Red Fern Forest draw, gunslinger

Blind Date for @Walrus one day too late... but here we are... I'll make up the 5 LP difference if we gotta~

March 1st; Early afternoon; Rain clouds, slightest of drizzles; 51 ° F, 11° C

Spring was in the air. It was in the subtle but evident new growth in the trees. It was in the soil where the snow had melted to reveal fresh undergrowth. It was in the Chasm as the winds swirled in and around the pack den.

Adelard's hackles seemed permanently bristled.

There were only three - no, four now - adult women to mind within the pack and, while none of them were bound to him, he had the audacity... for what he was about to do.

It was what his father had done and his grandfather had done before him.

The pack was going on lockdown. No one comes in. No one goes. He was going to make sure of it. With such a small group - a knowledgable one at that - he hoped Levi and the ladies knew better than to go wandering off. The changing of the seasons always brought a little more than what they bargained for...

The Leader's nose wrinkled as he identified a strange scent on the border. A young female. New to the area. He snorted, then inhaled again, head craned down to the ground, taken in innate fascination.

(This post was last modified: Mar 02, 2022, 12:57 AM by Adelard.)

         

ADELARD

heat stroke, bring the fire black smoke, I take it higher

Walrus was not perturbed by the changing of the season as some of her pack mates appeared to be. She had been waiting for this, and now strengthened by communal living once again she was more than prepared to take on her ambitions and see them to fruition. Her heat had come swiftly, burning within and evident to any who crossed her trail. Rather than be self-conscious, she'd used the stench to strengthen their markers as well as hint to the few men in the ranks her readiness to become a mother - two birds with one stone.

She was at it now, walking the line between what was the Chasm's and what might be referred to as international waters - warnings might come as the month stretched on, but one way or another Walrus would have what she wanted. Like most Archers, she was not a wolf who accepted being told no, even if it ended up costing her the comfort of pack life.

Adelard's presence became clear to her, first by his cologne in the air and confirmed as her intense gaze found his large frame. He seemed intent on something to do with the ground, but she'd learned well enough by now that somber was not an unusual demeanor for the man. Her tail flagged behind her as she approached, curiosity hinted in those burning eyes of hers.

"Problem?" her rough voice asked of him.

The Leader's face was as gnarled as the trees surrounding him. He kept trying and failing to pick out the scent's signature notes; he didn't know her. Given the time of the season, the animal within begged for him to find her. She was too close for comfort.

"Problem?"

Adelard gave a start. When he turned to face who had approached, he was almost aggressive. His tail waved high in the air, his head remained low, ready to protect his throat and guard the ground he loomed over. Grumpy as ever, his eyes narrowed as he regarded the Chasm's newest recruit. The scent definitely did not belong to her.

"No," he half-growled. He swept a paw over where the foreign perfume had been, partially attempting to erase it. "Do you have a problem?" Venom threatened to coat his words, his evident frustration surrounding him like a second coat. This was no way to greet a woman on shared grounds but, lately, he had little decorum to spare with a devil at the borders.

         

ADELARD

heat stroke, bring the fire black smoke, I take it higher

Walrus didn't mind his aggression until it appeared targeted toward her. Being spoken to so curtly was not a matter she often took lightly, more likely to assert her own dominance than let such slights roll off her back. To have what she wanted, however, she would need to curb her own temper, at least a little. It was impossible to bite her tongue completely as she replied, citrus gaze daring to hover unreservedly about his own rich sights.

"'m doin' jus' fine," she drawled, "but if yer really lookin' ter take that shit mood out on some'in' I c'n oblige"

He could take the challenge as personally as he wanted, or this could actually be productive - it was in his paws, which as alpha she was sure he was accustomed to by now.

The answer that hummed back at him partially soothed him. The idea of her indulging him in a bit of stress relief smoothed the fur along his lower spine. He flashed his teeth as if she had issued him an unbidden warning.

"I'll manage," he rumbled, tail lowering some but still curved behind him. To be frank, one of the reasons he had become so riled up on a daily basis was his near-frantic need to secure the borders. After a season of rest, Adelard was ready to return to his usual high-strung state of being. This was what he thought made a good, diligent leader. He had yet to see the error of his ways. Running himself ragged had fashioned the Leader into an inefficient and witless man. Uncharacteristic.

His tone remained low, gruff and on edge, "What are you doing out here?"

         

ADELARD

heat stroke, bring the fire black smoke, I take it higher

As always, Walrus was prepared for the situation to go south and for her to need to protect herself. Ever since she could remember, the defensive impulses had served her well, enabling her to survive the literal pup-eat-pup world that was her adoptive mother's beach. It seemed she would not be needing them now, however, at least not just yet. He still appeared largely unsoothed, but at least there was no more perceived bite.

The corners of her mouth twitched upwards, curling with a smile that was small but clear against the alabaster of her muzzle.

"Sure," was her ambiguous response to his claim, before he asked after her presence. It was odd, having another adult concern themself so with her activities, to not be a completely independent creature and saddled with expectations, like a mustang pulled from it's herd and penned to be broken.

"Girl can't take a walk?" she asked, cocking a brow and taking a pointed step forward. She might've taken a few more teasing strides toward the forest considered beyond, but her nose twitched as she too now caught the stranger's scent. Her head lowered subtly, a few deep breaths soaking up the information provided. Was this what had him riled so?

"Girl can't take a walk?"

Without saying the word 'no,' he glowered at her. Then in one suave motion, he straightened and prowled closer to match her advance. He could have given her that typical, hunky smolder, as most hunky character tropes often did. He could have given her a wave of his tail and wiggled his brows, and dismiss his bad mood on a whim. Adelard, Knight Errant turned Noble Demon, simply shrugged.

"Flirt with me, ya better think again," another momentary show of clenched teeth. As curt as his tone was, this was a test. A dare. Would she push him further? Would she recoil and submit?

Maybe he should have hired Sawyer to bring back a couple of Guards to help him keep an eye on the Fools Gold Chasm women. Now he had one more to mind.

He managed to maintain his scowl, staring straight into her dark masked face. Preserving the figurative walls he had put up for the past year was paramount. He had decided years ago that no one, apart from his twin sister and appointed mate, would know him for who he truly was. Being a constant wildcard was his only true advantage. He clicked his tongue, what'll it be?

         

ADELARD

heat stroke, bring the fire black smoke, I take it higher

For the time being, it seemed he'd shifted his concerns. While she drank in the odor of stranger, he spoke something of a warning and resultingly monopolized her attention once again. The smile grew in a single direction, now forming a lopsided smirk. She thought it was curious to be challenged so without the urge to take off another's face. Perhaps it was just the burning need boiling in her blood; only time would tell how long she would tolerate the cage's cold bars.

For now, she'd take it as a game. Her gaze settled on his once more without reservation and she took one more step, loud without a sound in itself.

"An' if yer all talk?" she asked, tail giving a teasing wag behind her. Walrus wasn't quite ready to be shown the door, but she did have to wonder - was this possessiveness because Adelard was prepared to meet the women in his pack's needs himself? Or did he truly expect celibacy from his subordinates? The later would complicate her plans, but only briefly. If it was to get what she wanted, she would drop any affiliation in a heartbeat, damned be the consequences.

"What're yer expectin' from us, exactly?"

A preacher's daughter she was not.

"An' if yer all talk?" she countered him utmost perfection.

He could feel the heat of the season already start to grip him from within, temptation beginning to grip. Glinting yellow eyes remained fixed on her every move.

"What're yer expectin' from us, exactly?"

It seemed as if she wanted to play. Adelard steeled himself. He fought the urge to crouch. This was not some wayward vale creature. Neither predator nor prey. Just a woman. Just.

The Leader straightened, sizing her up now. In a tussle, he was sure they could be easily matched. Okay, not bad. "Is loyalty too much to ask?" There was a sliver of warmth in his tone now, and something about the whole of him softened. "Maybe even a clear head?"

(This post was last modified: Mar 12, 2022, 06:48 AM by Adelard.)

         

ADELARD

heat stroke, bring the fire black smoke, I take it higher

Walrus was familiar with that look, and her paws stilled in the snow as her own posture lifted, matching the analytical consideration with which he was eyeing her. Always she was ready for things to come to blows, and this interaction continued to be no exception, even when he chose to discard his edges. Without warning had defined far too many instances in her life. Loyalty was only for blood, and always with limits, always after putting oneself first.

"M'heads clear," she asserted instead, crooked smile back at home on inked lips, "it ain't ran away with hormones n' shit, nor clouded by my feminine desires."

She took a step toward him, batting her lashes to further emphasize those two words before regarding him with a more primal intention.

"I'm grown, n' I know precisely what 'm doin' n' what I want. I s'pose I c'n wait, fer yer to figure it out too."

(This post was last modified: Mar 12, 2022, 04:22 AM by Walrus.)