If You Could [Espeesix x TakodaVega]

[TakodaVega]

His nightly prowl was a solo mission, something he had drilled into her head once it was more apparent she was staying. Without his need to hunt constantly his prowls were limited to this main one. She didn't seem to mind though, he seemed calmer afterward and she liked to see him relax. She had already worked through one of the fish on his excursion, the silver scales lining along the pelt at her feet.

Morrana's ears perked as she heard him approach, flashing him a smile before moving to return to her work, however it wasn't long until his large paw slunk around her hip and she was pulled directly into his lap. His warm body encased her as she relaxed into his hold. As much as she wanted to finish the task at hand to feed the both of them. "I know," she said gently, murring when he caressed along the side of her neck.

She relished when he actually was affectionate with her, particularly when he instigated it. At night she was acting more out of instinct, he seemed to make sure that sometime during the night so that their den wasn't discovered by the firelight which left only him mostly to keep her warm after it died. Her winter coat was starting to come in patches, mostly along her shoulders and hips, practically midnight in color to keep her completely hidden from view in their den. That could pose to be an advantage should they have an unexpected company as she would blend in to the shadows.

It also meant she would be highly valuable should someone think she'd be more needed elsewhere other than under the watchful eye of the alpha who held her like a precious creature that would break outside of his hold. Though she knew that a simple tug and she'd be free she wasn't ready to move from that safe hold yet. "What else do we need to be ready before the frost settles in?" Her tail wagged lightly. "Will it snow soon?" She was rather excited with the winter to come. She never really disliked it, perhaps the advantage of the pack. All the members slept together into a giant pile to keep everyone warm, and there were always games with the younger members of the pack. It would be nice to see the playful side of Vancus.

Her ears flicked back when he mentioned company to come. "I hope they won't be too much trouble," she said gently, slowly puling from his hold so that she could finish up descaling the fish for dinner tonight. Since she had come into his care after they had dissuading the whole him going to eat her thing, she had relaxed and grown to love the attention he seemed to give her. There were obvious moments like earlier it was more obvious that it was something special and rare, he was protective of her and she was starting to get used to that treatment. Though packless she felt closer to him than she had with her pack...maybe that was what knowing who your partner would be. Her mother had talked about simply just knowing that her father and herself were meant to for it. Maybe the same was true with Vancus for Morrana.

[Espeesix]

Vancus large paws cupped along the sides of her thin waste and he would feel especially vigorous tonight.  The moon was nearing its state of fullness when it would light the world with its blessed aura.  Though, as past encounters had taught, the male was no longer so interested in the captivating shine of a wolf's spirited luminosity.  Deeper, his maw would bury itself to the neck of the wolfess and she would feel the familiar chilling tug followed by warmth washing over the back of her neck as he all but drank her unique scent. 

Vancus was pleased when she did not extricate herself from the comfort of his lap.  This showed with paws beginning to clutch her in place by her hips only to swirl hastily up around to hold across her slim stomach.  Her inky pelt was attractive to any male.  The way it hid her not only during a hunt, but also in times of danger where hiding might be the strongest defense.  That her winter pelt was also ebony surprised him.  Even his was not as pure as the midnight hour.
 
"I suspect the first frost to be within a week's time.  The first snow?  Not long after that."  Growling belly demanded that he allow his she-wolf partner to return to her work at descaling the morsels of food for their dinner.  Though, paws only swung around to prop up his back while not only leaving lap open to her, but close enough where she might continue her needed work.  "The winter starts early, and does not end until late.  But, you know this if any of your time has been spent at these elevations."  The wolf's lips pealed back with a grin highlighted by whitened teeth that glowed in the moon's breath.

"Plenty of stores."  The wolf replied.  "Fish are plentiful, but they do not last for long.  When the first snows begin they will freeze the river making catching fish a very difficult process.  Not to mention needlessly risky.  If the ice is too thick, we stand more a chance of injuring ourselves.  If the ice is too thin, well, it is unlikely we'll see another spring."  He growled and latched his paws around her again.  "And I am not ready to lose you yet.  Not before..."  he trailed off midsentence to let her fill it in with her own thoughts.  "Scarce food will be first, but the cold will be our second enemy.  Storms build rapidly, and have been known to last for days before dispersing.  The clouds get hung up in these mountains worse than those of rain."  He smiled to her, and loosened his hold about her small body.  "But, I've lived here many seasons.  Having you will only make things more pleasant."

What went through her mind could not have been guessed by the wolf.  Though he knew she was pondering something.  Anyone that might have known her for but a few moments could be able to tell that much.  Still, he focused on her obvious concern for the likely visitors they were probably to receive.  "They come yearly, and get driven off in the same time.  We all look for a place to settle before the onset of winter.  I don't blame them, but that doesn't mean I'll shelter them unless they can offer me something in return.  So far, you're the only one who's done that."  He snorted and sat happily with her.  "Something's on your mind.  Just what are you considering?"  he then questioned, curiosity outweighing portrayed disinterest. 

[TakodaVega]

The Moon, though heavy as it was, didn't chase Vancus' attention from her as she worked. She was ever aware of his large paws moving along her sides, the surprising gentle touches from such a brute of a male would normally have caught any suspecting onlooker offguard. With Morrana, despite his earlier threats to her person, he had never once harmed a hair on her head. She rather liked when he was being sweet, as rare and far between as it could be.

Though her scent was completely hers anymore, now that he had made sure that his scent covered her, she was still very much her own unique taste. His warm hold around her middle made her tilt her head to look up at him with this golden eyes, pausing in her work to give him her own vixen like smile. She was definitely a character in her own way, and seemed to have grown to accept that.

"How hard will the hunts be should we run out?" Though she doubted the would run out for a time, but she was still cautious. She wasn't sure how she would keep them from growing bored if there wasn't a time to play in all the madness of winter. "We were never this high. But the valley could even be worse at times. The snows seemed to be deeper and harder to go through.  Perhaps that's why we had such a large pack, to keep everyone warm." Her nose twitched before she settled about to continue her work, putting the cleaned fish over to one side while working on the others.

She didn't usually talk about her past much, not unless he asked her about it. There were still very tender scars that needed healing, but she was healthy now and a very content lady in his keeping. She had a feeling it would stay that way too. She yipped softly though when he suddenly grabbed around her middle. "Before what?" She barely whispered, but her imagination ran rampant, but was soon brought back down to earth with his voice continuing the subject at hand.

She seldom liked the fog, it held far too many things that obstructed her view, and promised to hide enemies if she wasn't careful. She had Vancus, but he did like to prowl on more than one occasion. "I'm..just wary I guess about travelers is all. Travelers can mean trouble." Like with her pack which made her tail flick at the thought. However that wasn't really what was on her mind, and rather him smell out a half-truth out of her, she paused what she was doing. Turning a bit in his lap, she looked up at his golden hues and focused on him fully. "I was thinking...about us." She finally admitted before looking shy, it took a lot for her to admit something on that scale.

Though she was fairly open with Vancus, he seldom seemed outside of his aloof nature, even when it was sweet times like this. Though there were always small cracks like when his curiosity got the better of him, he was who he was. Anxious she drew circles along her fur, trying to distract from what she had just said.

[Espeesix]

Vancus' gaze had drifted off to some foreign afterthought of an unrelated topic.  The male was content to remain there, happy to feel the pelt of his sweet little wolfess meshing between his digits.  The night air was cool, but the first frost was still some days away.  Something that Vancus neither looked forward to, nor scowled at the idea of.  It did mean a winter cooped up with her if nothing more.  A not so terrible ideal.

The brute had to pause when she had swiveled in place and gave that vixen's smile, but smile of his own was returned in due process.  Her pelt did heavily scent of him, much like his carried her own.  They were a mated pair by every definition save for their lack of cubs.  Perhaps someday, that too would be rectified.  The idle thought vanished to the wisps of the air as much as any ordinary passing thought.

"Hunting will not be easy."  The wolf began.  The wind blows scent all over the place, making tracking a difficult effort."  He shook his head and groaned noticeably at likely passed failed attempts.  Though, the snow is not as deep as you are likely familiar to.  Up here, the trees will protect most of the landscape.  Though even the are only so effective.  A single long session could mean mounts that we would need to traverse."  Vancus grumbled and brow furrowed with deepened thoughts of the coming winter.  "Still, not all will be bad.  If you've seen one winter, you've seen them all.  It doesn't concern me anymore than any past winter has."  He admitted.

With shifting wind, Vancus would pluck his little wolfess from his lap and placed her right back onto the ground where she'd been before he'd snatched her up.  The dirt bulged under her when he pressed his feet down and stood swiftly.  Though, as feet carried him around the area to both stretch and explore in some sense of the word, he would eventually stop in place and turned to face her.  A simple wink had been given to her question though was otherwise ignored when he had continued.

Outside travelers were always a problem that would need to be dealt with.  That much was certain enough.  "They won't harm you so long as I am near.  Just call me if they find you.  The call alone should scare off any predator, and any male wolf would already pass you by on the basis that my scent currently clings to your fur. Besides, more often than not, you'll be at my side anyway."  He grinned down to her, and suddenly wrapped his arms around to shove her to the ground.  A dominate, perhaps even near playful display as he nipped at her ear tip once before allowing her to scramble back to her feet if she so chose.  If not, he remained looming over her, with feet pressed to the ground and forepaws also holding in place amid his legs. 

Then, however, she admitted the truest nature of her musings.  It wasn't the potential for invaders that bothered her.  It was the possibilities of their future that captivated her.  Try as she might, nothing would distract the male from the statement.  Though with lengthened pause, he wouldn't answer her for some time after.  Eyes had turned to stare off, and pondering hum soon added.  Finally, his voice broke through the awkward silence.  "And...just what about use, were you thinking?"

[TakodaVega]

Though Vancus had no worries of the coming frost that was a far different story for his charge at the moment. The closer to winter it came the more likely the tension would come back between them. If only because the coming snows meant that a female like herself would be seen as a prize to be won. Though as far she was concerned the only male that deserved her was Vancus, though how would she broach such a subject with him?  She hadn't figured that out exactly as she watched him with those golden hues of hers.

Though at his tackle she was forced to drop what she was doing to the fish and she was soon pinned beneath his warm form. He was always playful at times with her, never forcing her into anything so to speak but still very much an alpha. Though instead of trying to escape to get back to her task she stayed put this time. Him over her with his hot breath along her ear as he started to nip at it gentle sending a shiver down her spine, caused her tail to wag slightly before she slowly pulled herself up. Not necessarily away from him but more so she could sit up properly and lightly touch his face with one of her long fingers tapered with those claws of hers.

She may be a she-wolf but she still had the power to wield as an alphess, only she would be his and the only thing that changed would be that last key portion that promised a line of succession. Though that power came with great responsibility and her trusting the large wolf to keep them all safe from harm. Her thoughts of course were kept to herself before she moved again only this time she nuzzled against his cheek in tender affection. Her voice was quiet though as she spoke, "Pups, between us." She wasn't in season yet judging by her scent but that time would come and neither of them would be able to fight that pull for long.

She tilted her ears back slightly before perking back forward. She knew he wasn't a pack wolf but that didn't mean that the needs of a bloodline would be loss to either of them. "I could imagine them running amok and chasing after you." She slid away from him only to dragged the finished closer to the fire though she could feel him watching her. What would he think of that idea? Granted by now she had been in his company for what felt like moons now it was only a matter of time before the subject came up.