Hidden Grotto Cracks

@Eirian - dark clouds overhead threaten an incoming snowstorm

It was a climb she had made before. Desire to escape the bonds that chained her to the willows sending her north, and then up the narrow frozen goat track that lead to the grotto before the falls. It took no time at all for the dark coated princess to grow warm, her breath came in heavy pants, muscles screaming sweetly under the strain she forced on herself. She had to keep herself in peak condition. Not only was @Nicolò older and therefore more experienced than his younger counterpart, but he was also larger.

To distract herself, she began to ponder just who she should be today? Morganna Archer, daughter of Elettra Archer, Leader of Willow Ridge, or should she Brangwen? Eager new recruit, carefree without a worry in the world? There was hardly any contest, and like shedding a heavy cloak she let Morganna fall away, an easy smile coming to her face as her steps seemed to become lighter. She crested the cliff and entered the grotto as though she had been casually strolling across fireweed rise.

It was then she finally heard the thunder, shielded as she had been. Peach eyes turning to the sky, worry pulling at the corners of her mouth. There was little shelter to be afforded here, a stray pile of twigs that may have once been a bush, and boulders that could possibly serve as a wind break but they wouldn't do much to shelter her from the late season snow storm. "Shit." she managed to mutter under her breath as she began searching for a cave, or some abandoned burrow. Anything to offer her some protection from the incoming tempest. 

(This post was last modified: Feb 14, 2016, 01:31 AM by Morganna.)

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.

(This post was last modified: Feb 16, 2016, 11:48 PM by Eirian.)

@Eirian

With the wind at her back as it was, the breeze did not betray the male but his voice sure did. Peachy eyes snapped to meet those of a darker shade of orange before looking the man over. They might have been similar in height, but he outweighed her for sure. As long as she stayed away from the cliff face, she should be able to hold her own. "Better 'ere than clingin' ter th' cliff like a frightened goat." She quipped with a smirk, her easy stance could border on insulting to the wrong wolf, neither displaying her dominance nor submitting to any. 

Eyes turned to the sky as another peal of thunder rolled, so close now that it shook the earth underfoot. Up the side of a mountain probably wasn't the wisest excursion to take with the threat of a storm rolling in but she could have sworn the sky was blue when she left. Turning her attention back to the russet wolf she smiled sweetly, although the glint in her eyes probably betrayed the game. "If yer more familiar with these parts would yer mind pointin' me in the direction of some shelter?" 

Perhaps pretending was good for the soul once in a while.

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

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. 

Morganna held her ground unafraid as the stranger circled her, only her head turning to follow his movements, appreciative smirk only growing as his question registered. Perhaps the original game was up, but that didn't mean she couldn't change the rules. She stepped closer, a look of feigned innocence gracing her features, a coy tilt of her chin protecting her throat while her eyes dropped from his face to focus on his chest to watch for any subtle sign of an attack to come. "Surely in weather this foul any extra warmth is welcome?" her voice was velvety, her smile was sly, half-lidded eyes closed as much for her own protection as allure.

Now close enough to pick up his own scent she detected an underlying hint of familiarity, although everything was so foreign. Perhaps she had met a relative of this... leader? with no singular scent distinctive enough to indicate he was claimed. Internally she smirked, but still unable to judge just how he might react to such a proposal she decided to add with the ghost of a laugh tinging her voice, "...and a name?" 

Whose name? 

Well wasn't that half the fun? 

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.

@Eirian

Morganna's offer for company may not have warranted a response, her hopes falling a little with each additional step he took. She wasn't terribly fond of the cold and her paws already ached at the prospect of a hastily dug snow hole in which to weather out the storm. However, his clear approval at the offer of information was enough to help her feel they were almost back on even ground, relief well hidden when he confirmed he did indeed know of a spot that would suit their needs, and just in time too as the clouds finally broke open with another crack of thunder.

As he set out towards their destination, she fell in step, close off his left shoulder and a little behind, allowing him to stay a head length in front while ensuring she was far enough away that she wouldn't accidentally brush or bump against him. They were not pack mates, after all, and the outcome of this chance encounter was still unknown. Pretending to ignore the clear question on the end of his statement could only last so long, and while the howling of the wind was reason enough to hold her tongue, the promised shelter was fast approaching. 

"Archer." she finally answered, raising her voice just enough to be heard over the gale that was whipping up around them. "Morganna." she added on, almost as if it were an afterthought. Even without entering the cave, the crags themselves provided somewhat of a wind break so she didn't have to shout anymore. Shaking what snow she could from her fur, she looked on the other wolf with a coy smile and added, "an' it's Miss."

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."

Her nose was enough to tell her there were no slumbering bears to be stumbled upon within the confines of the shelter he had led her to, no scent registered above stale earth and snow, so with a dip of her head in thanks she entered the surprisingly warm and dry cave. She settled herself against the wall, leaving as much room as possible for the other wolf, her paws tucked tight against her chest and tail curved tightly against her flank. Even so there would be little space between them once he joined her.

When his dark shadow darkened the entrance, she shuffled even closer to the wall, trying to appear a considerate companion given their unfortunate circumstances. It was fortunate neither of them were lumbering beasts or they would have had to sleep in a pile, and she very much doubted he would be happy to be placed at the bottom. Rarely was she so grateful for such a slight build.

It would be some time before the weather eased enough to make any travel practicable and so she casually enquired, without a clue to the can of worms she could be opening. "An' what should I call you?"