Cold Water Creek lunchbox

For @Rhaegara midnight, clear, -6C/21F

Back on the coast to coast life

& You know I live for the hustle

Now he had done it all, everything that he had come here for. He found the Ridge, the Scowle, saw his cousins and a few extras, had a fling or two. Hell, for fun he had even climbed the mountain so he could be the highest wolf in the world, even if just for a few minutes. Hellhound had been intrigued by the forest below and had begun his trek down the mountain going the opposite direction of home. But, what was a short detour?

So he had made his way down through the rocky passes and came out into a forest just beginning to come alive with spring. Temperatures reaching into the positives had begun to melt the first of the snow, and birds were returning to singing in the trees. Other than that, it looked like most other woods he had seen, the noteworthy red ferns still buried by the taller snow banks other than the odd dead leaf.

He had only stopped his meandering for a drink from the creek that had barely begun it’s spring swell; he caught sight of himself in the reflection. Lopsided grin was met with a wink, he was a handsome devil wasn’t he?

Rhaegara had taken a moment to get out of the territory and breathe. She had been putting it off, remembering how a quick breeze away from the group had changed her life. She was grateful for Enera’s presence in her life, but she was not certain she desired to bear another litter. Still, the itching burn in her spine had driven her to wander, to isolate from the other women if only for a short amount of time.

She found her way to the Creek, head tilted to the side as she noticed that she was not alone. The scent was distinctly male and a shiver rode down her spine. He was looking in the water, a soft hum from her lips. “What are you up to?” She cooed out softly as she moved forward, aiming to get a sight at the boy’s face.

Back on the coast to coast life

& You know I live for the hustle

The voice startled Hellhound, but he thankfully was cool enough not to let it show, and instead turned his head slowly. Peach eyes slowly moved her frame from toe to tail, making a show of drinking in her appearance. The man got to his paws and smiled, ”Well, I were bein' lookin' at meself in th' water, but now that ye’re here there’s a much better view.”He meant it, and that was saying something, he liked the way that he looked a lot.

Letting out a quick huff of breath he continued, ”Speakin' o', gorgeous thin' like yourself out here all alone in th' dark, ye need a little company?” He made a grand gesture towards the sky above, stars glimmering in the break of the tree tops, the night cold enough that it made everything appear crisp. ”Fancy a night out under th' stars?” He was a gentleman afterall, he could be romantic every once and a while. If that’s what she wanted, and he could only assume anyone lady such as herself was out here for one reason and one reason only. Just like the willow stranger had said, there was an itch that needs scratching,

His language was hard to follow, finding his paws as he spoke. She understood the gist of it. He was flirting with her which allowed her to flash a smile in his direction. “Oh yeah? Me? Compared to a handsome man such as yourself? I’m flattered you’d tear yourself away from your own reflection.” There was only a hint of a tease. It was clear he was a vain man, but he was a man and that meant he could serve a purpose to her.

Was she really going to go down this road again?

She found a smirk on her features, the question finding her. “Careful, this gorgeous thing knows how to bite.” She warned with a wink as she found herself step into a flirty tone that she had abandoned for an entire year. Perhaps this time she’d even remember to get a name of the sire should children come from it. She found herself looking him up and down. “But perhaps I could be convinced…” She trailed off, turning and taking a few steps back, her tail swaying from side to side as she dared him to chase her. He was going to have to work for it.

Back on the coast to coast life

& You know I live for the hustle

Oh she was quick, he liked that. His grin grew and he chuckled at her teasing tone, he was not too proud to take some flirtatious banter. Had she said it as an insult he may have needed to teach her a lesson, but he could take a few pokes from a pretty girl if that meant he could poke her with…well you know. ”Well, I won’t lie, it takes a beauty like yourself fer me t' look up sometimes,” He took a step forward, he enticing smell swirling all around them, ”But god ye be stunning aren’t ye?” But, he was a gentleman and had promised her a date.

His eyes sparkled playfully, and he chomped his jaws at her words, he wasn’t afraid of a bite or two in the grand scheme of things. She was turning away and Hellhound was quick to catch him, running his shoulder along her flank as he came to her side. He drawled, ”It’s a good thin' I can be mighty convincin' then isn’t it?” But what could he do, she must have standards because she wasn’t just taking him to the nearest bush.

He had to think quickly, ”I bet I can guess yer name, or, maybe even give ye a new one, a special one just fer us,” and just for tonight he thought to himself and smirked. He had no plans on seeing this broad again.

Rhaegara could not help but smirk as he took a step forward. “I am, at least, that is what I have been told before.” She cooed out softly because she knew she had looks. She had already had one man blinded by her beauty a year ago so she couldn’t have been that repulsive. Her head tilted to the side and then his shoulders brushed her flank, her tail flicking in a dismissing manner. She would not be as easy as she was the year before. She’d learned her lesson.

She hummed at his offer. “Why don’t we start with your name, stud? Then maybe you can guess mine.” She smirked, a wink and a clearly curious intonation. She had no plans of seeing this man again, simply playing him a bit, scratching her itch, and running away for the hills, or more of, for the Chasm. She couldn’t be sequestered with this feeling in her spine anymore. She needed the outlet that she knew this encounter could give her.

Back on the coast to coast life

& You know I live for the hustle

Ah, confident, interesting. Typically the women he ventured upon were not quite so witty and sure of themselves, this was a change. He liked it, he thought. He would make up his mind whether he was into empowered women when the night was over. She was humming and then came back without answering his question, he shot a glance at her out the side of his eye, what kind of game was she playing? He had thought this was going to be easy.

Flicking her with his tail playfully he chuckled, ”If I told ye me name ye wouldn’t believe me, so why don’t ye give me a new one.” He didn’t want anyone chasing him down at the beach demanding he take responsibility for his actions. That was not his style, he didn’t even think about what he left behind. Maybe he had a whole gaggle of kids out there, who knows. Point was, he was not dropping the Archer name unless he definitely had to.

Looking up to the sky he added, ”I’ll go first, I’ll call ye Vela, aft th' star.” Maybe that would impress her a little, he did know a lot of the star names, a side effect of growing up on the beach.

She had been raised to be confident in herself, and the past year had told her to never doubt her actions, from conceiving and birthing Enera to Aweho going missing to confronting Woya on the treatment of her daughter… Sirius’ death… the child that was never hers but she loved fiercely all the same…

She raised a brow when he said she wouldn’t believe his name and then he named her Vela… she supposed a name she created was better than none at all. “I’ll call you Adonis.” She cooed back with a smirk on her features, moving close again this time. “After the myth… are you familiar?” She questioned. “Will you be my Adonis for the night?” She asked again with a smirk.

Back on the coast to coast life

& You know I live for the hustle

If Hellhound were a house cat he would have purred at her words. Adonis, he could get used to that name, he was certainly handsome enough for it. He nibbled on the soft spot behind her ear and whispered, ”I be very familiar, and I think ye’ll find I can live up t' th' tale ” He liked to think himself somewhat of an adonis in his everyday life, so it seemed suiting to have that be his name for the night. He draped his tail over her haunches as they walked, ”Do ye be knowin' any place aroun' here that might offer us a little privacy, Vela? ”

Or they could stay out in the open, he did not care much for semantics. Hellhound looked her over one more time up and down. He certainly had not been lying when he had called her beautiful. The moon suddenly beamed down as they walked, illuminating each other clearly with the light coming directly from above. The man winked at her, and then used his muzzle to gesture for “Vela” to come closer.

Flattery would get her everywhere, and at that moment she simply wanted to rid herself of what she viewed as the awful side effects to her heat. He was familiar, the way he spoke still confusing to her but coherent enough for her to understand what he was saying… for the most part. She really didn’t need to understand his words. She really only needed him for one thing.

She smirked at the question, a wink in her direction and his tail catching her haunches as they walked. “I know a place or two… but one comes to mind…” She lured softly her siren’s call. She made her way closer, running her maw along his neck, whisking him away to satisfy her craving and no doubt his own in the process.

FADE