Thunder roared and cracked all around Eirian as his creamy limbs traversed the white painted landscape of the hidden grotto, muscles hardly flinching when the angry sounds of the approaching storm above echoed loudly in his eardrums. Each strike of his pads almost challenged the power of the oncoming storm, tufts of fur tugged in different directions each time a breeze hailed the latest news in regards to the blizzards advancement. There was no denying the energy sizzling in the air like a live wire, a whisper on the wailing winds promising something was coming and not just the storm. The Asurn male could feel it coursing through his veins since the golden crown came to rest upon his delicate brows. A change was indeed coming.

Citrus orbs surveyed the darkening sky above as the thickness within the clouds increased, a warning to the world below to seek shelter before its wrath was unleashed in the form of pelting snow and freezing winds. But Eirian was not afraid, no, if anything he was curious about a strange scent that had suddenly blemished the previously untainted air during his stroll away from the pack. A muffled word tickling the inner workings of his ears. Determination to find their maker was the culprit for his limbs altering themselves away from the looped path towards home, the snow easily plowed through by muscled legs to forge a new path altogether. Curiosity would be the death of him one day, but not today.

An out of place smudge moving against the paler backdrop soon caught the reigning male's attention, a rough chuff warranted across the distance to alert this stranger to his looming presence before continuing onward to close the gap, body tensed in preparation for however this encounter may go as another crack of thunder rumbled the dark grey washed sky above. Gradually the dark blur began to sharpen into more detectable features. First a tail, four limbs and a head then the general layout of ginger undertone guard hairs layered beneath hairs as dark as the night itself with hints of silver came into view, the tainted perfume from before all but burning his nostrils now. All clear signs he was dealing with another one of them. Great.

Motion all but halted when a reasonable distance was acquired, lids narrowing to study the wolf before him no doubt searching for a place to wait out the storm. "You won't find shelter in these parts of the grotto." His voice lashed out matter-o-factually, audits erect upon the top of his tawny skull as his tangerine irises continuing their scrutiny of the dark coated beast. Winter had already caused its destruction to these parts of the grotto, ripping what vegetation there was off the very branches that grew them until only skeletal shells of former bushes and exposed boulders remained. There was no safety to be found here.

Within seconds of his voice gracing the air Eirian's darker orange optics were met by lighter pair almost peachy in coloration, but the stare was short lived. As their paler complexion roamed the features of his embodiment; no doubt taking in the extra pounds he obviously had on her despite their height being nearly parallel, his own remained glued to the dark mask, a rust tinged ear flicking toward the side when the abomination spoke accented words. How could a goat be frightened of the terrain they are supreme on? It took a solid breath to prevent the derogative snort from becoming verbal. Idiot.

The tawny wolf paid no mind to the roaring thunder as it echoed overhead once more, this time close enough to lightly shimmy the very ground beneath their paws. Eirian watched closely as the female stole a glance toward the dangerous skies momentarily before all attention returned properly to him, a smirk daring to twitch the corner of his leathery lips at her request. Gradually his limbs set into motion to slowly circle the swarthy vixen in a wide arch, citrus optics trained on her every fiber for the slightest muscle spasm. "I could.." He began, voice holding that honeyed tone that so easily fooled wolves in his past, mirroring that playful glint within her peachy depths he had surely discovered upon passing in front of her. "But what beneficial gain could there possibly be by me helping you?"

Eirian was no fool and his nose had picked up on the intertwined scents of others upon her fur as he circled like a vulture, had inhaled that sweet aroma of dominance heavily embedded in each strand of hair her little body owned. This was no ordinary woman cast out into the world as a simple loner and damn his curiosity for wanting to know more. 

The swarthy woman held her ground with ease as the vulture like brute circled her slender frame, a smirk of his own beginning to appear upon those white furred lips of his noticing the subtle movements to incline her body into a protective stance should he dare wish to attack this stranger. In all honesty he could make a move to attack the wolf at his paws, ending this little game of charades, but what fun was there to be had in that? Citrus irises indulged in the sly smile and alluring half closed lids while russet audits adsorbed the uttered velvety words attempting to entice Eirian with extra warmth until the weather became clear enough to travel again. Him saddling up with the likes of her? The Asurn brute wanted to snort, but his creamy mask remained unobstructed from allowing such thoughts to reveal themselves.

"And a name?" she soon came to later add, warranting the pacing male to halt in his tracks leaving the duo of wolves to be facing head on. The subtle smirk upon his lips soon began to grow in size, tail lashing curiously near his spine while he contemplated such a proposal. Yes, the thought of sharing anything with this peachy woman legitimately made his stomach want to hack up his morning breakfast, but the prospect of possibly having a pawn at his disposal by merely denning with an abomination for the time being seemed to outweigh the negative and with the plans he had in mind, Eirian could use all the pawns he could acquire. It was time he played his part now as another crack of thunder echoed overhead, the first spits of sleet haroling the coming of the snow sprinkling the ground below.

"I know a secluded spot that would suit our needs, Ms?" The end of his statement left with the hint of question for her to answer with whichever name she provided as creamy limbs angled themselves to head for a small cave nestled within the craggy boulders on the horizon the Pines wolf had stumbled across during his frequent excursions outside the intangible borders. It would keep them safe from the storm, but whether it kept them safe from each other was another matter entirely.

The pace was set at an easy lope under his paws, no sense of urgent rush by his creamy limbs as citrus orbs guesstimated just how long they had before the storm truly kicked in to render them stranded within the confines of his secluded cave until it subdued enough to part ways safely. A gentle shake of his own freeing the hitchhiking flurries that dusted his dark agouti and russet pelt once some cover was obtained. Silence had enveloped the distance between them, the heavier male silently thankful for the temporary space she offered now knowing he would be forced to share tight knit quarters soon enough.

A russet tinged audit upon his left side pivoted toward the swarthy female when her voice managed to register over the whipping winds, finally answering his lingering question with a name. Miss Morganna Archer tucked neatly into his vault of names. The hint of a smirk played at the corner of his lips noting the emphasized Miss part, an indication that the woman beside him was of the unclaimed variety. Powerful and unclaimed? There were countless possibilities with this one if Eirian could manage to play his cards right.

Gradually the crags that surrounded them grew more abundant, a cluster of various sized boulders in the near distance marking the entrance to the cave. "It's nothing grand, Miss Morganna, but it'll serve its purpose." He confirmed, pausing once ivory paws reached the slated thresh hold to bob his skull in a formal invitation to enter before him. "Ladies first."