Wild Berry Meadow breaking my back just to know your name

for @Dehlilah

The sun did not show its face today. Instead, the skies were blanketed in a thick layer of clouds. With it, danced the faintest scent of rain and crushed berries carried along by the afternoon air.

Somehow, as was painstakingly becoming the norm, the man found himself surrounded by unfamiliarity once again. His routine had become a monotonous jumble of eat, sleep, walk as far as your legs will carry you and repeat. It was hardly fulfilling, but every day allowed him to further bury the skeletons of desires which always seemed to plague him. Being alone in a strange place was taxing enough to distract him from all that. 

He continued onward through the meadow at a moderate pace, head and torso furtively lowered, hoping to keep his presence concealed from whatever grievance, or meal, was willing to present itself to him.

The world around her was silent and darkened as Dehlilah slowly guided herself through the dampened meadow. Her body eased as she took another step forward, glancing behind her as if expecting someone at all times. But she was alone.

She hadn’t had much success at capturing something to eat much and frustration has almost driven her to the point of malnourishment. Normally Lilah would have some catch of a frog leg or rabbits foot but her luck was running dry with the decrease of ability.

She paced herself slowly to the banks of a puddle where she brought her travels to a stop. The wet crispy breeze intoxicated her lungs as it entangled within her fur as she sat silently, concentrating on the way the ripples in the puddle morphed her facial features. unbeknownst to any nearby visitors.

After a few minutes of winding through the grassy maze, the man’s pace began to loosen. Soon, he slowed to a stop upon a slight mound, which blemished the sea of grasses and bushes.

However, he became overcome with the sensation that he was not alone. The presence of one, or more, was carried to him by the breeze.

Unease prickled the hairs along his spine.

Taking a last, sweeping glance of the meadow which lay before him, the man retreated back down the soft incline—

and slipped back beneath the waves of grass.

After sitting in a daze in the small pool, Lilah stood on her frail legs and began slowly pushing her small frame through the tall grasses. Her stomach growled lowly as she finally brought herself to an abrupt stop.  Although her senses weren't that intact Lilah had briefly caught onto an unfamiliar scent nearby. She wasn't sure what it could be. Food? That was always the first thing that seemed to run through her mind recently and she couldn't bare her curiosity.

The damsel tried desperately to catch up on the scent again to maybe reveal who the host was to her but, she only caught failure. That was until she finally raised her head as far as her neck could stretch above the waves of triumph. She squinted trying to make out any movement other than the constant flow of the meadow. 

Her fuzzy gaze finally set the target on a dark figure slowly but forcefully merging throughout the grassland. Her ears flattened at the sight of it not being food but from what she could tell it wasn't anything that alarming. A wolf.

She hadn't interacted much with other loners with the time she's been on her own. Not because she was wanting to just catch herself some free time alone but, because most tend to bore her with her conversations or tease her about the way she communicates and doubts her survival skills. However, with the constant reminder from her empty stomach, she couldn't help but ease her way after the figure in a following manner,  not covering up the sound of her fast movements of determination.

On, and on he went—

till the fast-paced rhythm of footsteps filled his ears.

Prepping for a fight, he stopped in his tracks and turned around to preemptively get the jump on his pursuer; yellow eyes skirting the area in search for them. A low rumble escaped his chest, he wouldn't back down.

She paced herself quickly after the shadowed figure among the grasses, her fur tangling in between the sleek blades. As she neared closer her nose was able to pick up on the scent once again confirming who the host was.

She hadn't really planned how this interaction would go but it didn't stop her from barging right into the lion's den. She stumbled back from how fierce the scent had become and shook her head with a snort as she paced herself back a few steps, tripping over her legs and tail as she fumbled to the ground. "MmPH!" she huffed.  

His heartbeat thrummed as he waited in agonizing anticipation. 

Instead of being met with teeth and claws, he was met with a smaller female, who nearly collided into him. Then she promptly backed up and fell over; utterly a mess. He had been prepping for much more serious brawl. This was.. disappointing. And confusing, vexingly so.

It gave him a faint feeling of deja vu from the yearling he had crossed paths with previously.

What the hell is wrong with you. He said to her, sounding more like a demand rather than question.

She mumbled soft curses under her breath as she lifted herself back up to her feet, recollecting herself she paced forward some,  in the direction of the large shadow now only standing a few feet away from her. Her ears pinned slightly back as she squinted trying to make out the face of the host. 

She tilted her head at the sight of a brute a faint smile lingering as her tail slowly began to sway back and forth. Once the brute had spoken she was kinda startled by the feeling of the soundwaves that he was producing as he lectured at her. Not a word he spoke translated through her. 

She sat down in front of him and tried making as best of eye contact as she could however she wasn't very good at it. She cleared her throat almost as if taking a gulp, Lilah never has spoken much during a first interaction solely due to their impatience with her it gets her extremely agitated. Shaking her head she looked at him once more and sighed, lifting her paw off the ground she folded her ear down to her head while still remaining eye contact with him from a lower point. Occasionally switching ears in hopes he would understand her game of charades. I can't hear you.

The female regained composure rather quickly, albeit for a few foul words muttered as she did so. 

She was quite the sight. Delicate features, draped in a blanket of coals, chocolate, and cream with a pair of warm eyes. Eyes that seemed to study the side of his head very intently. He shifted to meet her unfocused gaze. He pinned it to be nervousness, though that didn't explain why she had followed him here.

What really threw him for a loop was the gesturing. He was utterly baffled. His yellow eyes stayed focused on hers as she continued, ignoring whatever charades she was pulling. It wasn't clicking.

I think you hit your head too hard. 

She started to study his body language more while she continued to hold her ear down before setting her paw down firmly and huffed, her ears started ringing lightly as a few of his words processed through her eardrums. hit- head- hard- is all she could register making her bare her teeth at him faintly. How could it be this difficult to understand simple gestures? Ears covered? Deafness?? She could never understand some of the stupidity she finds across travelers. 

She tilted her head again glaring a faint smirk crossed her lips as she lifted her paw again but this time up toward the brute's right eye. She clicked her nail at the orb before going back to cover up her ears once again. I - Eye, Covered ears - Deaf, It was so simple, to her at least. Why was this big idiot even saying hit head hard? She was almost just as confused as him.

He still didn't have a clue what was going on, but this odd sort of dance she was doing for him was intriguing and her added frustration was amusing. He was nearly sure she was about to claw his eye out—as someone had tried to before—but instead she tapped it. 

Contrary to his usual investigative tendencies, at this point he didn't seem to give a damn about figuring out the mystery. He assumed she was nonverbal—just as some other creatures were. If so, that would be a relief. Talkative types were always too much for him.

You're crazy. He adds finally, leaning in.

He still hadn't seemed to understand her, rolling her eyes she stood up. As he leaned she was engulfed by his scent it was intoxicating, with a hushed tone the brute muttered to her "You're crazy." she snapped at his leg roughly.

She glared baring her teeth "You're crazy too--" she cut off with slight embarrassment, it was almost as if she lost her breath in her words. Gaining back some of her control she finalized "I can't hear yo..--" she managed to mutter to him, her ears pinning back slightly as she found herself back making eye contact with the brute's forehead.

Her throat clenched slightly with a gulp.

He enjoyed playing with fire.

Despite her small stature, any bite would pack a punch. Her snap was just a warning to him, he knew he could push her a bit more before she would cross the line; if anything, he still had the upper hand. In fact, he would more than enjoy a tussle with the pretty thing. She wasn't even making eye contact with him now. Unlike her, he could hear the sound of her nervous gulp.

Bullshit. He challenged, growing closer, just inches from her ear—still prideful about the fact he was able to get a response from her at all.

She narrowed her gaze more as he grew closer, feeling his breath run hot in her ear she could only hear faint gibberish but she figured by now he wasn't easily convinced. She moved her head away from him and focused her gaze somewhere else. Ignoring his efforts of communication to try and prove her point more.

She flicked her ear towards him almost as if challenging him to test her some more with the subject by speaking more gibberish. She couldn't help but hold a smirk.

He liked the challenge, and the look on her face only encouraged him more. There were still some questions on his mind, but he was willing to play this game. Just for her. 

With his teeth, he gently reached for her ear and gave it a little tug before releasing.

Come on. He pushed, hoping to break her for another word or two, trying to catch her mischievous gaze once again. It was odd to be the one leading the conversation—rather lack thereof.

She watched from her peripheral as he tugged at her ear, her snout wrinkled as she bared her teeth once more. What was up with this guy? Lilah had now begun exploring all the different sorts of questions she wanted to ask him. Hell, she could barely speak from getting choked up so often it'd be a shit show for her but entertainment to put on for him. 

She slowly turned her head to face him again her eyes leveling low as she finally met her eyes to his for the first. She stared at him as if she were trying to figure out his thoughts and get a real understanding of what was going on inside that thick skull. She scoffed "I enjoy space." she spoke clearly this time before continuing "And with that hot breath of yours-- it's well needed." she barked, smirking whilst maintaining eye contact.

He was pleased to discover she did have a sense of humor. Therefore, he couldn’t rule out whether she had been pulling his leg about the hearing difficulty yet, since for the most part she seemed to understand enough. Whether or not it was true, that was a card he could add to his playbook.

As he had hoped, she dignified him with a reply. She had a charming voice, which he didn’t mind listening to. This time, she had no difficulty in meeting his gaze.

Really. Yet, you were the one who chased after me, remember. He replied.

She stared at him blankly as she watched his lips move as he spoke. She wasn’t the best at reading lips quite yet so she had a difficult understanding on what he was trying to say. Confusion crossed her face briefly with her brows furrowing.

“I told yo—“ She caught her own tongue again, visible frustration now crossed her face. She cleared her throat “I don’t understand. escargot.” she let out a quick laugh, licking her lips.

Escargot?

He'd been called many colorful names over the course of his lifetime. Escargot failed to be one of them, until now. The word elicited a bemused scoff from him.

You. Followed. Me. He spoke, clearly, leaning in again, his nose was practically inside of her ear. Why.

Her breaths began to sharpen as he shoved his snout directly into her ear, scoffing she turned her head away from him ignoring his try at communication. "You're caHraaaazyyy...." she mocked him with a sneer.

She swayed her tail gently across his legs as she brought it to her side in a coiling matter. Still, averting her gaze away from the man.

Oh, so she was mocking him now, was she?

Her boldness cracked a short-lived smirk out of him. He guessed she wouldn't be offering him a good answer anytime soon. Maybe she wanted to keep him around? Who knew. He didn't mind her toying with him, so long as he got to toy with her too.

His eyes followed her tail, transfixed, as it snaked past him. Once she turned her back to him, he used the opportunity to land a nip on her lower back as a form of mischievous retribution.

Feeling a light pressure go down her lower back, her ears flicked forward as her lips began to shift upwards into a low snarl. As much as she enjoyed playing games she still hadn't forgotten the reason she followed the shadow in the first place. Her stomach rumbled, and turning back in the direction of the brute she huffed "Enough." She grumbled now standing. 

She paced herself closer to the brute, exhaling briskly as she spoke again "Would you hap-" There we go again with the constant let down in her confidence. She rolled her eyes, meeting her yellow gaze back up towards the brute she muttered "I haven't had much luck you see-" facing back down towards her stomach she sighed, returning her gaze back to him.

And then it clicked. Of course she wanted something. They all do.

Maybe, a little sliver of him had hoped that this wouldn't be the case.

Normally he was never that big of a flirt, but it had been a long, long time since he'd had a bit of fun. It'd be nice to keep up their horseplay a tad longer. Though, he couldn't be sure if she'd reciprocate. This was probably an act she had perfected many times. 

If the mood was a car, the engine was dead. So, he turned the key.

I can't hear you. He replied, unable to keep the slightest, smug grin from tugging at the corner of his mouth.

She waited for him to finish processing and once he had spoken she overlooked it. However once a smug smirk had grown against the brutes lips she rolled her eyes. Maybe this wasn’t so easy after all.

She narrowed her gaze, smirking she licked her chops swiftly as she lifted herself to his level, speaking lowly into his ear “I could use a snack escargot.” she rolled her tongue across his snout gently.

Resting herself back down on her rump she tilted her head at him in question.

She was still insistent that he go provide something for her; an equivalent of take me to dinner first. He'd watched as she studied him, then planted a kiss on the bridge of his nose; a spoonful of sugar to mask the bitterness. It had barely evoked a reaction, his mind was elsewhere. 

He sighed, flicking an ear as he contemplated whether this would be worthwhile. 

What's in it for me. He asked, frowning.