Redhawk Caldera don't stop until your heart goes numb.

Not speaking to Elwood was both made very easy and frustrating by the fact that she hadn't actually seen him around lately. You can't actually talk to someone who isn't there, and though Fin was as stubborn as they came, she did worry that her resolve might be too quick to melt if her friend gave her one of those goobery looks he often had on his face. But what was the point of not speaking to someone if they weren't even around to realize they weren't being spoken to?

It was an annoying game, but one she was determined to keep playing after the way he'd up and left her at their last encounter. And also the way he'd so non-chalantly dismissed the idea of him possibly falling in love with her, for she'd had plenty of time by then to think on it and get offended by the whole thing. Everyone fell in love with her. Well, love wasn't quite the right word (except in Finn's case...). Emphatuation was more accurate. She was fun, witty, tough and frickin' adorable--a prize every man at some point had wondered whether or not they could obtain (she's a little delusional).

So what the crap was Elwood's problem?

A sudden yelp echoed out from the mouth of the beta female's den between the evergreens. A minute or so later, the woman emerged with a grumpy look upon her face, her tongue dancing in her mouth as she worried over the now throbbing spot where she'd accidently sunk her teeth into it while gnawing on a stick. She loped steadily across the snowy landscape until the reached the stream that trickled along not far from her home, which she lowered her muzzle towards to take a long draught of water. She wished some of the frigid liquid around in her mouth to let it graze over the cut on her tongue, wincing and inwardly cursing Elwood for being such an aggravating butt that she lost focus and injured herself. Because it was totally his fault. The butt.

<3 <3 <3

After talking with Peregrine, Elwood's head was swimming with thoughts of Finley. Not romantic thoughts, necessarily -- just thoughts in general. He spent a long time considering what his next action should be; specifically, whether or not he should seek her out. She hadn't tried to look for him, so he decided that it would be best to continue to keep distance between them for now. He convinced himself that it wouldn't be damaging to their friendship, and with a firm nod of his head, pushed Finley's image out of his mind.

Truthfully, his plan was not that feasible. Although Redhawk Caldera was a decent-sized territory, there were many places where their paths could cross. Elwood purposely avoided locations that he knew she frequented -- like the area near her den, or the little creek not far from it. Or, well, he had stayed away from those spots during the last week. Presently, he had become so preoccupied with his thoughts that he failed to pay attention to where his feet were carrying him.

Maybe they had a mind of their own -- maybe his feet were smarter than his head and his heart combined. Whatever the reason, Elwood found himself meandering alongside the very stream that he wished to evade. He didn't realize what he was doing until he heard the trickling of the water beneath the ice, and then it was too late. The mottled grey male stopped in his tracks, slowly lifting his gaze from the snow in front of him. Of course, the only wolf in the vicinity was Finley.

He cursed inwardly, though he tried to keep his expression neutral. He really had no idea how she would react to his presence, or, honestly, how he would behave either. There was no anger boiling in his stomach; just confusion. So he looked at her for a long moment, then gave her a small smile and a wave of his tail. "Are we okay?" he wanted to say, but he couldn't force the words to come out of his mouth. So he waited, anticipation catching in his throat; would she welcome him, or turn him away?

Stevie bought herself a nice big bottle of red wine for the weekend mmmmmm

As though her misplaced ire had summoned him there, Fin suddenly looked up to set her warm, mocha eyes upon the very wolf she'd just been thinking of. She felt her heart freeze for a moment as she caught sight of him, standing there and smiling at her as though everything were just dandy between them. Like he hadn't scorned her and unceremoniously abandoned her. Time clearly had a way of dramatizing the events of the past in Finley's mind, for their interaction that day truly hadn't been all that terrible. And yet...

Fin met his smile with a blank stare. She then leaned back down to continue drinking from the stream, even though by then she was actually quite hydrated. She had to do something to show that she wasn't speaking to him, though, and drinking way past the point of satisfying your thirst was a good option, right?

Yessss!

When she lifted her brown eyes to meet his, Elwood felt as though he had been frozen in place. He was caught in her gaze -- though it was more like a glare -- and he was helpless to remove himself. He blinked, his smile fading slightly as he waited for a reaction from Finley...something, anything. But she didn't say a word; just stared at him, then turned back to the water she had been drinking as though he wasn't even there.

It felt like a punch in the gut, and he thought that it was maybe worse than if she had started yelling at him. Was she really that mad at him? Hadn't she started this ordeal in the first place, by slapping him in the face? Did either of them even have the right to be angry at the other? Bitterness rose in his throat like bile, and he shifted his weight, contemplating his next move. His first instinct was to turn and leave, but he remained rooted to the spot.

He didn't like this, and though she was being stubborn, he could guess that she probably didn't enjoy it, either. Peregrine's words reverberated in his mind, reminding him that someone had hurt her in the past to cause her to build such a wall. Defense was her offense, and pushing her would only backfire. So finally, after a long few seconds of awkward silence, he took a tentative step towards her. "I'm sorry," he said; it was simple, but it was genuine, and he hoped she would accept it.

While Elwood stood there agonizing over her disregard of him, Finley too was in agony, but of a far, far different kind.

She was SOOOOO full of water.

She felt like her belly was about to burst from it all, like a water balloon that had been left on the hose too long by some over eager second grader with delusions of grandeur about beating the world record for biggest ever water balloon. Her body begged her to stop, but stubbornly she continued because... wtf was she supposed to do? Pick up her head and start cleaning her fur? And risk an accidental glance? In her quite obviously flawed logic, doing so would be a clear sign of weakness, and that was absolutely out of the question. So she was just gonna keep on drinking. Until she puked. That'd show him who was in control.

And then came he apology, which to the thunderous cheers of her gullet caused her to pause. She licked her lips as she lifted her head to peer very cautiously at him. There had been sincerity in those two little words, but Fin was still skeptical. She'd heard more convincing apologies from far less trustworthy men, but of course she w's forgetting the personal naivety factor which was vastly different between those two scenarios.

"What for?" Fin asked him after a moment, quirking a brow. If they weren't just empty words then Elwood would know exactly how to answer. And if they were... then Fin would get to perform one of her famous dramatic exits.

I got distracted like 5 times while writing this because Blake is watching Archer, lol.

She only stopped drinking once the words slipped out of his mouth, and he watched her carefully for a reaction. His gaze followed the slow and deliberate motion of her head as she looked up at him. Their eyes met once again, and then she spoke two more words, equally as loaded as his had been.

Elwood wasn't going to answer immediately. They were both calculating each other's moves carefully, as though executing a complicated dance. One misstep and it was all over; in his mind's eye, he could already picture Finley's face growing dark as a storm cloud as she turned on her heel and marched away in a huff. And all he had to do was say the wrong thing.

What kind of answer was she looking for? This whole situation had become so convoluted, so murky, that it was difficult to navigate. He was sorry...for leaving the cavern so abruptly, to begin with. He was sorry for avoiding her for the past few days. He was sorry for acting in a way that had caused her to put up her defenses in the first place. But how to articulate that in a way that Finley would accept? As close as they were, he still felt like it was impossible to understand her.

He took another small step towards her, then stopped. "I'm sorry...for the way I acted the other day," he said, searching her face. That encompassed everything: the closeness that had earned him a punch in the face, the hug, his reaction to her warning. But would she see what he was saying?

Sorry for the delay m'dear! <3

In truth, Fin was making this far more dramatic than it needed to be. And if anyone should have been sorry, it was probably the one that punched the other in the face, not the one who'd given the other a hug. Fin was the one who'd lost her damn mind about their closeness and had blurted out a warning that had only made things even more awkward between them. Sure, Elwood could have handled it with more grace, but dear god, look at the example he had to follow.

Unfortunately, if Fin was even remotely aware of these things, she would not have been Fin at all, and what fun would that be? "You mean for being a giant butt?" she offered with a frown. Her resolve to remain angry with him was already beginning to falter, but she clinged determinedly to what was left of it. At least until he owned up to being a butt.

I hope you're feeling better! <3

As soon as those words left Finley's mouth, Elwood knew that they were going to be just fine. Yes, she was still irritated with him, but there were a million worse things that she could have said. Calling him a butt was appropriate and Finley-esque, while also revealing that she wasn't totally serious.

He had to try hard to keep a smile from twitching at the corners of his lips, and swallowed in an attempt to relax the muscles in his face. Instead of chuckling like he wanted to, he hung his head and shuffled forward again, drawing even closer to Finley. He paused when there was about a wolf's length between them, leaving ample space for her reaction, whatever it would be. Elwood felt like he was walking a fine line; he wanted to ham it up, to give an over-exaggerated apology, but he knew that would make it seem less genuine and would likely just tick her off even more.

So he replied, "Yes. I'm sorry for being a giant butt." He didn't stop to think about how backwards the situation was, and maybe that made him a fool, but in the scheme of things that didn't matter. He snuck a glance at Finley, trying to read her expression as he waited for a response.

no more fever! Just constantly hacking up bits of lung, but I hear those aren't as important as doctors try to make them seem o:

Fin kept a watchful eye on Elwood, gauging his reaction to her words. Though his expression remained morose and he bowed his head seemingly in humble regret, she still had some doubts. There had been a moment, albeit it brief, where she'd thought she'd spotted a different emotion upon his face. It could easily have been amusement at the accusation that he was a butt - in retrospect, that probably wasn't the best word to use if she wanted to mask her fading anger. At the same time, it could have been a flicker of anger with her for continuing to push the issue.

Finley began to nibble gently on her bottom lip as he took a few more steps towards her, preparing herself to meet his anger if that was indeed how this conversation was doomed to proceed. But when Elwood spoke, there wasn't a hint of derision in his tone that suggested he was anything but what he seemed, and that was truly sorry for being a butt. Fin felt a teeny tiny smile crack upon her muzzle as relief swept over her. Relief and a bot of giddiness over the sudden thought of I get my Twig back!

"A giant, fuzzy, goober butt," Fin persisted, this time the mildest touch of humor glimmering on her voice. The smile that only seconds before she'd tried to stifle had won the battle and now rested happily upon her muzzle, though her eyes remained narrow, now in mischief instead of irritation.

Nah, who needs those? :)

Relief washed over Elwood as Finley proclaimed him a giant, fuzzy, goober butt. Sure, she was still calling him names, but they were slowly returning to the playfulness that was standard between them. His tail wavered ever so slightly behind him as he lifted his chin, finally meeting her gaze full-on with no hesitation.

"I can own up to that," he admitted with a shrug. Although Finley had been the one who started it all, he had finished it by reacting immaturely -- and there was no getting past the fact that he had been actively choosing to be a butt by storming off so abruptly. They had likely been equally upset at each other -- for reasons that they individually thought were valid but were in reality just silly -- but it seemed that enough time had passed to allow them to forgive...though nothing would be forgotten.

He wanted to slip back into their easy banter, teasingly ask if she had missed him, but he refrained for now. He was letting her call the shots, and her actions and reactions would determine how their interaction proceeded.

Any resolve she'd had to remain cold towards him was gone by the time he lifted his eyes to her once again. His apology was as honest as they came, and as much as Fin's "better" sense warned her against filly letting her guard down, there was something about his infuriatingly charming nature that was impossible to resist. Even though he was totally a butt. I think I'm having too much fun calling him that.

"Fox is full of babies!" Fin blurted suddenly, as though their last encounter had ended just before she'd punched Elwood in the face and were starting up right then. Her ears fell back as her haze softened, her tail wagging furiously. "She showed me her boobies," Fin added with a little giggle. It was totally not weird.

And there it was -- the last of the Finley-wall came crashing down. Suddenly, she was smiling and laughing, and her tail was wagging. It was like the last week had been erased as she excitedly gushed about Fox's pregnancy. There were still questions in Elwood's mind, and he was no less confused than he ever had been regarding Finley, but he followed her lead and relaxed.

"I heard!" he replied, the swishing of his tail matching Finley's. Peregrine had been the one to tell him, though talk of Fox's breasts had been minimal. (The Alpha had mentioned them, but Elwood had avoided elaborating on the subject.) "How do you feel, godmother?" he asked with a smile, knowing that she was anticipating the arrival of the firebirds nearly as much as the parents-to-be.

Disappointment flickered briefly in the beta's gut as Elwood announced that he'd already heard the news. Though it wasn't her news to share, she did still enjoy that moment of glory at revealing exciting updates to others. The moment swiftly passed as her friend called her godmother and a swirl of butterflies took flight in her belly. The idea of actually raising puppies and doing all of the gross things mothers would required to do still thoroughly freaked her out, but with the pups still being nothing more than adorable little daydreams just waiting to become reality, the prospect didn't seem overly intimidating. Yet.

"Happy happy," Fin answered with a grin, "They're gonna be so tiny and cute and squishy.. I just picture them being little midget Foxes and Peregrines, though I'm sure they'll look a bit different at least." Her tail continued to wag at the thought. It would be just like the end of Lady and the Tramp where all of their kids turned out to be tiny versions of their parents.

And then very suddenly, her demeanor changed completely as she deadpanned and shot Elwood an intense stare. "So how're we going to kill off Fox and Peregrine once they're born so that I can be their mom?" She wasn't serious really, but one wouldn't have known that by looking at her.

The thought of miniature Foxes and Peregrines was exciting and worrisome at the same time. They would likely resemble their parents at least somewhat in appearance, and there was no doubt in Elwood's mind that they would be spunky, rambunctious, and outgoing. Even if, for some reason, the Alphas' personalities didn't rub off on the little tykes, they would have their crazy godmother to learn from.

"I can't wait to meet them," he agreed, although he knew that he probably would have to wait until he was given permission by Fox to visit the pups. The new mother was bound to be territorial -- even more than usual, if possible! -- and would be protective of her babes for the foreseeable future. But as soon as he could, he would make himself a presence in the firebirds' lives.

Fin then dropped her voice to a conspiratorial tone and asked how they were going to do away with the Alphas. Elwood chuckled, lifting a paw to rub thoughtfully at his chin. "Well, we can always drown them in the lake. Or push them off the top of the mountain," he said; Lake Rodney would be large enough to hide their remains, and while shoving them down the slopes would be satisfying, it perhaps wasn't their most practical option.

"I like the way your mind works, Twig," Fin replied with a nod, "Maybe we should do both, just for posterity. Like, push them off of the top of the mountain into the lake. And then drop a boulder on them. And set them on fire." She began to nibble thoughtfully on her bottom lip, imagining the scene playing out simply for amusement.

Another idea struck her suddenly, and she quickly voiced it to her cohort. "We'll have to pin it on someone else," she commented, "I'm thinking Ashton. Or maybe we can frame the Plateau and start a war! Oh my goodness how fun would that be!" All at once, her serious facade fell away as her eyes lit up with excitement at the prospect of going to war. Of course, if such a thing actually happened, she wouldn't be at all pleased. The Plateau was her home once and the wolves who lived there still were her friends. It would be fun to have a play play war with them, but not an angry kill everybody one.

She was pleased with his suggestions, though she was quick to elaborate on them. Why choose one method of murder when they could have multiple? "They'll never know what hit 'em," Elwood agreed with a bob of his head. Peregrine and Fox would be beyond dead if Finley actually followed through with her plans -- but luckily, they would (hopefully!) never come to fruition.

The next suggestion was to blame someone else. It was an excellent idea; they had to have a scapegoat to make sure that their packmates didn't try to pin it on the Beta pair. If they pointed their fingers (toes?) at another wolf, it would keep the two of them out of the suspicious spotlight. Finley suggested Ashton, and Elwood pursed his lips thoughtfully.

"I dunno, what would Ashton's motive be? It's gotta be believable," he said, thinking that Ashton was way too laid back to ever carry out such an intricate plan. "But the plateau...I could see that working," he added, surprised at how quickly Finley threw her former pack under the bus.

Fin took a moment to ponder Elwood's comment. She supposed that Ashton wouldn't really have much of a motive to knock off the alphas... I mean, did he really do anything at all? He was barely even capable of holding thoughts in his head. But maybe that was the key/... "I dunno, does he even need a motive?" Fin asked with a cant of her head, "I mean, he doesn't even know where he is half the time, does he? We could probably trick him into believing he actually did do it with hardly any effort." She... really didn't have a lot of esteem in Ashton's intelligence. Sure he was good with his herbs, which would suggest genius, but.... Come on, have you talked to him?

Elwood seemed much more keen on the Plateau idea, even though Fin saw that as easily the more flawed plan. It was clear that he didn't know the pack as well as Finley did, for she knew very well that the only wolf there who'd cause anyone any harm was actually Peregrine's two daughters. Otherwise, they were all a bunch of positive, happy, friendly ninnies who solved problems with hugs (her memory was clearly beginning to hyperbolize a few things). "Yes, yes..." she said with a devious grin, "We'll blame the Plateau, and then while everyone is waging war against them, we can run off with the babies and raise them far, far away where no one will ever be able to interrupt all the cuddles..."

The plan was so brilliant, she hadn't even noticed the immense mistake she'd just made by suggesting that she wouldn't be the only one to make off with the kiddos to commence eternal cuddletime...

Finley raised a good point -- perhaps it was Ashton's demeanor and attitude about life that would make him the perfect culprit. Elwood didn't think he would be quite so easy to fool, however; Finley wasn't giving him much credit. The medic was a pretty clever guy, he just had an interesting perspective and way of speaking and acting.

She dismissed that idea quickly, though, instead latching on to the thought of blaming the plateau wolves. That would, indeed, provide the most distraction, which is what they would need in order to escape with the firebirds in tow. And then they would run away together and live happily ever after!

The implications of her phrasing -- that they would raise the pups together -- did not dawn on Elwood; he was helping her plan this whole ordeal, wasn't he? So he expected that he would be there with her, though he didn't realize that if she took the role of "mom," that only left one other position for him. His only reaction was to clap her on the shoulder with a paw and proclaim exuberantly, "You're brilliant, you know that?"

Fin felt that familiar jolt of electricity when Elwood place a paw upon her shoulder. His enthusiasm made her laugh, and so she didn't pay those other feelings all too much mind. Plus, she was kind of getting used to it...

She lifted a paw of her own and batted lightly at Elwood's nose, her own lips curled into a little grin. "Yeah, I do know that," she replied confidently with a shrug of her shoulders. It suddenly occurred to her that their conversation was likely at an end, and with no where else to go, she suddenly lunged at her friend in an attempt to knock him over.

He laughed as she responded confidently, as if he had said something that she was well aware of. They then lapsed into a short, comfortable silence, in which Elwood's mind had just enough time to roam...

He was glad that they were okay -- he didn't want to jeopardize their friendship. But how long could that go on? Everyone else seemed to think that they would make a good pair, but it was obvious that Finley would not allow herself to be pushed in that direction. So what were they supposed to do with the feelings that they both seemed to have? Just squash them?

His train of thought was thankfully ended when Finley suddenly pounced at him, knocking him to the ground to start one of their classic wrestling matches. He laughed, batting at her with his paws as they tumbled through the snow.

Fin succeeded in her tackle, Elwood easily falling to the ground under her weight. She laughed as they fell - a laugh that turned into a playful growl as he began to bat at her. She nipped gently as his paws danced by her face, though she never actually landed a bite. After a moment of snapping at the air, she bounced off of him and ran around him, spinning suddenly so that when she began to dig, the snow that she up heaved with her paws went shooting behind her and subsequently all over Elwood.

This felt familiar -- almost too familiar. As they toppled to the ground together, their limbs tangled, Elwood remembered all the other times they had wrestled with one another; especially the most recent. Though he was happy to be entwined with Finley once more, something inside him told him to be careful. He prepared himself to push her off, but she extracted herself on her own and bounded away.

He propped himself up on an elbow, pursuing her with his gaze, and was soon met with a pile of snow to the face. She was kicking it at him, an endless stream of powder that kept plopping against his muzzle and cheeks. He laughed, rolling onto his back again and letting his legs flail in the air. "I raise the white flag! You win!" he called, hoping to entice her to come closer.

It didn't take long for Elwood to give up and admit defeat. It rarely did, which probably should have said something to Fin, but instead it just reaffirmed her belief that she was more awesome than him. Deciding to be nice (after continuing to shovel snow at him for a few more minutes), she ended her attack and bounced around to face her, him tail wagging happily all the while.

She stood smirking at him for a few seconds, then leaned in, reaching to poke her nose ever so gently against his. It was a silly, insignificant little movement, but it was starting to become a rather routine gesture between the two of them. There was a meaning to it, though neither had defined what that actually was. At least Fin hadn't, but that shouldn't be a surprise at all by now considering just how ridiculously often she acted without thinking.

The new thread you posted tonight -- is the title from "Ghost" by Ella Henderson? If so...YOU ROCK I love that song <3 If not...well just ignore me, hahah.

Just as Elwood had hoped, Finley closed the gap between them. She looked triumphant, and he stuck his tongue out at her as she hovered over him with a pleased smirk on her face. He lifted one forepaw, preparing to bat at her face with it, when she suddenly leaned down and tapped her nose gently against his.

It was a gesture that wasn't unfamiliar, but Elwood felt a little spark as she touched him. Whether she realized it or not, she was sending mixed signals, and he felt as though he was lost at sea and being pummeled by the waves. Every time he thought he had his head above water, his world was turned upside down again. Was she just his friend? Or...

He wasn't quite sure how to react -- part of him wanted to push her away playfully and continue with the wrestling, while the other part wanted to throw her own words back in her face and tell her not to fall in love with him. But instead, he didn't react at all; he just looked up at her with wide yellow eyes.

Lol it took three words for you to recognize it? Clearly you do like it! I LIKE IT TOO!

Wanna wrap up soon and has another cause I can't just like NOT have a Finwood thread happening every second of my life? :D

Fin had no idea the struggle she was putting her friend through at that moment with her antics. She saw his lack of movement in response to her nose poke simply as paranoia as to what she was about to do next. She missed the flurry of emotion in his eyes or upon his face, just as she had missed the real motivation behind his reaction to her warning that night in the underground ballroom.

With a nudge to his muzzle, Fin lifted her head and looked off at the distance slopes. She was feeling playful now and as much as she liked pestering Elwood, she was also feeling rather peckish. "You wanna go chase birds by the lake? she asked suddenly, turning her attention back to her friend, "Maybe murder a couple and feast upon their flesh?"