Strai had arrived just in time to join the meeting for the raid. Now, they had a little bit of time to prepare before the pack would be off. He trotted back to the den he called home, Delphi at his side. He was surprised by how… awkward he felt. Vidarr’s mission had been sudden, and he had done as he was told because he was desperate now for a rank. To prove himself Delphi’s equal, and because he no longer wished to leave the pack that she lived in.

But that had also meant he had vanished quite suddenly on Delphi, and he didn’t know yet how she felt about that. “So, anything interesting happen while I was gone?” He asked to fill the silence.


"Delphi" & "Strai"

Delphi followed Strai back to their den with a mixture of emotions welling up inside of her. At first, his sudden disappearance had... done a number on her to put it simply. But with Vidarr's assurance that the boy would return, she had calmed, filling her days with busy work to stay distracted. She had even managed to go out toward Spider's pack and have a visit with their friend there. What else had happened... Strai didn't even know about yet and was the main reason she'd been spending the last week or so holed up in their den. Caught up in her thoughts, she looks suddenly up at Strai, a strained smile over her lips. Does she come out with the heavy hitter first or the easy stuff? "My mum died. She was kidnapped, 'member? Yeah, she didn't make it. Da hasn't-," Delphi can't manage to finish the words, her paws stopping, her body feeling more than heavy as her chin tilts downward. As much as she believed that she was strong enough to handle it, she wasn't. Without Strai there to comfort her, Delphi had been a mess. "Delphi" & "Strai"

It wasn’t a long trip back to the den, but it was long enough to at least get in a little catch up. When Delphi turned her gaze to him, he returned it. Offering her a smile, one which froze on his face for a moment as her words sunk in. How was he only just hearing about this now? He’d been away, and she’d needed him.

“Del--” He started to say, coming to a stop as she did. He stepped in front of her, and reached out a paw to grab hers. He didn’t know how to make this better. This wasn’t something he could protect her from. “That’s a lot, I’m sorry. Do we know who…?” He couldn’t bring her mother back. But revenge? If that was the dish she wanted, he would serve it to her.


"Delphi" & "Strai"

Delphi didn't resist when Strai reached out for her paw. Still staring at the ground, fighting back those overwhelming tears that she hated so much. Folding her ears backward, she gives her head a soft shake. "My da said that the same group went after my grandpa's pack down south in Auster a-and they were able to take th-them out," Delphi inhales deeply, tears finally trailing down her cheeks as she looks up at Strai. Her body shakes as her mind begins to feel dizzy. All the emotions that she had been pushing down were now starting to come to the surface. She had needed Strai and Vidarr wouldn't bring him home early - some dumb bull shit about becoming adults and learning how to deal with things.

"C-can we just go-go lay down," Delphi whispers, her paw still Strai's as she continues to look up at him. "We c-can talk about something nicer," she tries to smile, but it's useless.

Delphi && Strai

It sounded as if revenge had already been sorted, leaving him with nothing to do to fix this. He didn’t know how to do nothing, he didn’t know how to deal with grief. His own methods were to bury it down as deep as possible and sprinkle a layer of hate over the soil. He didn’t think that would work for Delphi here.

Seeing Delphi start to cry, the bitter boy pulled his arms around her, holding her tight. “I’m sorry, Delphi.” He didn’t know her mum, they’d never really done an introduction. The only wolf who mattered to her that he knew was Vidarr. He gripped his paw over her’s a little tighter. “Yeah, we can do that.” he agreed softly. “What do you want to talk about?”


"Delphi" & "Strai"

Being pulled into his embrace was nice. She hated to admit it even after their declaration of love, she enjoyed making him second guess more sometimes. The game between them was fun. Did they still hate each other or did they truly love each other? Of course, Delphi was stupidly so in love with the aggravating boy, but only he would ever know that.

Leaning into his chest, Delphi closes her eyes and lets out a sigh. “Oh Strai,” she murmurs into his fur, brushing away the tears before leaning back to look up at him. “I went and visited Spider,” Delphi smirks, eyes watching Strai carefully to see his reaction.

Tweaking Delphi’s nose was one of the highlights of his day, but even he could see it wasn’t the time or the place. He kept their interactions a little more tame than usual as he held her. Brushing his nose into her coat, and thinking (not for the first time, and not for the last) just how little she was. He forgot sometimes, with how much she bristles, and how fierce she was. But right then, she actually looked her size.

Her change of subject caught him by surprise, and he blinked, looking down at her. “Oh, and how is our friend?” He asked. He still didn’t really know what to think of Spider. That was another wolf who he had started out hating.


"Delphi" & "Strai"

The surprised look on his face has her smiling back up at him, forgetting about her grief if only for a moment. "Spider is doing well," she says at first, taking a moment to pause. Her own feelings toward Spider were complicated, especially since she didn't like the idea of sharing Strai with anyone. But who would she be if she said he couldn't have friends?

"I brought them some mead I slipped from Ulfr's stores," there's a twinkle of mischief in her eye now as she snuggles closer to Strai, moving her muzzle closer to his own. "It was nice getting to have some fun and forget about all the bad stuff," her eyes slightly, giving Strai that sort of 'puppy-dog stare' before reaching to give him a lick across his muzzle.

"Delphi" & "Strai"

In truth, Strai isn’t sure what he thinks about Delphi’s mind being on Spider. Spider was nice, and he had a lot of mixed feelings for them. But Delphi… Delphi was different, and right now he would much rather her thoughts be on him.

She moved her muzzle closer to his, and the expression on her face caught something inside of him. She licked his muzzle, and he returned the gesture, licking her back, before pressing their muzzles together. His arms were wrapped around her. All he could smell, and feel, and think was her. “Delphi.” He whispered her name softly.


"Delphi" & "Strai"

As much as Delphi wants to make Strai jealous about her time visiting Spider, she also wants time with him. Sleeping alone in their bed while he was out on his hunting trips had sucked. Most nights, she had snuck up to Maki's or their father's den to find some comfort when she couldn't stand being by herself.

Leaning into his embrace, pressing her muzzle back against his, she can feel her belly twist and warm. Her body feels fuzzy and different, something she hasn't felt very many times before. When he whispers her name into her ear, the shiver that runs down her spine forces her eyes closed and a tiny whimper to leave her lips. "I've missed you," she whispers back, eyes fluttering open to look up at him.

Delphi && Strai

She leaned into him, returning the embrace, which only fueled the feelings roiling inside of him. “I missed you, Delphi. I don’t like being away from you.” he admitted. A part of him hated having any feelings of dependency, but for Delphi he was willing to take that risk. To love her enough that he knew how hard it would be to lose her,

Continuing to kiss her, his paws wrapped about her, he carefully began to lean back against the rug. Pulling her up on top of him until he was lying on his back, her little form on his chest. His kisses became a little more passionate, alternating between her muzzle, to her neck, to pulling gently on her ear with his teeth. “Delphi…?” He whispered her name again, though it sounded like a question in his hitched breath.


Delphi && Strai

Delphi can't help but let out a little giggle. "Don't they something about distance making hearts fonder?" She mumbles into his lips, her front teeth pulling at his bottom lip in a teasing manner. Inwardly though, she feels the same. The longer they're apart, the more she realizes she doesn't hate him, but in fact the opposite. For all the times they fought and screamed at each other, her heart was only wanting her to be closer.

A yelp of surprise leaves her as he wraps his paws around her and leans backward, pulling her onto his chest. Her eyes widen a moment, looking at him curiously before he continues to kiss her passionately. Returning the gesture, the feeling, the fervor, she can't help the quiet whimper that leaves her as he kisses her neck and pulls on her ear.

When he whispers her name, she can feel her heart skip a beat, pulse quickening, everything in her boiling to heightened temperature. "Strai?" Delphi whispers back, her own muzzle finding its way toward his ear, teeth raking down his cheek as her mind swirls, feeling all too light and dizzying. "Is-is this something you want?" She asks after a few more kisses to his cheek and another tug on his ear.

Delphi && Strai

He wasn’t sure about fonder, but it did soothe the ache that built up in his chest when he was apart from her. When he pulled them down, a yelp escaped Delphi that had him chuckling. He was almost. Almost tempted to push back up and drag her down again. Somehow, he managed to find a shred of decency and refrained.

He was glad he didn’t when his kisses elicit a whimper that did a great many things to him. She returned his name, the question on her lips now. “My Delphi. I just want you.” He whispered against her ear. But despite how much he wanted her, he needed to be clear. “Do you want this?”


Delphi && Strai

The way he says her name sends chills down her spine. Her body tensing in all the right ways as he whispers into her ear. Letting her breath hitch slightly, brain contemplating what was to come, she takes a moment. Had she not been dreaming of this lately? To be with Strai and only Strai in the way they hadn't been before? Coming close to her second birthday, she couldn't deny the hormones that roiled inside of her, begging to be unleashed at the most random of times.

Right here, right now, those same hormones screamed at her. She was in love with the boy and allowing him to take her in all those ways she's dreamt about pushes a heat through her body that forces her speechless. Instead, Delphi finds herself licking at Strai's muzzle, teeth dragging gingerly down his chin for a moment. Breathless and trying to hold back the sounds of happiness, she instead pushes her lips toward his ear.

"It's all I want, Strai," she whispers, warm breath washing over him. "I need you, please," Delphi nearly begs as she trails kisses from the base of his ear down the side of his face toward his neck. She was his for the taking.

Delphi && Strai

She didn't immediately respond, but dragged her teeth down his chin. A slow groan left him and he buried his head in her neck, breathing her in. Her answer, when it came, was whispered in his ear. He was almost too far gone, he wasn't sure what she would have done if she had rejected him. 

He arched up into her caress as she trailed kisses down towards his neck. “Delphi” he whimpered, pulling her down, and pressing into her. 

There was an awkwardness, with neither really knowing what to do. But he knew the mechanics of it. “Delphi, I love you.” He whispered in her ear, catching his teeth on the edges of the appendage.

His whimpering of her name sent shivers rolling down her spine. Her back arching slightly as he pressed her into him. For as natural as this sort of thing should be, Delphi felt that awkwardness too. What if she messed up? What if she changed her mind? What if…

I love you, Delphi.

A warmth blooms in her belly, wetness around her eyes as she smiles. His teeth tugging at her ear making her whimper quietly before going back in. With her muzzle down near his shoulder, she leads more kisses toward his chest, her body scooting farther down. “I love you too,” Delphi whispers, pressing her own body back against his own.

There was rushing through his body now, and everywhere they touched felt alive, and electric. The familiar scents of their den, and the heat of the fire seemed to fade from his awareness. For Strai, there was only Delphi.

As they connected, there were a lot of emotions going through Strai. Pleasure, satisfaction, possessiveness. But softer things too, like love and contentment. When she returned his words, he pulled them together a little harder. “I want you forever” he whispered into her ear, biting and nibbling on the appendage as he spoke. He’d once been afraid of commitments, but with Delphi, forever at her side didn’t sound too bad.

-fade? -


Delphi && Strai