It had been far too long. Three whole seasons since she and Maverick had truly become one. It was entirely unsurprising that when her season rolled around, as autumn changed into winter, that she wanted him even more badly than ever before. Winter really was an awful season to be in heat -- the warmth that flooded her body was only made stronger by the cold winter air -- and it made her long for her husband's warmth all that much more. Waking up from an afternoon nap, Epiphron would roll onto her side, jaws parting in a wide yawn as she slowly woke herself up. Her husband was not here, and almost immediately a soft whimper escaped her lips. It was difficult to find anywhere they could truly be alone, especially with rapidly growing children who always seemed full of questions and complaints, and today she wanted just that -- to be utterly alone with him, with no distractions. Slowly she shifted her posture to an upright position, stretching as she climbed onto all four paws. Her body craved him, and she had no reason to stifle its desires. So quietly she slid from her den into the cool morning air, beginning to search for her husband. She could easily call to him, but any attention upon her would defeat the purpose of wanting to be alone..

ooc; because why not use the frolicking table for this? xD

The russet man would shift like a ghost through the cool terrain, his bodice longing for the warmth of a single maiden. For her he thirsted, for her he longed. Two seasons it had been, though it felt like a lifetime. He knew it was risky, he knew that there was the chance of more children - but how terrible would that be? As a King and Queen they had wolf after wolf wiling to look after their kids, and Epiphron was a wonderful mother. Surely another child - or three as it had been last time - would not be so much of a plague. And yet he knew it would be. Already the four they had were a pawful, he could hardly imagine Epiphron being able to handle three - or perhaps even four or five - more.

Nostrils tensed and flickered, her scent wafting toward him on the wind. Oh she was tantalizingly close. A smile creased his features - one not unlike the one he'd worn two seasons ago. They had discussed this earlier, and he knew she was as willing as he. It was time to throw caution to the wind and enjoy his wife once more. Silently he would arrive, stopping several yards away in the comfort of the trees long enough to admire her - to take her in. She was.. enrapturing to his soul.

"My love," he would voice, his lips yearning for her warmth. Slowly, regally he would move toward her like a shadow - appearing to glide rather than pace. The tension was palpable in the air and he knew she wanted it just as badly as he did. Oh, what a night!

"Speech"

Though the weather was certainly cold, it was not yet her breeding season -- but the frigid autumn air seemed to only add fuel to the fire that had begun to burn inside her, hot and strong and unable to be ignored. Her raw need for her husband had been sparked at their earlier meeting, amidst the light teasing and flirting; and now she was determined to fulfill it. Slowly the afternoon was dwindling to a end, and darkness began to cast its shadows down on the earth, tantalizing and inviting as she crept through the cover of the trees in search of what she craved so badly. Epiphron ought to have been worried about the possibility of more children, but that was the furthest thing from her mind. The likelihood of getting pregnant was next to zero, and though it had happened before, she doubted it would happen again. In the gradually diminishing light she saw him, green eyes watching her as though he would devour her -- a smile creased her lips, blue gaze never leaving him. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" she inquired ever so gently, her voice sultry and low. Slowly she would shift to circle him, allowing her pelt to brush gently against his own, wanting to draw out what was inevitable for as long as either of them could stand it. (I said in my first post it was morning but b/c it's still fall because of update, night works better <3)

He watched, frozen, as her bodice made a tight circle of him - her sultry voice splitting the air. Had wit been with him he might've said something more clever, but as it were all he could come up with was The pleasure has yet to come, love. Perhaps that was clever enough. A smile creased his lips as parted jaws darted out to catch some part of her that was passing him. His paws felt rooted to the spot they were, and so he remained where he was, allowing her - for the time being - to do the work. You are quite the tease.. did you know? He would question only half innocently. Certainly she knew she was a tease, but she definitely didn't know how much of a hold she had on him, how much of her was responsible for the rapid heart beating in his chest and the growing warmth elsewhere. speak,

ooc; omg failpost

Epiphron had been raised to be a well-mannered woman, rarely wavering in her outward composure or even her innermost feelings; and yet she marveled silently at how she felt so eager to let down her guard with Maverick. She felt exhilarated, rather than terrified, as she felt her sense of control slipping from her grasp. A soft growl would began to bubble up within her chest, but when the sound left her lips it was far from threatening. She felt her skin crawl as she brushed against him, her own tongue seeking his flesh as she made a full circle around him, though she didn't stop moving. "I try," she said with a soft laugh, voice hardly audible at all. With all of the stress the two of them were dealing with these days -- news of an impending war, of needing to protect Valhallan children if anything were to happen -- they needed a break from it all. Alone time. Another sound would leave her lips as her jaws parted to nip lightly at his shoulder from behind, her fangs gently but rough enough to surely surprise him all the same.

The only other wolf he recollected being physically affectionate with was his sister, but this was a very different motivation. Fire burned in both his chest and regions farther south, both fires sparked by her beauty and her very being. A smirk quirked upon his features as she so eloquently played into his phrasing, seeming to want to draw this out like the first time. That was fine, he could play her games for a while - though he didn't know how long that while might be. She nipped at him, a vixen-like sound creeping from her spread jaws. He froze, relishing for a moment in the slight pain that ebbed in his shoulder for a mere second or two. A growl resonated in his throat, but not one that was anger-motivated. No, this was a far more primal sound generated deeper in his gut. My Queen... he murmured as he brought his bodice parallel to hers, his lips close to the crimson fur on the back of her ear. Every ounce of common sense told him this was horrible timing - that if she got pregnant they would bring forth children either during or in the wake of a war. And yet he couldn't ignore the fact that he wanted her - needed her - so desperately that he couldn't possibly wait until the threat of war left these lands. No, waiting wasn't something he wanted to do any more, even if it would be smarter to do so. speak,

Another soft sound would escape her lips -- a groan, a murmur of intent and passion and longing. Everything happening felt so right, and yet it was against her best judgment. It was no time to get pregnant, though she was convinced such a thing would be a miracle ... and miracles didn't happen so frequently. A child born in the aftermath of a war would be no good for them. Or perhaps it would be just what Seracia needed. But she shook her head, not wanting to think about bloodshed and death at a time like this. The hearty growl that left his throat made her tremble slightly. Her body would shift, pressing rather needily against his side. Epiphron felt as though she couldn't tease him much longer; her heart was beating inside her chest, the sound echoing in her eardrums, heat rushing to what felt like every inch of her body. "Make me yours," she demanded, her movements rough as she pressed harder against his side.

A shiver ran up and down his spine as he felt her flesh press hard against his own. She was so warm, how was that degree of heat even possible in a living being? Head twisted to swipe a kiss across her muzzle. The game was going on but he felt like every second that passed was putting him farther and farther behind. He was losing the will to make the moment last ? as every fiber of his being screamed at him to do what he had wanted to do all day long. Finally the recognition came, and she would encourage him ? demand him to go farther. With haste he would bring himself in a tight circle around her, dragging his pelt against her own with anticipation. As he made the journey around her his jaws would part several times and come together on bits of flesh and fur ? harder than normal but certainly not hard enough to ruin the moment. Finally as he neared her rump his muzzle sought the base of her tail. Abrubtly he would push it aside with a flick of his russet nose. His bodice rose up like a stallion as he brought his chest onto her pelvis for balance. Paws would creep around her ribcage and he would slide forward and into bliss. --- fade --- The biggest of smiles creased his lips as he slid from atop her beautiful frame and wearily slithered to her right side. Immediately kiss after kiss would grace her cheek and muzzle betwixt mumbled ?I love you?s in her ear. speak,

Things had changed infinitely since they had first met when they were merely yearlings. They've been overcome with passion and interest; meeting one another, so far from home, had been thrilling to the core. And though there was nothing at all controversial about their relationship now, she couldn't help but feel what they were doing was so wrong -- but in a way that made her feel exhilarated rather than ashamed. And her need for him only grew the more she realized that they really shouldn't be doing this. It had happened once, could it not happen again? Was she really ready for more children when she already had enough to deal with now? But it didn't matter. They'd gone too far. Epiphron was overcome with ecstasy as her pressed back into her, nipping somewhat frantically at her flesh. Her skin crawled, sending shivers of delight down her spine. Her back would arch delicately, head dipping to the earth as she felt his weight come down on her back. She shuddered as they joined as husband and wife once again. Her world slowly faded until Maverick was the only thing that she knew. ---- fade ---- But the moment would not last forever, and a sigh escaped her lips as his weight was lifted and he came to stand by her side. "Love you more," she mumbled breathlessly, leaning to tug at his ear wearily. "Let's rest.

She would tug at his ear, assuring him that she loved him more. A smile played across his lips, weary and wavering - but present nevertheless. He would lean into her gently, just enough to let her know he was there. She suggested they rest, and he couldn't agree more. Their den was still a good walk away, but it was nice enough weather that they could risk sleeping in the open - if she wanted to. Some part of him wasn't quite ready to return to the lovable pile of children that no doubt awaited them. Surely the kids - who were now a little over six months old - could handle a night without them? His front half bent low, snuffling the earth for any sign of predator, unsurprisingly there was none. Seracia had been ever-vigilant as of late, with the siege and everything. Shall we stay here for a while? It's nice out here, he would comment, leaving it open for her to change her mind if she had a better idea or wished to go back home. He would do anything for her, even if every inch of him wanted to curl onto the ground beneath his paws and get a good night's rest. Thoughts of children, of the siege, of anything halfway coherent had long since been lost from his mind - all he knew was Epiphron, and that was fine with him. speak,