The slate and silver wolf strode through the forest with practiced grace, the light of the full moon shimmering over his pelt as it filtered through the forest canopy. There was silence all around him and only the faint sound of his breathing and the sound of his paws over the ground could be heard. His head was held high and his tail wagged slightly behind him. He was making his way back to Abaven after seeing his mother, he still couldn’t convince her to return to the pack his uncle had founded. Rhyme hardly remembered Bass, but those faint memories were pleasant.

As he was caught up in his thoughts of a long gone family member the sudden sound of a branch snapping caused him to jump. He didn’t quite stop his quick gate but his ears shot up as he listened for anymore interruption. Rhyme continued on, paying more attention to his surroundings as he continued deeper into the woods.

He tried to rekindle the memories of his aunts and uncles, Bass with his responsibilities in Abaven, Motif Shaye’s mother and practically his second mother. Chord, the uncle who had disappeared long before he’d been able to really form a relationship, and Symphony and her brood. Another aunt he hadn’t remembered very well. For a moment he tried to think about what might have happened to them, and with the spooky settings all he could think of were gruesome ends.

She had remained in Boreas, continuing her investigations and scouting the Northern Continent. She would report back to Malleus eventually, but not without some decent information first. Tonight, she searched for a place to lay her head until morning, and the light of the full moon guided her through the forest. The silence and the darkness made her start to think about her life, and so far...there was a lot that had been accomplished. The Abraxas had gone far and wide, conquering lands and taking over as they went. Malleus was doing a fine job leading them, and Ashiel (as far as she had been aware), had done a good job leading as well. She wasn't quite sure how Razi had done, and Archon had left a bitter impression when he decided to give the pack back to the mortal wolves. Oh well, some Abraxas were more fit to be leaders than others, it seemed.

Distracted a bit by her thoughts, she almost missed the scent that eventually crossed her path. Pausing, she scented the air and noticed that it was a mortal male. She decided to follow the trail, and in her pursuit, ended up stepping on a twig that cracked rather loudly; the sound echoing throughout the forest. She paused for a moment, remaining still with a forepaw in midair as she stared ahead to see if her quarry had noticed. A few moments went by, and nobody seemed to approach. Huh...well, she still had the element of surprise, she supposed.

A few minutes later, she spotted the male ahead of her, and a grin spread across her lips. How close could she get to him before he realized he wasn't alone? It was a game she was very much willing to try, so she quietly stalked forward and hoped the breeze wouldn't shift to give away her position. Circling around to his blindside, Kas quietly moved forward until she was well within striking distance (if she decided to flat out attack him, that is). Once she felt she was close enough, she smirked and in her spookiest voice, said "Boo."

Treat!

Rhyme gets a treat!

Contrary to his dreary mood, and the rather spooky atmosphere, Rhyme is lucky to find a cluster of ancient gemstones below his paws. They look to be quite valuable! Rhyme gains 16 gems!

He tried to shake himself of the dark thoughts, surely his aunts and uncles hadn’t perished so violently. His mother was still kicking, surely a couple of them could be enjoying their golden years in retirement? He also tried to forget about the snapping of the twig that had jerked him so violently, but he still felt like he was being watched. Every few feet the tall Imperialis stopped to look around, feeling foolish every time he did. However in his foolishness he caught the shape of a figure moving within the darkness. He tried to ignore them but after a few more feet it became obvious she was following him. Rhyme felt his defenses increase, and it took everything in him to keep his hackles smoothed. She could have been planning a surprise attack, but he was ready for her if she did. He tried to look like he remained oblivious, but when she got a little too close he found himself whirling around as she let out a quick ‘boo!’ He still jumped, mostly because he had been expecting an attack and not a harmless prank. Rhyme found himself stunned into silence as he watched her through a narrowed gaze, before replying. "Boo… who?" He managed to stifle a chuckle at his own joke. Relieved that she didn’t want a fight he let himself be amused by her sense of humor. ""

She couldn't help the laugh that bubbled past her lips at the male's reaction. Honestly, she didn't think she would get away with getting as close as she did, much less surprise him. His reactions were expected, and she did not falter even when he whirled around to face her. "Boo...who?" Her eyes lit with mirth at the fact he wasn't a spoiled sport about the ordeal. "Aw, I didn't mean to make you cry there, hun." She teased, a sweet smile splitting her maw. She waltzed past him until she was nearly behind him, still maintaining her closeness. With the moonlight shining through the darkness and the trees, it lit up the silvery markings on his body. Turquoise eyes looked him over for a moment. "So, what're you doin' out here all alone, pretty boy? Ghost hunting?" She turned her gaze a little upwards to study his face. He was taller than her, just like most of her own relatives were. Had she stumbled upon a prized specimen? She couldn't say for sure quite yet. She hardly knew him, after all...but that hasn't stopped some of her relatives from pursuing strangers before. Who knew. Maybe she'd get lucky...or maybe she'd have to resort to a few tricks up her metaphorical sleeve. The possibilities of this encounter were endless, and she was eager to see how tonight would play out. speech action

While he didn’t particularly enjoy being laughed at Rhyme couldn’t help but enjoy the sound that flowed from her lips. He joined an amused chuckle with hers as she completed his worn out joke. His dual colored eyes watched her form in the moonlight as her movement caused a swirl of fog to dance around her. He wasn’t disappointed in her company, even if she was a little harsh with her teasing. Still he kept his smile as she inquired about his actions there in the haunted wood. There was something else about her too, he couldn’t quite put his paw on it but he felt like he needed to be closer to her. He felt a tickle go up his back as she called him a ‘pretty boy’ no one had spoken to him like this, and they way she looked at him. He was oddly transfixed. "Yes, I believe I am." Was she a ghost? Was that why he felt so… enthralled? He found himself adopting a mixed look of adoration and apprehension at her presence. ""

"Yes, I believe I am." She smiled coyly at him, her tail slowly waving back and forth as it dispersed her perfume even more. Her season had brought unrest. The woman would use this to her advantage, of course. Even if just to see how far she could get this man to go, if at all. She was, after all, the embodiment of a temptress. She was an Abraxas. A Goddess. No man would deny her. If she wanted something, she would get it one way or another. And by the looks of it, she probably wouldn't even need to use her special hallucinogenic plants. The various potions and poisons she always kept nearby, if not upon her own fur. Luckily for him, she had just cleansed herself of any poisons she might have had earlier. She usually did by nightfall because she had the habit of grooming herself upon waking, and she wasn't about to accidentally kill herself because she was groggy in the morning to remember that she was coated. She took a step closer to him, her head tilting slightly to the side as her sweet smile spread. "I see. And what, pray tell...do you think of Goddesses? Do you believe in such things?" speech action

The ghostly she wolf wagged her tail seductively, renewing the scent that had enthralled him. Instead of deepening the spell Rhyme felt his senses flare and the magic was broken. He remembered the scent from days gone by, he had never been permitted a woman but he knew very well what that scent meant. The time of procreation, and she was very much aware of what it might do to him. He wasn’t sure how he felt about her presence then, but he let himself remain visibly in his entranced state. She moved closer to him, her warmth just as enticing as her scent. Then she spoke of goddesses, and he felt himself detaching a bit more. He didn’t believe in gods or goddesses. Only his own abilities. "I’ve no use for gods and goddesses." He whispered, she was close enough he could reach out and touch her. "The mortal realm is all that matters, I’ve seen no miracles and I’ve known too much pain to believe." ""

She eyed him carefully, taking note of every movement of his body. His eyes. The way he spoke. So he didn't believe in Gods and Goddesses hm? Well that was a problem, wasn't it? The Abraxas mission was pretty straightforward. But would she be able to get this man to see her side of things? Maybe. Maybe not. He was too pretty to let go, after all. And knew she would probably need to use a few tricks up her metaphorical sleeve to achieve this. "Oh honey...we've all experienced pain. But what if I told you that it's possible you forget all of that? To no longer feel that pain?" She tipped her head back slightly to look in his eyes. Almost as if she were trying to see look into his soul. She herself felt pain and sadness. Mostly from her brother Amon's disappearance. But she found little ways to help her forget those feelings. And perhaps she could do the same here. "I can help you, you know." She began. She tilted her head away just a bit, the woman carefully stepping forward until she was slowly walking along his right side. If he didn't move, then her fur would brush his own as she passed him. "Pain and suffering are no good in this world. Such feelings cloud your mind, and you, my dear...are greater than the pain you've felt." As she spoke, the Goddess had done a full circle until she stopped just along his shoulder, her own bodice brushing along his while she did her round. "What do you wish for the most in this realm?" She breathed upon his neck, eyes seeking his once more. speech action

He could feel the pity from her voice, subtle as she commiserated with him. Rhyme had no doubt she had seen her fair share of misery, she couldn’t have been much older than he was. She continued with the thought and offered an out, but Rhyme had no need to escape from reality. He had seen horrendous things, but never once had he sought to erase the feeling those memories gave him. He felt more alive now than ever, and clouding the clarity pain brought didn’t seem right to him. His pains had melted away when he had joined Abaven. He had a pack to keep him busy, he had daily interactions with family, and his mother and father were back together. Rhyme had no use for pain relief. He didn’t change his expression though, he watched the she wolf’s graceful movements. He let himself be caught up in the fluttering of her lashes and the full moon glinting off her upturned eyes. Rhyme didn’t move as she walked back past him, and he felt himself lean into her slightly allowing their fur to mingle. He kept his sapphire and lavender gaze on her as she offered him solace again, finally asking what he desired most as she brought herself more near. He let their gaze meet, charged by the light of the full moon. He felt his lips curl back to show his pearly teeth and they flashed as he spoke back to her. "Your question could yield many answers," his voice came out husky as he attempted to close the distance between them. "If you asked this morning, I would have said to enjoy my breakfast." He leaned in, closing his yes as he enjoyed the pleasant scents that wafted from her fur. "This afternoon, not distracted by my hunger," He added emphasis to the word. "I might have told you prosperity for my pack. And right now in this moment," Rhyme felt his body tingling again. "I would say you." ""

Her fur tingled with subtle excitement the more their fur touched. And when he leaned in towards her, she knew she had him. Then again...was she even really trying to trap him to begin with? Part of her wanted this pretty boy just as much as he seemed to want her. It had been a good long time since she had any sort of closeness with someone in this way. She breathed in his scent, lashes fluttering against his fur. The closeness was almost surreal, but the Goddess knew that their next actions could make it all reality. Though he hadn't answered her question about pain, she felt that perhaps he was in some way, hurting. Whether it was now or in the past, she would take the pain away if only for a night. "Well, if it's me you want...I won't stop you from taking what you wish," She breathed into his ear. She brushed her muzzle against his neck, lips peeling back slightly to delicately nibble at his skin as she further pressed herself into him. Heat rose within her body, fur tingling with electricity as they touched. "The moonlight suits you, pretty boy..." She murmured. Her head tilted upward, gently placing kisses beneath his jaw and down his neck. She pressed her body against his, moving similar to how a cat rubbed against things. She wanted this man to take her, to make her feel something to forget the loneliness she had been feeling for so long... speech action

She didn’t shy away from his touch, instead she leaned into him. She spoke with her actions, and he knew she was willing as he. Rhyme was easily consumed by her presence, her closeness making his ears beat with the sound of his heart pounding. He felt heat wherever she pressed against him, and blushed as her lips brushed against his ear. All he need do was take her. Her teeth against his skin sent volts of electricity through him. He tried to keep his movements fluid, but his inexperience would be glaringly obvious to an experienced partner. She whispered to him again as she kissed his jawline and he felt himself yielding to his primal instincts. It was easy to just fall, forget the world and enjoy the chance encounter with her. Rhyme didn’t think about the fact that he hadn’t even learned her name. She didn’t seem to notice either as she leaned into him. He smiled ravenously before heeding the eager touch and letting himself fall into her world. -fade- ""

He fell for his advances. Though in a sense, she wasn't sure if she was even really trying to trick him. Part of her wanted this. To feel the touch of another, mortal or otherwise. subconsciously, the loneliness drove her to act this way. Craving the warmth of another, though she knew this would be no more than a one night stand. She was fine with that. Unlike some of her family members, she didn't think she could settle for a mortal male that had yet to prove himself. Although the temptation to take this one home with her was strong...but alas, it was not her call to make at this moment. And even then, she wasn't even thinking of that right now. All she thought about was the way this man touched her, falling into her, made her feel. His warmth over her was welcome, and it was evident in the way she pressed her body against his and welcomed him. While Kas wasn't oblivious to many things, her mind was solely on this man and the electric feelings he sent rushing through her. Her mind wasn't on pups. Or the possibility that she'd get pregnant after tonight, no. Her mind was focused on erasing that loneliness she felt, even if just for a night. After this, they would probably part ways. Or maybe he'd choose to be a gentleman and stay the night with her before she left in the morning... -Fade to black- speech action

Yay phone post


They enjoyed each other for a long time, and he didn't relinquish her until he was utterly exhausted. Rhyme held no complaints, and enjoyed every moment. He wasn't about to make the trip back to Abaven that night and made the conscious decision to wrap himself around her until the morning dawned. He still knew nothing about her and dismissed completely the possibility of getting her pregnant. Rhyme had been totally consumed in the indulgence. 

By the next morning he still held no regrets for his actions, though as the early sun reached his eyes he was much more curious about the woman in his arms. He'd originally thought her a ghost, but he could attest she was anything but. Rhyme stirred groggily, finding himself nuzzling into the warm fur of his first fling. 

"Good morning, my goddess." He rumbled, still not knowing her name but remembering what she had said the night before. Not that he would have ever believed she was some divine being, she had succumbed to her primal instincts as easily as he had. "You're a talented lover," not that he had any others to compare her to. "I'm sure that's not all you're good at though." He whispered into her ear, wondering if she were a healer or fighter. "Why were you out here all alone for?"