Thicket of Secrets skin of the night

The sun skirted the western reaches of the horizon, twilight approaching to bathe the thicket in hues of violet and blue. The silver and cream wolf loped around the edges of the Woodlands, knowing as it's new leader he would need to acquaint himself with the place. An odd thought, and a sudden change in position but Koda tried his best to take it all in stride, or else risk becoming wholly overwhelmed by it all. The weather was warming bit by bit, losing some of the sting it had maintained through the heart of winter. Though the air was still cool and crisp against his face, the blood in his veins felt rushing and warm, his jaunt through the territory serving to release some of that energy.

Nearly had Koda completed his loop of the perimeter did he come upon the recent tracks of his mate. Her scent, made more alluring by the season, graced the path she had taken, though he could not tell if it was that or the bitter tinge of fear he could detect that made his heart race a beat faster. Before he realized it, his limbs were already sprinting after her trail, a memory turned instinct pulling him to be at the side of his love. Thoughts turned to blood, hers, that had been spattered against the soil of a red-flowered Rise.

By some miracle the forest had not tripped him at his frenzied pace. He could see her up ahead through the tangled snags, gold outlined in a halo of silver moonlight.

"Nina!" Koda's deep shout carried easily on the still night air and his paws took him swiftly to her side. His eyes traced over her side, a sigh mixed in with his huffed breaths. He winced through the burn in his lungs and the ache that spurred forth along the back of his head. He couldn't think of what had scared him so, but certainly of more importance was what had Nina afraid now. He reached for her, to nudge his nose into the fur of her cheek, as if to check if she were truly here and whole. "Nina, my love," He breathed, "What has you troubled so?"

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

Note that this is after the large meeting. So I'm not going to include much of that in here. <33

Time had passed quickly in the thickets, but still, the utter familiar woodlands around her made her feel more at home than the springs and mountains ever had. Perhaps its was the feeling of not being bare all the time that comforted her, just so long as the vegetation around her did not die down, which was another reason she had chosen the dense area. Not many problems had come with choosing this territory, besides the occasional thorns and tuffs of fur missing. They would all learn in time though, as the thickets also gave them protection. They could all learn to use the territory to their advantage. She did not know why, though it probably had something to do with how much distaste she held for the mountains…was the reason she loved the earthly area so.

Though, their problems had first started when the loner, Anne, had come near their borders seeking entrance, only to be turned away repeatedly by Nina, knowing that the illness she had possessed would soon kill her, and anyone else who came into contact with the pour soul. It caused Nina not to only worry for herself, but it also made her fear for the rest of her family, who were hopefully tucked into their dens now that the sun had fallen for the day, only to be reborn in the morning. The only ones that were expected to be up were the members who were required to watch the area at night, though she was sure they had worked it out for different wolves each night. It still meant they would be within the borders though, and for that, Nina was thankful.

She, however, would not be within the borders tonight. Se had slowly traveled outside of the borders, her head lifting towards the sky, quietly evaluating the stars above all of their heads. Was Fantasie and Feuer up there? The two deceased siblings of hers had always been the guardians out of the group, watching over her and Audrey… Biting back a soft growl she looked away from the glimmering balls of light, a small snort escaping her muzzle. She had not come out of her boundaries to dwell in her own self problems, she had come to think about the over all pack. Now that Sloane had left to go seek out Narime’ for their pack, Koda had stepped up to take his place as leader by her side. The only problem being, Nina doubting her actions now and keeping a close eye on the rest of her pack mates. It had finally come to the point where she too had needed to take a breather.

The distressed voice of Koda caused her head to instinctively snap in the direction that it had come from, her emerald eye glimmering with worry. Her golden body turned in the direction of his rustling and when he came to a stop in front of her, she quickly evaluated him for any injuries and scolded him quietly, "You should not be running so quickly yet. You could have fallen and hit your head." She almost did not have time to finish her statement before he too began speaking. The concerned question in his voice stirring a confusing thought in her mind. It did not take her brain long to catch up on her thoughts though and she quickly answered him, "Just worried about the pack. I believe a morbus is going around. How are you faring?" She couldn’t help but be attracted to her mate, seeing as it was now spring, and so she lightly nuzzled his cheek in greeting.

(This post was last modified: Mar 02, 2013, 09:57 PM by Nina.)

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

Her delicate face alongside his own steadied him, and with a deep breath he sighed, thankful that his visions had not held true. "I'd hit my head a thousand times for you, love." He said with a hint of a laugh in his rumbling voice, pressing his muzzle into the fur of her neck before he pulled his head back. Truly, he was kidding and did take her advice to heart. Taking a fall would certainly set back his healing progress, and he needed to be strong for Nina and the pack. "I would say I am faring well, seeing as you are safe. A disease is troubling, but I hope it passes soon, as we have much of a future ahead of us and our family." Of course he meant the wolves of the Woodlands, but he left the statement open to her interpretation. He was hopeful this spring that there would be a few little additions to the fledgling pack.

He'd expected his memories to return to him as if an epiphany or lightning strike, but it was more like a gentle gust of wind uncovering a sand-buried relic. He knew what of her fear had him worried so. "Nina, I remember it now. How your own brother had hurt you so cruelly. My love, I will do everything in my power to protect you." It was a promise, his honeyed eyes shining with devotion. He would share in her worries and fears, and fend off any who wished her ill will. His tail aloft, he rested his chin over her shoulder, a symbol of his protection.

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

His teasing voice caused some kind of angering emotion to explode within the pit of her stomach. She had never liked it when her patients had joked about their health, but of course, Koda was different. He was not just her patient, he was her love and she could never stay mad at him for long. The toying feeling soon faded away to the back of her mind as she continued to stare at him, knowing full well that he would take her words into deep consideration. She was no fool when it came to the body of a wolf and hitting his head and losing his memory again would do good for no one, except for maybe the devil, upon who their Gods cursed. His response to her answer silently caused her to shake herself. This kind of disease was not one that would die easily, as it could easily spread. It caused a large sigh to escape her nostrils, though his last words caused her own ears to prick.

It caused yet another bend up emotion to flow throughout Nina’s system. She had been longing for a family of her own. To be able to have children of her own since she had fallen in love with Koda. She had even dreamt about it once and had been longing for the day when they would be able to have that together, but at that time, she would have never imagined it possible, considering how they had both been separated at that time, but now it was. She wanted so badly to speak to him of the topic, but her own nerves overwhelmed her and she kept her mouth shut. Her next string of words caused some happiness to well up within her, though perhaps now would be the best time to tell him that Ash and Nina were on better terms. When he embraced her she spoke quietly, "Ash is no longer a danger to me. He is family." How she hoped he would readily accept her words. Athena and Ash could prove to be a ready alliance for their pack and it would probably benefit them all better.

She inhaled his scent quickly, digging her nose deeply into his creamy fur and breathing. He smelt so good. Rubbing her own muzzle against his cheek she spoke her own words, "Wh-what would you th-think a-about us making o-our own family?" Her question stuttered out in little nervous pieces as she tried to make herself look less embarrassed and foolish in front of him. She could easily feel her skin start to flush and her body grow warm with the question. She was not one to put out situations like that into the blue. Surely she had known his answer before he had gotten injured, but at the moment, she was unsure if that would be pushing him too hard or if his answer still remained the same as it had since they had fallen for once another in the willows. Shyly, she glanced away from him, her good eye carefully scaling up a tree as she waited for his answer.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

Quietly Nina murmured her forgiveness of Ash, and quietly Koda cursed the holes in his memory. The hatred and anger he'd felt towards her brother felt so fresh and raw, the recollection only newly retrieved. He wondered Ash's change was something he simply missed in his life in the Ridge, or if it was something the fall had erased from memory. He was skeptical, the horror of that situation and his own protectiveness of her made it so, but he trusted Nina fully. If she deemed Ash safe and had forgiven him through whatever means, Koda would accept that. Koda would still keep an eye out for her, and would have to see Ash with his own eyes before he could trust him himself.

The press of her nose further into his fur started up a buzzing in his stomach that was becoming more and more difficult to ignore. As she started to stammer, he tilted an ear carefully and listened. It must really be something for her to work up such a stutter. But when she did finally work through her question a smile lit up his face, eyes bright and tail wagging behind him. His heart soared at her question and he swept his tongue across the side of her head, which had averted from him for her shyness.

"Oh! Nina, my sweet Nina, I would love nothing more than to start a family with you." He answered, though his exuberated body language spoke this just as well. A lot had happened in the few quick weeks since his injury, so many decisions quickly made that he'd yet to see fully how things would unravel. But as sure as his heart now beating wildly in his chest, he was sure of this. Through all trials and tribulations, he was sure they could work everything out for their children.

A small dash of the paternal worry to come bubbled back up in his mind. Nina had mentioned a disease, and while that really wasn't what he wanted to think about right now, things like this had to be discussed before he let the heat of the moment clutter his thoughts, when it would be too late to take anything back. His excitement momentarily held back by much effort -- but not fully extinguished -- he asked, "Nina, though I must ask, what is the nature of this sickness you've mentioned? Will it be a safe time for cubs?"

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

While the seconds passed by, her heart sped faster and faster, not giving her much time to breath, for the air had been taken away from her lungs as soon as the words had managed to escape her mouth. In the meantime, her emerald eye watched her mate to see his reaction to what she had said. From what she could see, she did not see any sign of being uncomfortable with the words she had muttered. When a small smile started to spread across his face, she could feel the tense muscles in her back begin to loosen. His accompanied words only eased her tension the much more, giving her something to look forward to in the future, what she had been wanting for months now… To have pups of her own.

She could feel her breath slowly returning to her, and she quickly relished in the relief of being able to breath normally again. It did not seem as though their minds had been disconnected from one another though, for he soon had voiced the thoughts that she had thought about for quite awhile, and come to the same conclusion each time. And in the end, she knew if she had to do what she planned on doing, it would be worth it for her children. Swallowing, she made sure to make eye contact with the one she clarified as her love, "The disease is only transferable upon contact. If I must, I will kill anyone infected before they got anywhere near our children." Her voice was firm and filled with truth. She would sacrifice herself for those whom she loved, including ones that would be in their future.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

With his answer Nina seemed to calm, no longer averting her gaze and the rigidity eased from her posture. At his question she turned to look at him, emerald eye looking fully into his own. Koda took a sharp breath at her tenacity, the bold fire in her eyes that spoke of the lengths she would go to defend her own. Bit by bit he was rediscovering the woman that held his heart, and all the ways which made her shine. Strong willed and wise beyond her years, he could think of no woman who he'd rather stand beside, and no woman who he'd rather sire his cubs and raise them with. Koda hoped the illness would not spread as much to force Nina to stand between danger and their children.

"As with me, I will make sure no one dares lay even a paw on our children, or you for that matter. It is my duty to keep my family safe." He vowed, the wind rustling in the trees reminiscent of a fire's crackle, sending a chill down his spine. It had been an event outside of his own paws that had ripped his family from him before, and with a chance at beginning one anew he could not risk having it torn from him again. If he could have done something to save them from the fire then, he would have. As it stood now, he would out his life on the line to protect Nina and their budding family.

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

She was almost stunned by how well she held Koda’s attention, though she composed herself quite well in front of her mate as he too gave her his word. Pursing her lips together she stated clearly, "Please keep in mind, your own well being as well." Her voice was stern, but it held edges of soft tinges to it, showing him that she was not ordering him to do anything, but simply a reminder to the man that his own well being was just as important as that of his pack mates. She truly hoped that all was going well for him within the pack and that her family was treating him well. Though, she had not seen much of Kashikoi, Ashanti, and Durai recently, she found herself thinking about them daily and wandering where they had disappeared off to.

Her emerald eye then refocused back onto the creamy male in front of them, their faces only a mouse tails away from one another now. She stared at his face for several moments, not exactly sure what she was looking for, she was unsure if she was looking for the spark that they had felt for one another, which she could feel and almost hear buzzing clearly around them. It could have also been the love and devotion she wanted him to feel towards her. Of course, she could not tell what he was feeling and it before she knew it, she must have found what she was looking for because words quickly slipped off of her tongue, "I trust you." Her words were a whisper, but they were deathly true. It was hard for her to trust others…but somehow…Koda had wrestled his way into her circle of trust and he was going to stay there, forever more.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

Koda gave a firm nod, knowing well enough that it wouldn't do anyone any good to get himself killed, but he wasn't the type to place himself first if others were in trouble. He could hear in her voice that she knew this, it was not an order but she implored him as his equal and lover.

The magnetism of her scent, which had been silently serenading him since he had found her here, was slowly but steadily drawing him closer and closer towards her. The searching of her gaze seemed to draw into him, and he held his breath, the emotions he felt for her open and plain to see in his eyes. There was no one else to which he could be so easily read. This was the woman he wanted to share his life with, and wanted at his side through thick and thin. Her voice soft, a sweet murmur met his ears she told him of her trust.

So close were they that he could feel her heated breath along his jaw, a touchless caress againt his flushed skin. Koda leaned in closer, his face alongside hers. "I love you," he breathed into her ear, pressing his muzzle against her, to bury his face into the soft golden fur along the side of her neck and inhale her sweet perfume. "I need you," He admitted, asked, begged.

(This post was last modified: Mar 09, 2013, 08:48 AM by Koda.)

Arla and Emma are the ish and made my pretties!
Koda will most likely always be accompanied by Chiron unless otherwise stated, or requested.

She could see by the look in his eyes that he took her words into consideration and for that she appreciated. She had many patients, though he was quite different, who took her words and threw them in the back of their brains, before quickly realizing that her directions on the illness or injury would probably suit them best. Even though they had once defied her, she had never ended up turning them away, as much as they had thought she would have. The Reinier did not have a cold heart, and even for the cruelest of wolves, the woman had always found a place for them in her heart. Everyone in the world deserved to be loved, even if in the end they ended up doing the most despicable thing possible. She even loved her own father, the man who had sent her own brother out to kill her for taking her own free will.

Movement from her mate caused her attention to sift back towards him, her own emerald eye watching as his face moved closer to her own, his muzzle pressing into the side of her face. With his words a pleasuring chill ran down her spine, causing her to take a sharp intake of breath as she felt his warm breath against her ear. She inhaled his scent just as the last words he uttered reached her ears. Swallowing, she replied, "You can have me, for as long as you wish. I will only leave when you demand it of me." She then rubbed her muzzle against his neck fur, content in breathing in his scent. If only if could last forever.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.