The ebony man's fur stood on end ass he rushed through the high grass, heavy panting falling from his open jowls as he pushed himself forwards. Around him, the light was swiftly dying, the brilliant colors of autumn, already dimmed by the dark clouds covering the sun, turning grey; as, somewhere behind the slate cover, the day star sank beyond the horizon. The dark wolf grunted, continuing forwards at a flying trot, as if he could chase the very sun and keep the light.

There was a distinct chill in the air, not nearly enough to battle the black canine's thick fur, but enough to make him reevaluate his previous dawdling on this mission. If he hadn't been so set on exploring, but rather stuck to the plan at hand, he would have been long done and back home by now. But instead, he had stalled, spend way too much time following pointless trails and adventuring in the forest; and what had it gotten him? Nothing but countless days out in the rain, and nights without much cover. But now, as he had finished his task, the reality had caught up with him, he needed to get home.

And as if the growing cold wasn't enough, over the day, the rain had turned to snow, falling light, but steady around his frame, further reminding the aspiring scout of the changing seasons and inspiring in him a fear that he could end up separated from his home, caught in a winter as furious as the last. It was irrational, and he knew as much, but none the less, he was itching to get back over the mountains and home to his pack. And it wasn't only for the fear of ending up alone and hungry again, he was homesick! Oak Tree Bend had become a steady thing in his life, one he cherished and wanted to protect; there he had found a family like he never thought he would have, and he missed it.

So, with all these incentives, Drestig Avalon was raring to get to Fireweed Rise, where he would - Hopefully - meet up with @Jessie, and journey home. This was why he was chasing the light tonight, hoping frantically to reach his goal before needing to stop for the night. But his hope was fading as fast as the sunlight; he was tired and his legs were drenched from waiting through the wet grass and falling sleet. The snow had cleared up for now, but it was only a small comfort, the sun was gone and with the heavy cloud cover there was little hope for moonlight. Besides, the black wolf was worn from a whole day of trotting, his wet paws aching for a chance to rest and dry off.

With a sigh, Drestig finally slowed, admitting sullenly to himself that it was time to find a place to rest for the night. Now the question was just where. He looked around with a frown, gaze drifting over the shadows to try and find a suitable burrow; Now this manic race is coming back to bite me..! The darkness was making his search extra difficult, but with a low growl he started moving again, slower now, eyes searching for shelter for the night.

Word Count: 546

The swarthy man was moving with his back to the wind - normally he would never have but himself in such a vulnerable position, but he was still set on only moving towards Fireweed Rise - so he didn't smell her approach and was rather startled by the sudden shout. Mind focused on what lay ahead, he had failed to hear her steps, soft as they were in the light snow cover. Now he spun around to face the caller, muscles tense, ears perked, bright eyes squinting in the low light.

She appeared out of the darkness like the shadow she was named after, strong legs carrying her towards him at high speed, and his eyes instantly recognized her where his ears had not; "Silver!" A baffled, breathy laugh escaped the ebony lad as his old friend stopped before him, bumping his shoulder in greeting. Of anyone he could have run into tonight, he certainly never imagined her; suddenly their first meeting on the mountain seemed only a few days ago.

Silver seemed similarly stunned by their meeting, her emotional whisper making the boy tilt his head slightly, studying her closely with thoughtful eyes. "I've missed you too..." He muttered in an equally low voice, fiery eyes searching to meet her goldens, as he wondered just what might have happened to her over the past year.

Her question made him straighten up a little, his thoughts making him answer quickly, eager to assure her that he was no longer a loner; "I'm not alone!" Just as the words fell, he realized how ridiculous they sounded, and a smile curved his lips, turning crooked as he swiftly moved to cover up the slip, a mischievous glint in his eyes; "You're here." Raising an eyebrow, he waved his tail high behind him, trying to keep from laughing.

Just then, a gust of wind blew through his black fur and he shivered a little; "Now that you mention the cold though..." Standing still, the low temperature was beginning to get to him, his wet legs trembling as the cold penetrated them. Smiling sheepishly, he curled his tail along his side and puffed out his fur. While he wondered what to say next, a single, fluffy snowflake slowly drifted down and landed on his muzzle, it's cold spreading through his nose as it began to melt. Snorting, he shook his head to get rid of the freezing sensation, a couple of coughs shaking his chest. When he steadied himself again, he shot Silver a grin and then looked around, trying to decipher the shadows; snow had indeed started falling again, the white flakes appearing grey in the night. "Maybe we could find somewhere more... cozy?" He suggested, looking back to the ebony woman. That easy grin was still on his face, but while he waited for her answer, anther shiver ran through him; It really IS getting cold!

Word Count: 484

Her laughter was an absolute delight, the bubbly sound wrapping around him, making his ears twitch merrily; there was no scorn in it, only humor, and the dark lad was pleased to have amused her. When her golden gaze found his burning eyes, he felt a warmth spreading through him, battling the cold wind. He looked back steadily, raising his eyebrows slightly as their eye contact stretched on; This is... Interesting. He couldn't quite pinpoint the feelings stirring within him - other than simple joy of seeing her again - there was warmth, and eagerness; he wanted to hear what she had been up to for the last year, had she found a new home as well? And, other things...

She released his eyes to offer a small nod in answer to his query, a light drizzle of snowflakes falling from her black fur at the movement, and another shiver ran over him; Good. A warm dry space would be a nice change. Then she stood, and he thought she would start moving towards the nearest cover, but instead she walked close to him, trailing along his body with slow, gracious movements. His eyes followed her intently, one brow slightly cocked, and his tail swayed avidly at the sight. When she stopped, he watched her intently, a small smirk curving his lips, eyes aglow with both pleasure and excitement, and no small amount of surprise; he might have expected this behavior in spring, when instinct and hormones pushed the opposite genders towards one another, but now, with winter rearing its head - quite literally - wolves were much less likely to act on these kinds of impulses.

Just as astonishing was his own reaction to her flirtation - he could still remember the pressure he had felt last spring, and he had no doubt that if they'd run into one another then, he would have found it very hard, if not impossible, to resist her - even now, without the push of instinct, the ebony man felt a rush watching her smooth movements, and when she spoke, her soft, warm voice sent waves of heat running through him. He didn't follow the dark woman's gaze when she turned it down, but rather kept his fiery orbs strained on her, trailing along her lean profile, pausing at every point where their bodies touched, black fur intertwining to almost completely hide the transition between their two forms. Behind them, their tails lightly thumped into each other as they wagged, creating yet more sparks of chemistry each time they touched.

When she touched his cheek, he turned back to her, tilting his head to listen. Her breath against his fur sent another tickle of warmth through him, and when she pulled away, he smiled suggestively. "Lead the way." He answered in a low, slightly husky voice, standing back while she took the first few steps. Once again, his eyes trailed her, appreciating the way her hips swayed as she moved. He should have liked to keep this distance, studying her as she walked through the wet grass, but in the end he fought the temptation, sighing lightly before trotting up to walk by her side. The darkness wrapped tight around them as they walked, only the white of the growing snowflakes breaking its blackness. After a few paces in silence, Drestig began looking around them, trying to discern any shadows against the darkness, but all he saw was the snow. Turning to Silver, he asked lowly, voice still warm; "So... You live out here?" He hoped she had found a family, like him, but he had no doubt she would be able to make it on her own; I just hope she isn't lonely...

Word Count: 621

He presence was almost intoxicating. The warmth radiating off her, drawing him in like a powerful spell. His glowing eyes rested on her every move, his ears turned to her with full interest; really it was a wonder he didn't trip over his own legs as he trotted along beside her. It was still so strange to him that they should have bumped into each other out here, so far from where they had last met, both physically and mentally; a lot had happened to him in the last year, and he had no doubt that it was the same for her. But she still had that magnetizing effect that had drawn him to her that day on the mountain, that burning charisma that made the blood rush through his veins.

Her rich voice rang sweetly through the night, making his tail flick in delight; the words almost didn't matter, yet he made sure to pay close attention to them. His reply was a simple nod in understanding, orange gaze seeking to meet hers as he wondered what exactly her comment meant; So she is on her own..? He considered asking a clarifying question, but his thoughts were halted by her touch. It was the faintest brush of fur against fur, yet it sent fire rushing through him, and he was quick to reciprocate by moving closer, brushing his flank against hers as they walked.

After the promised short walk, they came to a stop before a small opening in the ground, its dark depths looking very inviting in the growing cold; even with Silver's warmth by his side, the black man was starting to feel the chill rather severely. She delivered a remark about the den's light size with a smile that was in no way apologetic, and Drestig grinned back, raising one eyebrow as way of answer; This night is shaping up to be MUCH better than I thought it would! He mused with a smile as the ebony dame made her way through the shallow entrance; his fiery eyes watching her backside appreciatively.

Then came his turn, and he quickly slithered into the burrow, instantly feeling the relief of its dry shelter. Silver was right, the space was not plenty, but the dark lad was simply happy to be out of the increasing snowfall, and in truth, he did not mind an excuse to press up close against the golden eyed woman. As he settled in, her voice sounded again, resonating against the walls with a whole different sound to out in the snow; But equally pleasing.

He finished making himself comfortable, laying himself beside her so that his back was to the entrance and his body protectively between it and her, then he smiled mischievously at her; "Yeah, two or three..." He answered her question about partnerships jokingly, not missing the light strain in her tone. Then he met her eyes, expression growing earnest as he spoke the truth; "Well, home, yes. I joined Oak Tree Bend," At the mention of the name he lifted an eyebrow enquiringly, wondering if she'd heard of the pack; "Triell, who leads there, has become a close friend of mine. A good leader despite his youth..." At this he grinned, remembering how he had so dreaded having to grovel before another, only to be confronted with a much younger wolf, and yet, @Triell had proved to be an admirable man.

"As for a role," He continued, eyes drifting lazily along the line of her curled back, mouth now curled in a light, toothless smile; "I'm working on that." His tail flicked lightly, eyes coming to rest on her round hips, pleased smile growing a tad. "In regards to woman," He finally admitted, after a short pause, half closed eyes moving to meet hers again; "I've had no such luck." The words rung lowly in his light tenor, a hint of passionate hoarseness in its tone. His tail waved to brush against hers, a paw moving, seemingly unintentionally, to lie over hers. He let a few silent moments pass, looking into her gorgeous, golden eyes, then he asked; "What about you?" His ears, already turned to focus only on her, twitched in interest, eager to hear both her beautiful voice, and her story.

Word Count: 712

He enjoyed the silence that stretched while she thought over his questions, though he longed even more to hear her smooth voice once again. While he waited, his eyes continued their lazy study of her body, moving from her curves to her shoulders, their clear strength serving to add to her beauty in his eyes, where others might find them too masculine. When she spoke, her tone soft, her tore his eyes away from her body, and was rewarded with a charming smile when they fell on her face. Her words themselves made his brows rise; The caverns. He nodded as she gestured in the general direction, smiling warmly as his flaming gaze sought to meet her golden.

He held his tongue, choosing to save his answers till she was through all three questions, though her next addition made his eyes widen; Scout?! She was smiling mischievously, and the expression send warm trembles down his spine. He couldn't hold back a grin at her confidence, a breathy; "Ha!" Escaping his lips; She should meet Jessie! The idea was both exhilarating and a little frightening, the two strong women standing against each other; though, maybe the ebony lady could knock his colorless travel companion down a few notches. Personally, the Avalon had no doubt Silver mastered her craft to perfection, and if it came to a competition, she would beat Jessie easily!

Shaking his ears, the dark man forced his 'superior' from his mind, not wanting her to spoil this moment, that was otherwise so enjoyable. Silver had moved on to the query about partners, and suddenly Drestig felt his shoulders subconsciously stiffen, ears perked at her words. It pleased him to hear that she was not claimed; Or has anyone claimed, rather! No one took possession of Silver, that was one of the things he liked about her. But her dismissive words made him frown slightly, though he wasn't sure why; her situation was similar to his own after all, duty to her pack at the forefront of her mind. Still, he felt a need to convince her, that relationships wasn't impossible in their position; Even though I've never really thought of that before...

He had turned his eyes away from her in thought, gazing out into the night with furrowed brows. Finally he started, voice more solemn that before; "Whisper Caverns you say? I just came from there," He attempted a lighthearted smile, turning his eyes back to her, but it didn't quite feel genuine. Still, he pressed on; "You serve under Narimé then? Quite a... Special lady." Now, a little mischievous light had found its way into his eyes, tone more enthusiastic as he continued: "I almost lost an ear to her chatter. You see I came to her as an emissary from my pack, my first mission as a scout in training!" Now he was grinning, tail thumping lightly against the dirt at their hind feet. This was quite a coincidence, that they should both aspire for the same role; Or maybe it is not so strange... Could it be that this lust for travel was part of what drew them to each other?

Feeling suddenly embarrassed, the Avalon turned his eyes back to the outside, a few stars just visible in the sky, twinkling down at the wolves in their cozy den. After a short silence, he sighed lightly, then spoke again, voice now low and thoughtful, fiery eyes still turned to the night; "You know, I don't think travelling makes it impossible to have a mate... Who says a partner has to tie you down?" He turned to look at her then, the light in his eyes now low and intense, like dying embers in the darkness; "Say, two scouts for example, maybe even from different packs... Well, who's to say they couldn't find time in their travels to meet up now and then, spend some time together...?" He felt heat burn under his dark furred cheeks, but he didn't avert his gaze, instead locking eyes with her, drowning his fading fire in their lakes of evening sunlight; I would like to spend some more time with you, Silver Shadow...

Word Count: 695