Hearthwood River menacing figures

heat thread 2/?

She went beyond the falls again.

Not that she avoided the men of the Falls — anymore than she normally would have — but it seemed easier that way. After all, they could always find her. Beyond the borders or within it. Perhaps that was why she rubbed against a tree here and there. A scent trail left behind for those aligned with the Falls or even those outside of it.

Although she had also come to scavenger among what remained of a frozen carcass. Prepared to bring some of it back to the Falls as well if she could manage.

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It had been several days since Toklo had met with Isla. He couldn't stop thinking about her. He didn't want to tell her yet, but he had started to like her. He just had to figure out a way to go past that hard shell that doesn't let anyone in.

He had following her scent trail for a while now, trying to gain the courage needed to talk to her. She eventually reached some of the carcasses that the pack had left behind. There, Toklo did what he always did when he was thinking: he paced back and forth in a circle.

"How do I approach this?" Toklo thought to himself. "Do I outright just say "Hey Isla, I think I kind of like you, do you kind of like me?"?" In either case, he needed to do something to draw her attention.

Toklo went with the strategy of being as cordial as possible. He came into view of Isla saying "How do you do Madam Isla? Would you care for some help carrying those back to our camp?"

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Who do I have to kill to make everybody love me?

I want it, I'll win it, call it ambitious

She raised and turned her head. Eyes fixed firmly on the familiar figure. Although her tail raised, it waved as well. She would allow him closer despite delicate circumstances. Admittedly she found the carcass just as interesting as anything else right now.

Yet she had not been oblivious to the way he addressed her now. Enough that she balked for a moment and remained silent, staring.

Madam? Was all she said for now with a crooked grin. His offered help was ignored for the moment. She saw a chance to perhaps toy with him again and it filled her with a great delight.

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Toklo almost immediately became flustered at her remark. "Um-I...Uhh...Yes! I thought, you know, since you're all "prim and proper" like, maybe you would prefer to be addressed as such. To be honest, I thought it would impress you if I was more "serious" and "charming". If you couldn't tell, that isn't my strong suit."

Since she hadn't said no to the offer of helping her carry the meat, he went over closer to her. He studied the carcasses closer to see how he could carry the most meat back.

"If you want, If you place one the pieces over my back, I could help carry some of the meat back." Toklo offered.

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i am a dark red liver stretched out on the rocks

All the poison, I convert it and I turn it to love

Toklo seemed to be filled with more surprises than Isla had ever anticipated. Big words thrown out and she wondered if he knew the weight with what he spoke. She wanted to be impressed. Yet even she was not certain what would cross her threshold into impressed.

She did not think charming was on the list. Serious though...? She tried to imagine him as serious and proper.

Not yet, She instructed him with a soft tcht of her teeth. I am not ready to go back. She dared to reach out with him with her teeth. To see if he might allow her to grab a hold of one of his grey ears.

---

Isla made a daring gesture, and bit down on Toklo's ear. What he made up for with his excellent sense of smell and strength, he definitely lacked in being able to dodge easy on-coming attacks.

"YEEOOOOWCH! What did you do that for?!" Toklo yelped, side stepping to get her off him.

He started to laugh, as he said in a mocking Isla tone " All you had to say was "No Toklo, that was very kind of you to offer, but I am not ready. By the way, you look very handsome today. Did you clean your fur just for me?"!". He had in fact went to the freezing falls water to clean any dirt and muck away. It nearly took him an hour due to having to take time to get warm in between cleaning.

He needed to get her back, so in a mad dash, he twisted around and tried to bite her tail in protest.

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(This post was last modified: Mar 13, 2024, 01:19 AM by Toklo.)

i am a dark red liver stretched out on the rocks

All the poison, I convert it and I turn it to love

Her eyes might as well have turned into stars in that moment. Delighted by his retaliation. He mocked her, said things she would never say! She found that this was perhaps the best part of him. She wondered if there were truths in what he said of himself though. Had he bothered to clean himself? What for?

She might have investigated him with encroaching sniffing had he not snipped at her tail. Which, in her eyes, showed that he could handle her abrasiveness, perhaps. So while he had her tail, she shoved her weight back into him as her teeth clicked at the air for show.

---

A low emanating growl escaped Toklo's lips as Isla bumped into him and showed her teeth. He wasn't afraid! She was just turning two by the looks of it, which meant that he also help seniority over her.

Toklo lifted up on his hind legs, and tried to push Isla over. "There! I won!" Toklo cheered. He pranced all around her, feeling giddy at his accomplishment.

"How does it feel to be bested by the strongest male you've ever seen, huh?"

He looked down, seeing if she needed help getting up.

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i am a dark red liver stretched out on the rocks

All the poison, I convert it and I turn it to love

Strongest male.

She fixed him with a curious glare, tail waved about as she stood on her own again. Paced a little half circle around him as she examined him. She snorted with something that dared to edge towards humor in its tone.

Why'd you follow?

She closed in on him a bit, again, but this time without teeth or shoving. Only to simply see him up close. Examine the greys and whites of his hair. His eyes seemed so bright, vibrant. An orange that would have been hard to miss. Not that her pale blue eyes hid any better when she didn't want to be spotted.

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A look of worry swept across his muzzle. Had he gone too far by following her?

He choked on his words trying to explain himself. "Oh! I-Um...I didn't know you could see me..." He stood there while she examined him closely. She looked elegant against the white backdrop of snow.

"I was actually wanting to meet up with you earlier, but every time that I wanted to, I got too nervous and had to step back. I wanted to make a good impression on you, but I wanted to make it the right moment. I'm sorry if I scared you or made you anxious. That was not my intention."

He looked at her intensely to see what her reaction would be at his remarks.

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