back only slightly. “We’re surrounded by all sides by our enemies and they want a piece of us.” He takes the conversation to a more professional level even though really Donovan wants nothing but to allow his instincts to take over and rightfully jump the man. Surely his eyes conveyed such a message as the brindled man looks upon the other. “Do you have enemies near your pack, dear?“ he asks curious to Ursus’ situation.

"we're in public," merrick laughed by way of warning, though he meant none of it. their first meeting was burned into his psyche with all the pressure of a brand. "you're a hot commodity," the bearwolf commented instead, resigning himself to the businesslike nature of this meeting, despite the heavy insinuations of the tiger.
"legion to one side, easthollow to the other. more trying to come close, always slinking, like spiders begging to be crushed." he tilted his muzzle up, enjoyed the brush of sunlight against his cheek for a long moment.
"you don't seem worried about it." tongue held between teeth. "and i don't care. let them come."

He mentions that they’re in public like Donovan had the moral compass or dignity to not fuck on the side of a mountain overlooking half the canyon. Yet still, this is also a business arrangement and Donovan will treat it as such. There will be time to play later.

So he listens to the dark coy explain. Naming packs he’s never heard of before. Ones that he’s never come across. So there are still others for Donovan to find out about. He hums in acknowledgment, nodding ever so slightly. “I haven’t heard of either of them.” He informs the other. “I know there’s a pack in the Vale north of us and another further south, but I don’t know their names nor have we met any from their place.” He continues to speak of their current enemies. “We’re at odds with Yuèlóng, the coastal wolves, and Seelie Court, the cute little fairy group in the willows three days north of here.” 

He snickers. “I want them to come pay us a visit. Trying to attack us in our own territory isn’t the smartest idea for them.” He looks over to the labyrinth of narrow crevices and hallways known as the Catacombs off in the distance. “If we lead them to the Catacombs they’d lose each other. We could pick ‘em off.”

Then gazing back to him he nods casually towards Merrick. “Did you have anything specific you needed out of this visit?” He inquires. Perhaps Merrick came to find out something more specific than what is currently in their tongues.

merrick listened, nodding gently. "i know fuck all about them," he shrugged, nudging donovan suggestively, darting teeth in a flirtatious nip toward the other's shoulder. neither of them had any sense of propriety, but for the sake of this meeting, merrick would pretend. "they're always coming to ursus, blustering. running their mouths. they leave covered in blood, or not at all," he grinned.
well met, the pack of bearwolves and the canyon raiders.
"i came to introduce myself to whomever needs to know my name. you already do," the coywolf teased. "as we are allies, i felt it necessary to show my face here." co-leaders, rulers; merrick did not trust donovan outside of bloodshed and lust, but was prepared to embrace the tiger fully in more ways than had already occurred. their bond might grow.
"also," and here merrick spoke eagerly, on a wild whim, "eventually we'll have to get everyone together."

He hums out a low laugh at his savagery. To both the fact that the wolves that visit him never leave or leave bloody in the very least. Then the playful nip gestured towards his shoulder has Donovan sending a sultry look the coy’s way. 

He nods to his words, Donovan’s ears cupping forward intently to listen. “I’m glad you think so. I was thinking of doing the same with your pack.” Then he addresses his next point. “Yes, we should have our packs meet. Get everyone on the same page. We should plan for the next few days no? A halfway point for our packs to join at?” 

"tempting. let's do it," merrick declared, for donovan's nearness was intoxicating and rippled with intrigue. the scents that clung to him; this man was dangerous, powerful, with followers numbered great. it was how ursus had been, in the beginning. how they would be again, for their reputation preceded any count of warriors merrick could call up.
"show me something," he dared, pressing his chest against that of the tiger, seeking to work him back a step or two along the ridge. a playful game, merrick testing the limit of their carnal engagement. "your paws are red. it suits you."

At his short reply Donovan hums quietly in acknowledgment. The brindled male meets the others heated gaze in the middle as Merrick dares to pad closer. There’s electricity building between them, a deadly force that when combined will leave nothing but destruction for those that cross them. They’re deadly — lethal, something to be feared among these lands. The two of them — the Saints, Ursus are not something those other packs are prepared for.

Donovan can feel the heat raising, like he’s been dropped onto the surface of the sun, boiling him up. Especially as the coy bumps their chests together, the smaller of the two holds strength even though Donovan is so much bigger than him. So he does just as Merrick means to, he takes an easy step back and gazes dangerously down towards the other. 

Though where his eyes hold no malice, they hold something much hotter — the heat of pleasure obvious within them. Donovan even chuckles at the tease, the sound surely felt through their joined chests. “I could show you something.” He hums back. “I rather have them red with blood.” He almost growls then, craning his neck down to bite at the coy’s scruff and lick a long stripe down to his shoulder blades. “Don’t tempt me, Merrick. We’re in public.” Comes his own surly reply. Voice husky and tipped with pleasure, sultry and undeniable is his wants. The tease itself is quoted from what the coy said earlier. Even though Merrick had to have known that Donovan could give a fuck where they were.

"you don't give a fuck either," merrick hissed back in defiance, shivering, daring to dart his tongue across the other's striped shoulder. "too pretty," he sighed, arching the brow above his empty socket as he moistened his lips. "when can i expect you to join me near ursus?" the boy inquired, stepping back. "all of you."
anyone who glanced up toward the tiger and the bear would see them a demure distance apart, bros being friends, but the air still smouldered between them, and merrick, who found himself drunk upon the aura of power shared between he and donovan, drew a breath.
"one day, i want to hunt with you."

You don’t give a fuck either. Is the sassy reply from the coy and Donovan agrees 100%. Sputters out a low, even chuckle and eyes down Merrick like he’s truly something to be devoured. The metallic tang of want blatant in his taunting twin orbs. He couldn’t give a fuck if they fucked on a stone alter for all to see. Hell he’d request an audience. The raw similarities between them make Donovan much too hot under the collar for the coywolf before him. Can hardly control himself when he’s around him. Especially when he knows he desires the primal urge of death and bloodshed as he does. He wants to go out on a fucking killing spree and take the coy right then and there, covered and tasting in the sweet, coppery taste of blood. Donovan shivers at the thought of it. 

Surely, even Merrick could see his mind wandering. A few solid blinks and Donovan is focusing on to the other alpha once more. The compliment and quick lap at his shoulder is not lost to him. Then his question is bringing Donovan back to the real world. The words excite him, until he realizes that they’re technically on a business meeting and he adds all of you afterwards.

He doesn’t reply until his next suggestion is uttered back to Donovan as well. A hunt. A pack meeting. Yes to both, say fucking less. “Is give us a week or two. To make sure our enemies don’t knock on our doorstep. Perhaps so I can brief them and track down my pack. In form them of our alliance officially. I’ll call for you in the meadow we first met in.” Then he moves on to the next sentence, trying to keep the images of their first meeting from distracting him. A suggestive smirk, contours his maw handsomely. “I‘d be insulted if you never asked.” He hums back.

merrick was swiftly becoming aware of the effect he had upon donovan. he did not lie to himself that he was the only — in truth, the witch would not have enjoyed knowing his lover had no others. theirs was to be something reddened and panting, not marked with an involvement merrick would only ever grant to his shadow.
"that sounds good to me," he laughed softly, backing another step, and another, until again they were apart and merrick could breathe in the powerful sight of the tiger, skim his single eye over the musculature that had done such wickedness to him in the meadow.
"i should get back," the mad boy sighed with a roll of his shoulders. "you will have to hunt beside me another day, donovan," he offered, teasing, slim muzzle tipped upward with a challenge shimmering in the gleam of his crocodile smirk.

An agreement leaves the onyx wolf’s maw. That’s what Donovan wants to hear. Then much too quickly, he’s backing away front he brindled beast. Donovan watches every move as if he’s analyzing him. Golden eyes flicking over his form shamelessly and he nods his chin up to Merrick.

Now he teases Donovan. Poking the bull and Donovan plans to give him the horns. Still for now he allows it to pass and he’s only chuckling mischievously to the other. “Farewell then, dear. See you soon.” He croons in jest, looking equally devilish.

He’ll watch him disappear over the ridge of the canyon wall after Merrick turns his back. Donovan has other things to attend to now.