The winter season had arrived. The life that had been flaunted through nature during spring and summer had succumbed to autumn, making it slowly withdraw into hibernation until winter had come back around. The tree branches were bare, all of the colors had faded into nonexistence, and there seemed to be less wild prey in the surrounding terrain. It would break any good-natured wolf's heart whom was dying from hunger. For Maija, it was a challenge she willingly accepted. Her golden fur was brushed by the cold winter wind that swept across her newly claimed home. She stood outside of her den, peering from the trail that showed the vast of Tortuga's territory below. Maija had never been one to notice the beauty in scenery -- rolling hills, moonlit nights, or the peaceful image of the ocean against the beach -- so she didn't pay attention to the details that made her bedside view worth watching. Instead, she was mentally picking apart the land, looking for potential hiding places that her breakfast was lurking. Survival instincts were still primary in her mind and she was using them to figure out where the food could be. A nearby sound made her left ear twitch and turn backward. She heard muffled steps of the large paws that belonged to Taurig as he slowly approached. She had chosen a den that was near his, knowing that his intentions were honorable and he was the only person she knew since joining Tortuga. If he had any objections, then he didn't voice them and Maija silently appreciated it. Progress was being made, even though she didn't think about it. She gave a lasting look to a certain spot in the territory and slowly turned her head. Leaf green eyes met his, the icy blues that stood out against his cobalt pelt. Their first impression was striking and she felt the same about her own set of opts. She didn't hold her gaze with him for long, though. Instead, she nodded to him and turned to look back out to the quiet landscape. Quiet gurgles from her stomach rebelled at the thought of food and she clenched her stomach, revealing the muscles that were working beneath the thickening coat of fur. Maija snorted, knowing that her King would hear them, too. A sideways glance was given and she let a tiny sparkle of humor dance in their gaze. What would he say? speech here

Out of all the members in his pack, Maija had to be one that was still kind of settling into the routine of things. She didn't seem to be so well adjusted to pack life like the rest of the wolves who were moving in. But that was alright with him. She would come around slowly, with his help and on her own, eventually she would become accustomed to the idea of living and working alongside other wolves who weren't necessarily related to her. After their night in his den, the golden woman had taken a den for herself not too far from his. It was somewhat of an odd choice, given that most wolves, no matter how good a relationship they had with their alpha, usually preferred their own privacy. But if she was comfortable living near him, then he had absolutely no problem with that. Lids pulled back against icy gems, blinking groggily as a yawn split his ebony jaws apart, pearly daggers coming into view for only a few moments before they were concealed one more. Still somewhat sleepy, the King would rise from his sleeping position, making his way out to the entrance of his den, scarred nostrils flaring as a familiar scent tickled his senses; Maija. She was awake too. Taking a moment to stretch to wake himself, the King would move forward a leisurely pace, taking a little hidden route towards Maija's hidden den, gaze locking on her golden figure as she stood before her den, looking off to something in the distance. He wouldn't try to mask his approach, leaf green gems turning to meet his icy ones. Her gaze didn't linger, a brief nod presented to him before she turned back to whatever it was she had been looking at. That was a good 'hello' as far as they were concerned. A quiet gurgling with catch the titan's attention, gaze flickering to her golden abdomen, the woman giving him a sideways glance, her eyes glinting mischievously. Sounds like someone could use some breakfast. he chuckled quietly, a smile tugging at the corners of his jaws but not quite reaching it. Talk like this

Despite being the kind of wolf that didn't show her emotions, Maija couldn't help but let a faint smirk to her face. It was weird, being able to do it around Taurig and not feel bad about the involuntary choice her muscles made. She wasn't used to the openness that was beginning to show around him, and so she treaded lightly around the new experimental body movements. Such precautions had to be made around Rotterdam when he was still around...she pushed those thoughts from her mind. Rotterdam wasn't there and she didn't need the tainted memories of her husband's split personality to ruin her day. She focused on Taurig and the words that came from his lips. Her mind calculated what they meant and she knew there was no negativity or silver lining from what he said. Another snort escaped her golden frame before she said, "I would say you have no idea, except I am sure you do." Maija then turned her head to face him in full, leaf green gaze intense as usual. "I was just about to go out and get it. If you feel you can take on a challenge-" her eyes gave a slight maleficent look, "then you can join me." In reality, the presence of another would keep her from wanting to curl into a ball and think of Dragomir. Her limber form slowly rose from the sitting position it had obtained, showing off the muscles that were made to be used. Maija was slender, but it didn't mean she didn't have the required muscles. She tossed her golden head as she looked at Taurig before turning her gaze to the spot she had memorized a few minutes ago. Romanian accent continued to hit the right words as she spoke again. "There was some frequent movement in that area." She silently wet her lips with her tongue before perking an ear in his direction. "Keep up if you can." With that, she descended from her perch, eager to begin an early morning hunt. Her track record in mind, Maija knew it would be a successful one. speech here

He wasn't usually one to play favorites, but there had always been those people that he liked just a little bit more than others. He didn't want to start playing favorites now that he was a King with a pack and he was trying to show everyone that they were equal, but he found himself becoming more favorable towards Maija than anyone else in the pack so far. Perhaps it was because he had spent that night with her in his den, or because he was compelled to help her, but whatever the reason was he enjoyed her company more than he did any other wolf's and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He supposed he would find out in time. I would say you have no idea, except I am sure you do. I was just about to go out and get it. If you feel you can take on a challenge then you can join me. She snorted, daring him to play along with her game and the cobalt King was more than willing to play along. Consider the challenge accepted. He chuckled, watching her as she stood, allowing himself to take a few steps forward, audits rotating forward as she informed him of the activity in the area she'd been surveying, encouraging him to keep up. He would nod silent, taking a running start as he bounded after her, steel-like muscles working together in synchronization. Talk like this

As she descended to the land that had stretched from her den's view, she began to think of the many different ways to chase her catch. With the deer from the woods long gone -- for she was sure another animal had come and found it -- she was now focused on the idea of prey that made her mouth water. Maija licked her lips again, making sure that she didn't slobber from the mere thoughts of chomping down on an early morning prize. From catching her kill to the male behind her, Maija's thoughts ran with the string that connected them together. It was an odd connection, but one that made sense. With Taurig along for the hunt, Maija would get to prove her abilities to her King. It wasn't just for his company, but also for her own image she had to keep up. When it came to being approached by strangers, Maija was always cold and distant. She had a smart tongue that could sting and leave marks on the people whom came across her path. The golden-furred dame didn't give two shits if she left off a bad impression. They didn't know her, she didn't know them -- what was the point in caring? Now, as she began to get closer to her chosen piece of land with the King in tow, she realized that maybe some - a very slim number - deserved to have a chance. She recalled the evening she was curled up next to Taurig, using him as her personal space heater. It was one of those nights when she had no choice but to use him, a survival technique that couldn't have been avoided even if she tried. Maija shook her head. His company had made her thoughts temporarily leave, but her husband was still haunting the catacombs of her mind. She felt Dragomir's gaze on her, pressuring the intelligent brain that was placed in her skull. The delicate muscle was feeling squeezed and she took a deep breath before gently coughing. Not now, she thought. Get out of my MIND. NOW! The thoughts swam away, even though they were reluctant. She opened her leaf green eyes and realized that she was a bit off from where she was planning on being. Slowly, she looked over at Taurig, wondering if he caught on to the way her body had moved without her mind guiding it. If only he knew... A flick of her tail and she moved her gaze to the patch of land that she had chosen. Maija immediately padded towards the nearby trees, staying in their shadows as she stalked closer. Her nose twitched and the scent of many rabbits met her. She breathed them in, focusing on how she was going to chase the little buggers. A low snarl left her lips and she sprung forward. Her hind legs kicked off, making her body stretch out like a spring from a bed. She picked up speed when she saw the rabbits leap out of their hiding place. Maija cackled and she pushed herself, silently wondering if Taurig was able to keep up with her. Her ears picked up the sound of his massive paws at work and she knew then that she didn't have to worry about him staying in tune with her pace. Maija then changed direction, aiming to the right to follow the large male rabbit she had chosen. He was fast, but she was faster. The hare slipped under bushes, around tree trunks and across a small brook, trying to evade Maija's hungry jaws. All four paws hit the ground -- front paws before hind -- and she leaped to claim her prize. Teeth found the scruff of his neck, surrounding it to clamp down and break it. Life immediately left him and she had a mad gleam in her eyes that only came from hunting. The thrill of it all was definitely the reliever she needed from her haunting thoughts. Maija picked up her pace from a walk to a gentle trot as she looked for Taurig, wondering if he had been able to catch his share. speech here

Though he was well aware of his hunting partner, he wasn't paying too much attention to what she was doing. The empty intestines in his stomach had finally been awoken and were protesting vehemently against the lack of nutrition. So he would miss the quiet battle that she raged within herself with god knows what demons. Perhaps once she got more comfortable he would be able to get her to open up just a little bit more and he could help her deal with whatever was ailing her. But until that time came, he would be satisfied with merely going on little hunting trips and spending some time here and there. She hadn't specified what kind of meal they were going to be hunting that morning, and Taurig being the titan that he was, pictured it to be a nice juicy doe like the one she'd caught several days ago at their first meeting. But it seemed the golden dame had other ideas in mind. Her pace would slow, the King automatically adjusting to keep pace, icy gaze spotting the area up ahead that she had her eyes on; it was a little patch of grass littered with rabbits. Rabbits weren't his first choice for breakfast, but they were pretty good. The only thing was that they were hard little buggers to catch and he was a freakishly big man. Maija would move directly towards the little patch, using the shadows as he camouflage. Taurig followed her lead, but instead of going the same place she did, he rounded the patch so that he was positioned in her line of sight. If he was reading her right, she would charge ahead and scatter the things, making it a bit easier on him to catch them. She would do just as he predicted, scattering the rabbits as she moved in to take her own morsel. The large man would wait in the shadows until the little creatures were close enough before bursting from the bushes, jaws wide and agape, snapping down on the closest rabbit, catching its hind leg and crushing it with a single bit. A squeal left the tiny creature but was quickly silenced with a killing bite to the spine, the rabbit going limp in the King's grasp. He would allow the rest of the critters to scamper away to safety, not wanting to be selfish, allowing his gaze to fall on Maija's figure, plume wagging in silent congrats as he noticed her own catch hanging from her jaws. He would pad up to her, wondering if they were going to eat here or go somewhere else. Talk like this

She was definitely pleased. If she didn't show it in how she gingerly pranced back towards Taurig, then it would be noted in her eyes. As she approached her King, her leaf green gaze showed a bit of the light that rarely shined in her soul. Maija was always happy whenever a hunt went right. She enjoyed the chase, the energy that was used in her muscles as she pushed herself, and the end of it all when she was able to catch her food. After a successful run and playful banter with her prey, a refreshed feeling would sweep over the golden-furred female. Maybe it was the sense of being powerful enough to take a life or simply the fact that she was independent in regards to catching her own food. Both made her think of how strong she was as a hunter, and in turn, she felt more sure of herself as a person. The twinkle that rarely showed itself in her eyes revealed in front of Taurig, like a dancer that wanted to tease a man at his bachelor party. It wasn't intentional, but Maija couldn't help it. From being wrapped up in the hype of it all, she let herself show the part of her that only Dragomir had been lucky enough to see. As she thought about the large male that had stolen her heart - it was a miracle, to be sure - she felt the giddiness fade from the superb catch of her breakfast. Seriousness began to sweep across her and she cleared her throat behind the mouth full of rabbit fur. Maija chomped down on the rabbit, making it a more secure grip before she faced Taurig and then turned away from him. Looking over her shoulder after a few steps, she inclined her head for him to follow her. If he did or not, that would be his choice...but, she really wouldn't mind it if he joined her for an early morning scrounge. Her paws carried her slender form across the valley that seemed to stretch from where they stood. She was leading them to a place that she hadn't been to in awhile, and thought that maybe it was time to go back. It probably wasn't a big deal to others, but she preferred its solitude. A place where two trees the branches hung over a stream - now frozen - was where she led him. The quietness that seemed to spread over the place was enough to make her content. She lowered her food to the ground and looked over at Taurig once more. "It's not much, but to me, it is enough." She silently wondered what he would think of the place, and began to think of why she seemed to care about his opinion. speech here

Adrenaline still pumped through his system, the organ in his chest pounding heavily against his ribcage. It wasn't exactly the most exciting of hunts, but it was a good way to get the blood flowing through his veins. Certainly refreshing, especially when he had a partner to hunt with. He could see the excitement rolling off Maija in waves as she held her meal between her jaws. She loved to hunt and he could see it in the emerald gaze of her. But just as quickly as that had appeared, it was gone, replaced by seriousness. Taurig was confused, wondering what could've caused the sudden shift in mood, but it was none of this business so the titan refrained from asking. The golden dame would turn away from him, stopping a few paces ahead to glance back towards him, motioning with her head for him to follow her. Taurig complied easily enough, ebony limbs pulling him in the direction that Maija lead. Some of Tortuga was still yet unexplored by the King, and this valley was just that. He hadn't had the time to properly examine his whole kingdom, so he was pleasantly surprised to see that Maija had a few special places of her own. It's not much, but to me, it is enough. Her voice would be heard as she dropped the rabbit in her jaws, the titan following her lead as his icy gaze danced across the landscape. It had a quiet beauty to it, something hidden but if seen by the right eyes, could be greatly appreciated...Kind of like Maija. It's beautiful. He murmured gently, haunches folding beneath him as he allowed his gaze to fall back on Maija. Talk like this

When Maija had first established Tortuga as her prolonged temporary 'home', she had chosen to explore the rest of the land to establish the points where strangers could lurk. Paranoia was the key reason why she had made a mental image of where everything was. Her paranoia made her want to be aware of her surroundings instead of simply deciding that she was safe in her own neck of the woods. After all, if she had done that, then she wouldn't have known the best places to hunt or seek shelter from prying eyes. An argument for that logic was that Taurig had ended up finding her, but -- once again, she mentally argued -- she had exposed herself by going after the doe at the same time he was in the surrounding area. It was funny how things worked out. She felt his gaze on her as he described their surroundings as 'beautiful'. A tiny part of her wondered if he was talking about the chosen spot...or her. If Maija didn't have her defenses raised, she would have openly allowed a burning blush spread across her cheeks. However, she wasn't easily embarrassed or flattered, so she merely returned his gaze with a side glance before flicking her tail and lowering herself in front of her food. A witty remark bubbled up in her mind, but she pushed it back for fear of accidentally breaking her defenses. The act of wanting to keep everything from showing on the surface kicked in, making her think of when she would end up fighting with Rotterdam over the most petty things. Her ears flattened slightly, but she forced them to perk as her thick Romanian accent flowed from her lips when she said, "Even in the middle of winter, we can be surprised by what surrounds us." She lowered her head to her rabbit, teeth tearing at the flesh that was taking its sweet time falling apart from the lifeless bones. Maija slowly looked up and over at the mammoth of a man, not wanting to start in on her breakfast without him doing the same. speech here

He wasn't sure what it was about this particular part of his territory, but it in a sense opened up his eyes to things he might not have noticed on another occasion or perhaps that he would've but until a much later point in time. He had begun spending more and more time with Maija, something that he particularly liked. Even though she wasn't the most social of the bunch, he was working with her to get her to open up a little more and it seemed to be working. He could feel her beginning to relax around him a bit more, though he knew that they were a long way from her being able to really interact with the rest of the pack. Maybe that was why he found himself getting a tad bit attached to Maija. He could see the potential hidden beneath her mask and he wanted to bring out so that everyone could see how wonderful she was, but it was only a matter of time until he was able to completely coax it out of her. Even in the middle of winter, we can be surprised by what surrounds us. A soft smile curled his ebony lips, icy gaze focusing on her features for a moment too long before moving away as he allowed his jaws to clamp down to his meal once more, daggers ripping through the flesh as he took a bite from it, jaws working as they chewed the meat to make it more digestible. Talk like this

As she watched his gaze linger on her face, she had the same sensational burning threaten to surface across those lovely features. She pushed it down and instead let her eyes reveal the same intention from the blush flash through the green gems. It was another big step for her, one that she knew she would not regret. There was something in his look that was left unsaid, but she had a feeling that she knew what it was. Her heart rate - for the second time since she had met him - skipped one beat, and it was obvious to her this time. When he started to munch on his food, she followed his lead and began to dig into her own catch. The blood spilled from the open gash, pouring out slowly as she continued to tear, chew, and swallow her breakfast. It wasn't a big deal to her; blood was blood and she had shed plenty of it to be immune to the scent and what it represented. As she ate, her tail lightly flicked to her right...and touched the titan's cobalt banner. She looked from the side as she chewed, wondering if it had bothered him. Maija hoped not and continued to dine. -Fade- About fifteen minutes of chewing and swallowing passed until Maija's stomach was full. When she was on her own, the mealtimes were shorter and she didn't stay in one place with the fears of possibly being ambushed. Her paranoia had downsized a lot since she met Taurig and for that, she was silently grateful. With her hunger satisfied, she pushed her rabbit carcass to the side and licked the blood clean from her jowls. Red stained her teeth, but she didn't mind it as she looked up at the male next to her. The green eyes that usually looked glassy or icy held a sliver of warmth, and it stayed longer than she intended. A winter breeze passed between the two wolves and Maija had to look away. Licking her lips, the sudden desire for thirst came over her. Her gaze had moved to the stream that was teasingly sitting in front of them. Slender frame rose from the ground and cautiously stepped towards the frozen surface of the water. A low growl slipped between closed lips and she did something that probably startled the titan. Maija took both front legs and her whole body weight to hit the frozen surface in an attempt to break it. She had braced the muscles, making sure that no recoil happened and hurt her legs. A few cracks radiated from the hit spot and a desiring fire burned in her gaze. Maija's lips rolled back into a snarl, revealing the red teeth inside her mouth. She knew that she could do better, but the cold atmosphere around them made it harder for the warmth from the action to stay on her. Slowly, ears flattened, Maija backed up from the stream, legs beginning to feel like jelly -- her sign of defeat. "Circumstanţe agravante," she muttered, another low growl escaping her smoothly featured face. The Romanian language sounded so familiar to the female, so soothing...she hadn't used it a lot since Dragomir's disappearance and it felt like a flame, once burnt out, now reignited by the one phrase. She then realized that Taurig probably didn't speak or understand her country's language, so she blinked as she looked at him and said, "This situation is aggravating." The accent still flared beneath irritated tones, but her King must have known that he wasn't the cause of it. Her thirst hadn't been quenched and she tried to swallow and soothe the feeling of her dry throat. No such luck, unfortunately. speech here

She would notice his lingering gaze and as he allowed his eyes to return to her features, he would see something flare up in her emeralds, something he hadn't seen before. What was it? He didn't have the slightest clue, but it was something new and special, he knew that much. As the pair continued to eat, he would feel something brush against his ebony tail. Icy gaze would spare a side glance towards Maija, realizing that her tail had been the thing that brushed against his own. A ghost of a smile curled his jaws as he allowed his tail to return to motion, draping across her golden one before retreating back, the titan acting as if it were the most normal thing in the world, jaws continuing to work at the rabbit. The King finished his meal before his companion, the bones and fur lying in disarray around his paws. Both wolves had blood covered jaws and even with her lips stained in blood, his companion still looked very beautiful. He would see her gaze lift to meet his own and there was that something again that he'd seen when they'd started their meal. What was it and what did it mean? He hoped he would figure it out soon. A cool winter breeze would pass the two by, throwing their coats this way and that way. The King relished in the feel of the cool air, watching Maija as she suddenly began moving towards the little frozen stream a little ways off. Surely she wasn't thinking about taking a drink? The water was completely frozen over; there were no cracks to access the water from. What was- His smaller companion was suddenly trying to beat the ice with her forelimbs. She would only try once before she would back away from the water, lips curled back against her teeth. Clearly it didn't go as planned. She was clearly aggravated and in need of a drink. Perhaps he could give it a go. Moving forward and past Maija, Taurig took his turn against the ice. The titan would push himself back onto his hind limbs, haunches tensing as his weight as thrown backwards. He waited a moment until he was up high enough before allowing the front half of his body to come back down, slamming powerfully against the ice. Maija had managed to loosen the ice and with his strike, it gave way. The ice cracked beneath his paws, cold water rushing to the surface. A hiss would escape the King's jaws as he pulled back, his toes brushing against the chilled water. They would be shaken as he cast his gaze back towards Maija, a triumphant smile twisting his features. Talk like this

She watched with an intense stare -- a rare emotion that showed in the usual icy gaze -- as Taurig broke the glass-like surface of the frozen stream. Cold water sprayed his front paws, making them colder than intended due to the cooler seasons settling in. His reaction startled her, but she saw his triumphant smile when he successfully broken the rest of the ice. In her mind, she coyly thought that she was the one who had made it easy for him, hence why it broke so well under his weight. Rather than tell him such a thought, she allowed a smile to slowly slip across her maw. The muscles used for the mini change in her looks felt sore as she did this, so it only last until she lowered her head to lap the cold water to satisfy her gullet. The drink was enough to make the golden dame content. Her thirst was quenched in less than two minutes and after she had her fill, she slowly rose her head. The last time she had rushed to sit up, Maija had experienced the worst brain freeze anyone could ever feel. With the slow rising of her head's incline from the stream, Maija took the opportunity to glance at his front paws. They were still damp and she assumed they were cooling down from the brisk winds that were surrounding them. For the first time as far as she could remember, she felt a bit of guilt rise in her chest. Her leaf green eyes looked up to Taurig's gaze again and she softly cleared her throat to say, "Thank you, Taurig." The Romanian accent curled around the 'r' in his name and she shyly stepped a couple of steps away from the occupied space in front of the stream. "If you are thirsty, by all means...there is plenty left." She watched him interestedly before voicing, "I did not mean for your paws to get wet.." Triangular ears slightly flattened as she said it, allowing a sliver of guilt slide into the words that came from her lips. Maija figured that he would not be angry, but when she lived with a male whose personalities could change on a whim, one must always be prepared. speech here