Contemplation [OPEN]

[Malo]

She moved slowly through the lands, making her way towards the Deadlands as the wind whipped through her thickening coat. She understood how the harsh climate of this part of the territory had gotten its name, but with the weather getting colder by the day the lands seemed even more barren and unwelcoming. But that was alright with her.

The terrain seemed to match the tension and mood that was ever present in the weeks before an impending battle. Then again, there was always an aire of caution in the Moons lands. But Fallon, like the rest of her packmates, knew this was different. Many of them were young, far younger than half of Duke's age. And how old was Rose? Five, six at the most? Maybe younger than that, Fallon wasn't quite sure. That meant the war would be the first real battle for many of them. There were the usual scraps during meals or just for fun, but nothing that had any severe risks involved. She didn't know how the others were handling the situation, but she wanted to be prepared.

She'd spent many days hunting on her own, just chasing her prey; she wanted to build her speed and endurance. She was a stockier built female and could pack a punch when necessary, but she refused to be outmaneuvered, if possible. But for the past few days, she'd put her training on pause. She hadn't been feeling completely well and hoped a break would help.

So here she was, wandering their "homelands" to see what effect the changing weather was having so far. The leaves hadn't completely withered away from the trees, but the grass was now a dull brown and the ground was hardening from the cold. It was an eery reminder of the battle that was to come and the piles of bodies that would come with it.

[[Midnight]]

Violence and death, just on the horizon.

Funny, not much has changed; the feeling is just like home for Justyn. When Caerwyn wasn't anywhere to be seen, his mother was always staring off into the distant mountains, her yellow eyes full of obvious dread and those well-kept secrets of hers. Justyn remembered the feeling like it had never grown stale - looking up at her face, feeling a burning anger in the pit of his stomach while he desperately wished for the strength to kill the demons that haunted her the entire pack. It was a helpless feeling.

Of course, the strength he'd always wished for never came to him. Nature took care of things on its own and left him an opportunity to leave his past behind him.

Still, he was used to this feeling. The tension was the norm. At times he wondered why he felt helpless, but he was quick to remember his conversation wih Rose not so long ago. But to remember their bitter parting only caused him pain that twisted somewhere in his heart, so he was instinctively starting to shut away all his worries having to do with war and with Rose. Instead, he started to become obsessive over other things.

His body quivered, nostrils flaring as he caught wind of a familiar scent. There were so many emotions inside of him now, battling with one another and, albeit his good intentions, he sometimes felt the testosterone was more often than not steering the thoughts in his head and the movement of his body. The scent of female was all around him, driving him into wild moods. Sometimes the feelings were like ecstasy, but mostly, he was skittish. He tried to keep to himself whenever he could.

But not today. This smell was, unfortunately, the only one that made his heart race with such speed that he felt lightheaded. He could not fight his instincts and only clenched his jaws with mild anxiety as he changed his jogging route to intercept the source of such an intoxicating aroma.

The ancitipation of seeing her blinded all other thought. He took no notice of the white-pelted hare that darted right in front of his line of vision. He didn't take the time to admire the scenery, which looked as fragile as fresh ice lining the riverbanks. Everything was still and quiet and blindingly white with powdered snow several feet deep. With his huge girth, Justyn sank into the snow just a tad, but fortunately his paws were parallel to the rest of his dimensions. He glided along the Deadlands with puppish speed, his jaws parted. He left clouds of vapor behind his head with every breath.

In this time of year, he could spot her orange-hued fur over a mile away. They both stood out like sore thumbs in this desolate wasteland. His eyes grew far more determined now that vision complimented the image that his nose had subconciously created.

He gave no vocal greeting as he approached, just picked up his pace and finally slowed when he was close enough to clearly make out her facial features.

An odd feeling of embarassment came over him. Uncertainty. Was she alone? Had some other lovestruck male caught her scent and decided to tag along with her in hopes of winning her heart? He would fight for his rights to be exclusively hers, without hesitation.

What a stupid thought. There wasn't any other soul around for miles; his eyes were enough to confirm this, if not his nose. He couldn't help but grin with pride, though with all honesty he knew not what he had to be proud of. What was different about this scenario from any other encounter?

He tactfully glanced towards that paw of hers, wondering if it was giving her any trouble. Then he remembered his manners; he hadn't said 'hello.' He gave a growl that was more of a desperate whine than anything.

Justyn was finally all hers.

[Malo]

Her ears moved ever so slightly as the familiar sound of his paws drew closer. They reminded her of newborn fawns; loud and frequent, though the familiar sounds came from his large size rather than clumsy inexperience. As the wind whipped around them, bringing his scent to her nose, she inhaled deeply. Her mind whirled with fond memories of his presence; her body shuddered in anticipation of his warm and embracing greeting.

She allowed a small smile to cross her face before he materialized before her. How long had it been since they'd been together? A few weeks? Possibly a month or so? It felt much longer than that, but she knew it couldn't possibly be. She welcomed the sight of him, moving towards him to close the gap quickly, meeting his puppish whine by pushing her head into the thick fur of his chest.

Normally she would stray away from her packmates, avoiding work and the ever present drama and snarky remarks that came with them, but she could never deny him. He made her feel like she could do whatever she so pleased without the thought of being judged. She could relax her body and mind, the worries of being turned on vaporizing like mist. He offered her protection, peace of mind, but it was more than that. He gave her friendship when she was sure she was unworthy; he gave her encouragement, no matter how harsh, when she needed it most. He gave her a sense of belonging that she hadn’t had, even in the pack, ever since the day she lost her family. Hell, even when she had them again, albeit for a short time, he made her feel more at home in Falling Moon than they ever did.

Whenever he called, she would take it upon herself to always answer. She would never turn him away, and he knew it. At least she hoped he did. But seeing his expression, his willingness to be with her, she realized she no longer had to worry about what he thought of her.

She reluctantly pulled away from him, staring into his eyes and examining him, soaking in the way he looked and smelled, adding it to the imprinted vision of him she always had in the back of her mind. But there was something different about him today. The way he looked at her, his demeanor…she knew. Where his loyalties lay was no longer of concern.

[[Midnight]]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,529,true][bg=000000] It was so odd, in some ways, to see their relationship having taken this turn. Any tension they previously had, any struggle for them to remain always platonic, had melted away somehow. Amazing, how time changed things. It was also frightening, too, when he thought of how someday they would be seperated. Somehow, someway, time would take one away from the other, and it made Justyn think. He was too dependent on others for his own happiness. What would he ever do without Fallon? Negative thoughts like these were instantaneous and gone as quick as they came. As she buried herself along the fur of his chest, he felt his excitement soar and his inner contentment elevate. This was what he'd been searching for all along. She had pulled away to look at him, and he watched only her eyes as she scanned him, wondering what she thought of him. What he saw in her eyes made him sure that this was not a lie of any kind. They belonged to one another. For once, Justyn hadn't been rejected or denied the attention he'd craved all his life. "Your scent drives me wild. Can you stop smelling so good, please?" he spoke with a gruffness to his tone, that revealed all the pleasure he was feeling now. He lifted a forepaw to swiped playfully at her shoulder, his head lowering below hers so he could nuzzle his nose right into her lower jaw. "It makes me jealous to think that you leave a scent trail for everyone."

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[Malo]

Fallon couldn't help but smirk as Justyn finally broke the silence. She rubbed her chin along his snout until she could see into his own golden gaze. "I'll try to remember to cover my tracks next time," she chuckled, backing away to stretch and sit down. She was slightly exasperated; even short trips were beginning to take small tolls on her, and her journey into the Deadlands had gotten her blood flowing.

"How are you, Justyn?" Her question was loaded with genuine curiosity, but there was the hint of seriousness and worry. She had done everything in her power to stay fighting fit in light of current events. She could do as she pleased, whenever she felt like doing so; Duke was nonchalant about the activities of his followers, except when it was necessary for them to rally. Justyn had no such luxuries as "alone time". His position pretty much required him to be away for long periods of time; she didn't know why, but she had sensed a change in Justyn for the better. He was more involved in his duties as Beta, and while it brought Fallon a sense of pride, she couldn't help but yearn for his presence when he was away.

She wanted to know just what he had been doing as of late. Had he talked to Duke recently? What were his thoughts on the loyalties of those two former Stars? Where had he been? Was he prepared for an invasion? She doubted he was as worried about the battle as she was, but she would withold her opinions for now.