Secret Woodlands Taking Chances

@Coal - We need to keep this train a'rollin xD
EDIT: Oh, and I hope you don'y mind the slight PP and what I made up about their time and interaction since the join thread. PLEASE DO just tell me if anything bothers you and I'll change it straight away ^^

Aideen Smoke

The sun had just arisen, it's pale rays giving everything the illusion of glowing; especially the snow. It was gonna be, yet another, cold day, the chill of the night never losing its grip on the earth, despite the sun's hardest efforts. The fox-like wolfess was just heading home through the thicket from her morning patrol, the frost biting her paws, which already felt like solid ice - she was frozen to the bones; It should be nice to crawl back into a warm den now... And maybe snuggle up close to a hot body. Heat flushed her cheeks at the thought, and a strange, fluttering made her stomach feel even lighter than it already was in its emptiness. But the feeling was a nice one. One shed had for some time now; Any time I think of him...

She had a broad, almost goofy, smile on her face as she made her way to the small clearing where the large den was, tucked snugly between the stones and bramble. Here, the dame paused for a moment, regaining her breath from the brisk trot, absently looking around the desolate space; Most of them are probably still sleeping. Others may be out scouting as she had herself, hopefully they would be luckier than her in the hunt for food. When it soon became too cold to stand still, Aideen slowly moved, around a sharp corner from the main den entrance, just as well hidden, was a more shallow crevice that they had dug out together, making it just big enough to accommodate to wolves, pressed close together. Coal was quite a bit bigger than the average wolf, admittedly, but she was that bit smaller in turn - it had never been up for question that they would sleep here together, it had just seemed natural; Right.

Now the young female slowly snuck herself back into the burrow, happy to find that her roomie, as she had hoped, still hadn't left for the day. With the harshness of the winter, combined with Aideen's personal training in the craft of healing, they had seen way too little to each other, only speaking a few words in the evenings, before going to sleep, but every moment had been precious. Maybe this morning they would have time to talk a little longer? And even if not, just being near him filled her with joy. She brushed up against the large, sand-colored body, curling up next to him, pressing her head into his bountiful fur. And with a brush of her snout against his cheek, and a low whisper, she greeted him; " 'Morning..." A small smile graced her face, despite the rough winter - the lag of food and spreading of pack assets, making the life as pack-wolf feel just as lonely as the days on her own - it made her happy to just be close to the big man, to feel the low rustle and hear the wheeze of his breathing; I'll always be home when I'm with you!

Word Count:506

Dawnthieves.de, Kiwiaa-Stock @ DA & ShawnaMac @ DA

(This post was last modified: Feb 12, 2014, 12:02 PM by Aideen.)

PLOT WITH ME!

Sleep had come grudgingly that night, bringing with it dark dreams of the past, fleeting memories that teased at Coal's consciousness. Many times the great tawny wolf had awoken short of breath and panting from exhaustion. His only comfort was the small body that rested against his; the slight, rhythmic movement as her chest expanded and the reassuring rush of breath as she exhaled never failed to calm his wildly beating heart. His previous life without Aideen Smoke now seemed empty and meaningless.

Dawn had come softly to Relic Lore, bringing relief from his fitful night. As the sun peeked into the den, Coal's eyes fluttered open partly, squinting against the brightness that brought little warmth. He glanced down towards where he expected Aideen to be nestled against his side and only then realized that she was no longer with him. Her fading scent told him that she had departed quite a while ago, probably to perform the scouting duties she had taken upon herself. Coal felt a pang of guilt that she had been out facing the bitter cold while he curled up, warm and safe, within the den. He contemplated joining her but before he could make a decision with his tired brain, sleep began to claim him once again. He did not awake until he felt a warm body press against his.

A smile curved his lips as he felt her nose tickle his cheek, and his bushy tail thumped against the floor of the den. Rolling over onto his elbows he stared into her deep copper eyes, heart fluttering with undeniable affection he held for this beautiful wolf. "Morning," he murmured gently into her ear. "What have you been doing out there in this freezing weather?" Aideen didn't seem to view herself as brave, but Coal knew better. She was like a lion in his eyes.

Coal shuffled a bit so they lay parallel to each other. The warmth that radiated from her body was so comfortable that sleep began to pull on his eyelids again. He let his eyes close softly while he licked her ruff, enjoying the feel of her coat beneath his tongue. Aside from the hunger that gnawed from his belly, life seemed perfect.

(This post was last modified: Mar 13, 2014, 02:51 AM by Coal.)

@Coal SURPRISE TABLE!!

She felt him stir and opened her eyes to look up into his dark ocher's, her smile quivering as a ripple ran through her heart, like it always did when she met his gaze. As always, she found strong feelings glowing in the depth of his look, an affection so strong that it almost scared her, but at the same time it made a pleasant warmth spread throughout her body. She shivered; I could look into those eyes forever..! He's deep, musical voice vibrated lightly through the den as he answered her greeting, his breath tickling her ear. She giggled quietly, ear twitching and willingly curled her neck to let him nuzzle her scruff.


Eyes closed in pleasure, she stayed silent for a while, just enjoying his attention, then she stretched her legs out in front of herself and turned her head to look at him again. His strong, kind features, all focused on her, was the strangest and most wonderful thing imaginable. Voice smooth, but low she finally answered, shrugging her shoulders; "Scouting the borders, it's not that cold..." Then her smile turned slightly crooked, "I think spring is finally coming." She said it with a warm twinkle in her eyes and then stretched her neck to caress his muzzle, pressing her snout into the groove under his jaw.


She stayed like that for a little while, feeling his soft pulse, but then she pulled back to meet his eyes again, concern lining her face; "How did you sleep?" His restless night hadn't passed her by, she had felt him toss and turn through the night, though she hadn't been bothered much, but now she searched his large, brown eyes; I wonder what's bothering him... It was hard to imagine anything troubling the strong, joyful man with his level head and kind heart; "Are your wounds hurting again?!" She started to pull back, ready to examine his scared body, though his injuries had healed well, and he no longer had trouble getting about on his own, the scar tissue could still be bothersome; I haven't been able to find any lavender for the pain in the last month!


Her face was twisted in worry and love, she didn't like seeing anyone in pain, but especially him.


Word count: 377

”Soft Whispers” Warm thoughts

The silence was comfortable, and the huge wolf would have been content to remain as he was, with Aideen, forever. The hissing wind that danced on the other side of these sheltering walls did not sound inviting in the least...whereas these moments with the red female who had swiftly become the center of his life were like a few flawless white diamonds surrounded by worthless rock that made up the rest of the man's cold and hungry existence. How could he have been so lucky?

After a few close moments, Aideen pulled away to look into his eyes. Coal felt a warm smile spreading across his face and, no matter how much he fought against it, it only grew wider. How had this happened to him? It was the strangest thing, completely inexplicable. The grin wouldn't fade until Aideen finally answered his question...she had been all the way out at the borders? She should have waited for him to awake and they could have gone together...the thoughts vanished as an adorable crooked smile curved her lips. "I think spring is finally coming," she said, looking completely happy.

Coal chuckled, shaking his head. "It would certainly like us to think that, but I bet the cold is going to hang on for a while longer. Though, maybe, in a less painful form. Perhaps some food will start walking around again," he murmured against her cheek. Her touch, her presence, was enough to either send his heart into hyper-drive or bring perfect peace over him, and this time it was the latter. He was too calm to be bothered with much speaking.

Then she pulled away again. Coal frowned, feeling the cold touch him where her warm body had done so previously. He looked over at her with pouting puppy-eyes but the look vanished when he saw the concern on her face. What had he done?

"How did you sleep? Are your wounds hurting again?" Oh. She must have noticed his awful night. His deep brown eyes took on a dull hue and he avoided eye contact by resting his head on Aideen's outstretched paws. He searched for a good answer, and found nothing convincing. "I'm okay, don't worry about it. Just...cold and hungry, I guess." It was true; though the wounds he had received from that bear had not stopped aching since the day he received them, they rarely hindered his movements.

Coal lifted his head to meet her gaze and let himself smile again. "What about you? Did you sleep well? Are you getting enough to eat?" The latter was a question he had meant to ask for a while but never thought about it when the chance arose. The winter had been harsh and unforgiving. Coal, certainly, hadn't gotten anywhere near the amount of food that his body required.

(This post was last modified: Mar 13, 2014, 02:53 AM by Coal.)

She saw the distant expression slide over his face, killing that bright smile he seemed to have reserved for her alone. Even though he turned his eyes away to hide the change, she felt her chest contract, her concern growing; What IS wrong?! She pushed back into him as he lowered his head, gently cuddling his ear with her snout while she patiently waited for his answer. She wasn't satisfied with his dismissal, and considered pressuring him more, but when he looked back up and smiled at her, she decided against it; If he doesn't want to tell me, I can't make him. The thought made her a little sad, the idea that he didn't trust her enough to share his worries, but, looking into his passionate, dark eyes, it was impossible to feel rejected; Whatever it is, I hope he will tell me when he feels able...


His change of subject made it entirely clear that he didn't want to talk about his troubles, and Aideen gave him his space, smiling indulgently when he turned the attention back to her. It was still hard for her to comprehend how this strong, kind, brilliant man cared so much about her small self, but when he looked at her that way, smiling so happily, her heart stood still, and she couldn't help but smile back.


Rolling over on her side, pressing her slim body into his bountiful fur and snuggling her head against his fuzzy neck, she sighed lowly, trying to ignore the hollow rumble in her stomach, brought on by any mention of food. She had noticed him getting thinner, it was something she had been very focused on right after they came to Secret Woodlands, as she feared it would hamper his healing, but when he seemed to regain his strength despite the shortage of food, she had forgotten about it. Now, she was painfully aware of his ribs, pressing against her back, and she knew she looked even worse, skinny as she was even when prey was plenty. "I'm all right," She said, knowing better than to completely dismiss her hunger to him, "I've had hungry winters before..."


She turned her head and glanced up at the much larger wolf, eyes bright an unconcerned, trying to reassure him; I'll survive. Then she rubbed her muzzle against his chest, pushing playfully at his leg to make him lift it so she could slide her head in under it and nestle it against is chest. Closing her eyes in pleasure, she yawned lightly and mumbled into his pelt: "Nothing as harsh as this, but I'm used to going many days between meals." As she spoke, her thoughts went to her northern home, dread for her family filling her mind; I hope they're ok...


Word count: 463

”Soft Whispers” Warm thoughts

@Aideen

He didn't know why, and he couldn't help it, but whenever the extraordinarily tiny woman smiled at him he felt his heart beat wildly and his breath catch. The power she unknowingly held over him was totally unfair, but he willingly submitted to it, and searched for it, regularly offering quiet smiles simply so that he would get one in return. Aideen was so beautiful when she smiled; she lit up like the sun...his very own ray of sun. It was a miracle that she had ever given him a second glance, and that it had led to this.

A shiver of delight ran down his spine and tingled in his huge paws as she pressed her thin frame against his. He looked healthier than most since his fur contributed a lot to his bulk but he knew she could feel his ribs jutting out beneath his coat, and the thought made him feel uncomfortable even if it wasn't the first time. He didn't want her knowing just how starved he was. But Aideen did not bring attention to it, but offered a humble response to his concern. Hungry winters indeed.

Coal took in a deep breath and then exhaled all at once, closing his eyes tiredly. For a brief moment he had the grace to feel some guilt about not leaving the den to perform some helpful duty to the pack, but then it was gone. Right now all he wanted was to be with his...with Aideen. She fit perfectly against his body, filling in all the spaces with her warmth, with her joy. He felt her cold nose press against his foreleg and lifted it, allowing her to nestle her head against his chest. It was all so perfect. Their love, their closeness hidden away in this den completely away from the unforgiving elements outside—wait...did he just think...love?

For a few minutes he played with the thought and eventually came to the conclusion that he did love Aideen. Though he hadn't known her for a very long time it was already too difficult to imagine life without her. He would do anything to keep her safe and happy. But could he tell her? The very thought made Coal heat up and nearly begin to shake. I love you had never been something he had thought would be so hard to say. It was an awkward thing to be the first one to admit it. And what if she didn't return the feeling? What if it was all one sided and she was simply sticking with him for some other reason? No. That was ridiculous.

But the three simple words were screaming inside his head. The silence stretched on while he argued with himself, and eventually came the conclusion that he would explode if he didn't say them. But how? Should he just state it like a fact? That seemed too unfeeling. Suddenly, Coal knew what to do.

They were already tangled up with one another, so Coal gently flipped her onto her back with their chests pressed together. Slowly, with his eyes drilling into hers, he lowered his head so that his breath tickled the inside of her ear and their whiskers brushed. For just a moment he hesitated while working up the courage to speak from his loudly pounding love-sick heart. Finally he spoke, his throaty voice just above a whisper, "I love you, Aideen." A grin involuntarily curved his lips and he couldn't help but nibble at the base of her ear.

His calm, rhythmic breathing lulled her into half-sleep, her own breath falling in with his as she rested her head against his chest, rising and falling slowly. Despite her hunger, she felt so happy, just lying here with him, nestled against his body; she couldn't imagine anything more perfect than this. It was crazy to think that half a year ago, she had never met this man, who was now the most important thing in her world; It's like I've always known you... Aideen had always been a sociable wolf, easily making friends and caring deeply for everyone of them; but they never became more than that, no matter how close. There was a private part of her heart, reserved for those she truly loved, the ones she would love forever, ad infinitum. Coal had invaded that part.


The petite woman nuzzled her companions chest in her slumber, burying her muzzle deeper in his lush fur. She remembered watching her parents together, always attentive of the other; where they were, what they were feeling... They would rarely touch, reserving such expressions of their love for private moments, but their feelings were clear in the way they looked at each other. For as long as she could remember, she had looked up to them, dreaming of the day she would love someone so dearly; I never thought...


A sudden change in Coal's breathing brought her back to consciousness, head lifting from its rest against his body to glance up at his face. His eyes were closed. A soft smile curved the red lass' lips without her even noticing, she felt a strong urge to stretch up and lick his cheek, but she held back, not wanting to disturb his little respite. As far as she was concerned, he was still healing, and he needed all the rest he could get - especially with the limited food supply, slowing the process - so instead she put her head back down, content with simply lying next to him. She wasn't overly sleepy, the morning patrol having perked her up rather than tired her out, but she wanted to stay like this, entangled in his legs, as close to him as possible. She lay with her eyes open, ears perked, listening to the sound of his breathing; Could we just lie like this forever...


When he moved, she stiffened for a moment in surprise, head spinning to meet his eyes. She looked at him with wide coppers, feeling a strange rush in her stomach as he met her gaze. She willingly rolled at his touch then, breath getting quicker as he pressed against her. Their eyes were locked, even if she had wanted to look away, she couldn't; But why would I want to?! Then he bent down, and her breath caught as his whiskers tickled her face. She wanted to ask what he was doing, but all she could manage was a breathless: "Wah..?" When his snout stroked her ear.


His whispered words made her heart stop, eyes widening. For a moment her mind went blank, every thought banished by this revelation, her feelings began to overflow and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry; I love you, Aideen. She had known for a while now, maybe all along, that she loved him, that she would give her life to him, but never so completely; never as concretely as in this moment. And though she saw how he returned her feelings, she'd never dared to hope... "Coal..." She whispered, voice hoarse with emotion; "Oh Coal I... I love you too!" Stretching her neck, the slender fae pressed her head against his, licking his ear. She felt like her heart was about to burst, but if it did it wouldn't matter; she was so happy! Closing her eyes, she rubbed her muzzle against his neck and buried her snout in his scruff; So much!


Word count: 651

”Soft Whispers” Warm thoughts

/wins award for worst romantic @Aideen

The effect Coal had on Aideen was not missed by the colossal wolf. As his teeth gently pressed against her ear, the fine hairs tickling his nose, he felt her heart skip a beat in sync with his own. For a moment of silence neither wolf moved, even their breathing slowed to nothing. The world faded and all Coal could think of, feel, hear, sense, was the small she-wolf pressed against his side. Oh, if she could be by my side like this forever, and I by hers... His heartbeat picked up speed as the quiet continued and no answer was offered. He felt so many emotions, all of them, but not fear. There was no fear in love. "Coal..."

YES?!! The man could hardly wait for the answer that would either crush him, though he'd never admit to it, or bring him to life. Coal shifted slightly so that he could look into her copper eyes. He wanted to see her when she spoke.

I love you too... That was the words he had only dreamed of hearing from her. Coal shivered with delight, processing the meaning of what he and Aideen had told each other. He felt her muzzle pressing against his scruff and returned the gesture, rubbing his nose on her forehead. A foolish grin slowly spread across his lips and his tail flopped against the hard floor of their shared den. His heart pounded ecstatically.

"You really do?" he questioned, his voice youthful like a child's. He didn't actually think Aideen would say what she had without meaning it. He just wanted to hear her say it again. But he didn't give the woman much of a chance to respond before he broke their embrace and licked her face happily. "You're the most important part of my life, Aideen. I'd like to always share it with you. I'd like to always be by your side."

(This post was last modified: May 31, 2014, 09:40 PM by Coal.)

N'awww I think Coal's adorable!!

The moment was so full of emotion, like static crackling in the air, yet she had never felt so at peace; like her happiness had grown too big for her body and incased her in a soft bubble. There was no other sounds but his voice and breath and heartbeat, no other scents but his, her only sensation was his body against hers, his nose in her pelt, then his tongue on her face. If she could stay in this moment forever, she couldn't be happier; Love, this is love! She thought, almost unconsciously, and she knew it was true. She loved Coal.


So his question was unbelievably thick, of course she really did, couldn't he tell? But she didn't get angry, she didn't roll her eyes; she just laughed, a girlish, giggly laugh as his warm tongue lapped across her face. When he pulled back to speak, she looked deeply into his dark eyes, laughter slowly fading into a small, warm smile. After he finished she stayed silent for a little while, breathing slowly, gaze still locked on his. When she answered, her voice was low, serious, though she was still smiling; "Of course I do. How could I not?" The small wolfess stretched her neck, lightly toughing her snout to his, her copper eyes closing; "Me too," she whispered; "You're my world Coal, my everything!" Opening her eyes, she looked straight into his, their closeness leaving her breathless. There was so much she wanted to tell him, so much she wanted to share with him; Everything! But not now, now she simply wanted to be with him; "I want that too, for you to always be with me, I mean..." She blushed lightly, a sudden shy smile creeping across her face, this was all so foreign to her still she didn't really know how to act, what to say...


Turning her eyes away in her embarrassment, she caught a glimpse of the sun shining through the narrow opening of their den, and she turned her head, stretching her neck to get a better view. It was hard to tell what time it was from the small slither of the world visible through the crack; It must be getting late... Aideen glanced back up at the big wolf sanding over her, feeling a strange flutter in her chest; then a sudden, mischievous grin lit up her features. Quickly, she rolled on to her side, pulling her legs back under her body and pushing herself up. Her back rubbed against his stomach as she stepped out from under him, through the den opening. Still grinning she turned her head, looking back at him over her shoulder; "If you catch me, I'll be yours!" Her head was spinning slightly, her breathing turning shallow at the words, and a strange, pleasurable tinkle ran down her spine. She looked into his eyes, smiling, then turned and leapt into the thicket, tail raised high behind her, she felt so alive, blood pulsing through her veins, joy and excitement filling her every fiber; Catch me!


Word count: 510

”Soft Whispers” Warm thoughts

[/quote]

Want this to be the end of it? It seems like a good cut off point, and enough to make it official ICly anyway.

This was new for both of them. Both wore smiles bigger and more sincere than ever before, both pairs of eyes glistened with true happiness and undying affection for the other. Coal was quivering for some reason that he was certain had to do with the excitement that raced back and forth along his spine and brought tingles to his paws and made his whiskers wiggle comically. He held onto every word @Aideen so softly spoke, letting them sink right into his heart and holding them there like the most precious of treasures. He trusted Aideen more than anything and knew that her words held as much truth as his own.

Coal's smile somehow widened as the small red female turned embarrassed for some reason. Instead of wondering why, he could only think about how cute it made her look as she avoided eye contact and searched for a distraction. He took the moment to plant another lick on her cheek...only she was gone before he could and he licked the dirt.

"Awww, that's so gross, uugh! Aideen why...bleh!" He tried to spit out the mouthful of dirt but it stuck to his tongue. He was now entirely focused on the grainy stuff that had invaded his mouth so maliciously, and by the time he was content that it was all out and his mouth was relatively clean he had produced quite a bit of saliva. It leaked out of the corners of his mouth, granting him a somewhat stupid expression. Not caring too much about that, he turned his big head towards Aideen who was mischievously looking back at him from her place at the den's entrance. Coal tilted his head. "Uuuuh?" He blinked. That expression did not bode well.

His heart flipped as she smiled, her beautiful copper eyes meeting his. "If you catch me, I'll be yours!" Coal stared as she bounced away. "I'll be yours! I'll be yours! I'll be yours!" The phrase echoed in his head before he put it aside, allowing himself to accept it. "And I'll be yours."

The great wolf leaped out of the den and chased after her, tossing his head in excitement. The sudden change of temperature was barely noticeable; a barrier of hot blood rushed through his veins keeping him warm. "There's no possible way you can outrun meeeee!" he yelled, sprinting through the pure white blanket of snow. Aideen had quite the head start, but that was okay. All the fun was in the chase.

(This post was last modified: Jul 21, 2014, 03:50 PM by Coal.)