Thanks to the fires of the col, and the continuous bonfire by the obelisk, the Col would keep its warmth and chase away a lot of the spring damp even though the winds still held a sharp chill. Ignita gathered a basket and filled it with a few things for her to carry around and made her way along the steps up to the little patio in front of the Warlords quarters.

She settled on it with a sigh, looking around. It really did have a nice view of the Col, she could see several entrances to the warrens and markets. Could she see herself here? Sitting beside Basilisk? She sighed, she felt a heavy burden of imposter syndrome. Was this truly her place? Hazel was a much better fit. She felt like a usurper.

She looked up to the sky, to whatever gods were above, and saw Thunder circling overhead. Basilisks Peregrin Falcon. She had made friends with Larimar and Oso, but Thunder remained out of reach for the most part. She watched the falcon for a moment until suddenly she came down and alighted on the railing. Ignita was surprised, to say the least!

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you properly Thunder." She greeted the bird, who fixed her with a knowing stare. "Maybe you can help me find my own eyes in the sky, hm?" She asked, taking out a small snack she had carried here with her, a piece of dried venison. She offered it to Thunder who took it happily then flapped her wings and flew away.

Ignita thought that would be the end of it. She pulled out a book and started to peruse the writings for an hour or so until she heard a flutter of wings and a small dead mouse dropped on her book. She peered up and saw not one peregrine falcon but two circling overhead now!

They both came down with alacrity and frightening speed before swooping in front of Ignita as if in a show then slowly brought themselves around to land on the railing.

She could only assume the other was a male, he looked just a touch warmer in the browns than Thunder.
"Well hello!" She greeted the birds, noticing Basilisk was at the bottom of the stairs, no doubt he had seen their display.

She tossed the male the mouse and he caught it in his beak. She giggled at him.
"Bas, look who Thunder brought me! I rather like him." She told him as he drew closer. She was already thinking up a suitable name for him.

"What do you think of me calling you Galileo?" She asked the bird, who dipped his head and hopped back and forth.

She giggled and turned back to Bas, "Do you think that means he likes it?"

"Speech"

Basilisk eyed the birds curiously as he watched them dance in the sky above, before landing in Ignita’s reach where she could feed and name the creature. He moved slowly forward, careful not to chase away the other bird and ruin Ignitas fun. He didn’t speak until he had stopped beside her, leaning ever so slightly against her smaller frame. “I thought Thunder had been courting someone.” he said thoughtfully, and here was the evidence that it might be so. Perhaps it was fitting… that if the birds became mated pairs, they would stick with Ignita and Basilisk.

He leaned over, cupping his head down until his lips could find Ignita. He brushed his tongue against her muzzle, his eyes already growing warm. “I think he likes the name just fine.” He told her. His eyes lingering on her own golden pair as he raised a paw and cupped it under her chin. He’d taken away her herbs, and they hadn’t really had a good conversation since that day he made a mess of her den. Through it wasn’t conversation on his mind as he looked at her now.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

Her awareness was drawn away from the birds as his tongue drew a design over her muzzle. She would faintly recall the sound of a receding set of bird wings as her gaze was captured by his lustful blues, her chin cupped by his paw.

At first she was surprised, then she smiled. Playfully scoffing at his advances.

"I seem to recall, a question I hadn't answered outright-" She interjected, her eyes lidded, a golden paw reaching up to his arm, "-of what den we ought to call our own. Are you opposed to reclaiming the traditional Warlords bedchamber as ours?" They were already standing on the dais overlooking the col. She was in a much better headspace to consider such ideas. She swept her tail around, wafting a scent to tease him. Since she had gone without the herbs for a few days her scent had no doubt changed subtly.

Basilisk lusted after Ignita far more than was practical. But he had long given up on roping himself in. When she asked his thoughts on taking back the traditional den, he grinned at her. There would always be a hurt at what he had lost. But it had soothed a little, and the scent of her had faded from that space. It no longer felt taboo to claim it as their own.

“I think we should claim it properly, right now.” He told her, and scooped her off her paws and trotted into the den. Pressing his back against the door to open it, and swinging them both into the first chamber, and then into the second.

He deposited her onto the bedding that lay on the floor. Idly he wondered if they couldn’t incorporate her den into this one using the secret chamber, to give her a space to call her own. But the idea was quickly swamped by the heat of her body against hiss, the taste of her skin on his lips when he pulled at it. “My Ignita. Mine, mine, mine.” He teased, pressing the weight of his lust against her legs. He dug his teeth into her fur, his paws on her. He was utterly unable to keep his paws to himself. He wanted to take his time with her, but he could smell a subtle change in her scent. Not just her desire, but something else as well. His eyes were already cloudy with desire, and he pressed into her then and there with a forceful thrust. Claiming her, claiming this den. Claiming this life for themselves. Well, round two could always be slower, more focused on Ignita. She already knew he was a greedy bastard.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

The grin he flashed her was feral and sent a shiver straight to her nethers. He mentioned how they could claim it properly right now and that was all the warning he gave her when she shrieked half with glee half with surprise when he scooped her up and carried her into the den. She giggled all the way to the bed where he pressed her into the furs.

She gasped and writhed beneath him as he kissed and teased her skin with his teeth, with his paws. Her own paws found purchase in his fur and she playfully pushed him away, trying to wriggle free, a smile on her lips. The heat and weight of his body held her fast, his groping paws keeping her down and suddenly! She shreiked as he thrust inside her! His claiming rough and intense as she was tight around him! She liked it. Her body trilled against him as she gasped and moaned. Her breath met every thrust with a vocal grunt. She arched her back as he went deeper, her claws grasping the bed.

She reached up to his jaw, hooked a saber to pull his lips closer, to consume his tongue with her own.

"H-ha... Harder." She whispered, trailling her claws hard through the fur of his cheek, over his jaw, and down his neck to his shoulder.

Who was he to deny his love what she wanted? He drove into her deeper with a ragged gasp, feeling every inch of her as he gave in to his desires. He was not gentle, but by the sounds Ignita made, it didn't seem she minded. He held her beneath him. His captive, his victim, his beloved. He used three paws to hold him and keep his thrusting going. The third paw he ran down her cheek, before digging it into her shoulder. He gasped into her mouth, kissing her as he made love to her. 


It wasn't long before he was spent, mad with lust as he was. He lay lightly pressed against her for a moment, before he kissed her again. Trailing his mouth down her muzzle, down her chin. Wickedly, he touched his teeth to her throat just briefly before he continued down making his way slowly to the spot he knew she wanted him to be. He knew by now how she liked this, and she had tended to him. It was time that he tended to her. This time he would be slow and gentle, kissing her spot and taking his time with her.

Beneath his monstrous form, she was held fast. A whimper, a moan, a gasp her poem to him. His feverish tempo within her sent her mind to stars. She felt his titillating claw down her cheek and then dug into her shoulder, she gasped and relished in the pain, growling as they kissed.

Panting with him as he finished she let him press upon her lightly. Another kiss and an unbidden noise escaped her as he went down her chin and placed his teeth upon her throat. She quivered beneath the dangerous claiming touch. She was his, his, his. She would fetch the moon for him if he bid it.

He found his way down her belly and kissed her there, right where he had filled her full. She gasped and arched her back again as he worked her. He continued to pin her down until she was howling and pushing and writhing. The crescendo she reached sent her sprawling, gripping the furs and bracing her back paws upon his shoulders until she was shaking and trembling. She pleaded with him no more but wickedly he persisted and again he sent her to the skies, again, then again, until she was well and truly spent. She was limp, gasping just to breathe, her eyes closed, and her body weak. She could barely open her eyes to look at him, nor shift herself to allow him room to lay next to her.

In the fog of her ecstasy, she wondered, did it happen? She felt something was different this time. Something happened, but she couldn't say what or why.

"Ignita"

Basilisk may enter her threads without warning.

He tasted his Ignita, he enjoyed what he did to her. He loved to tease her, and bring her howls of ecstasy as she climaxed. And then, just because he could, he did it again. She was a helpless victim beneath him as he claimed her with his tongue with the experience earned every time he worked her. He worked her until she was boneless and limp, and then he shuffled down against her, pulling her onto his chest.

Feeling her limp, happy state as he kissed her cheek. “Sleep, my love, my dearest.” he whispered in her ear. There would be things for them to do in the morning, he needed to pick up her training, push her and push her, because she no longer had her herbs as back up and he would fill her until she was ripe with puppies. She had some challenges to win yet.

-time skip-?

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

She hummed into his chest as he whispered in her ear. She had barely felt it when he gathered her up and brought her closer to him. Her sleep was deep and so thoroughly relaxed, wrapped in him so comfortably.

-time skip-

She woke, somewhat stiff and sore. Her eyes broke the seal upon her new surroundings. Where? Oh... Yes, that's right. She smirked as she remembered. She reached out one paw to stretch it, then the other, and let her stretch flow up from her arms into her chest as she pushed her chin down. With a sigh and a soft lip smack, she gathered her paws back in again and blinked her golden eyes around the room.

Oh! The scoundrel! They left her book outside! It could have gotten rained on!
Quickly she made to leap out of the bed and grab it from the patio.


"Speech"

When he felt movement on his chest he didn’t immediately respond. He knew Ignita had awoken, and he was content to pay attention to her through scent and feel for now. Until he felt her sudden spring forward. His eyes flew open, and he rolled to his paws with a growl. Trouble? No, just Ignita moving out of the den. He realised why as he followed her to the door and saw her grab her book, one she had been paying attention to before he had swept her off her paws. He had no regrets.

He trotted to the patio beside her, and nipped her ear gently. “Defences today, Ignita” He warned her, though there was still so much satisfaction in his voice. Peace from the night before.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

She had quite enjoyed her place on his chest, but all thoughts went out the window as she thought about the potential danger of the elements her book could be in. It would be ruined! She quickly trotted out the den and found it exactly as they left it. She sighed, the pages that were left open were indeed a little wrinkly from the early morning dew.

"Ah fleas..." She mumbled as she pressed on the pages, trying to smooth them out. She felt Bas follow her and shook her head as he nipped her ear. She couldn't be mad at him. She could still feel him, smell him as she moved.

"Oh? Do you think I'm ready then? Defenses?" She asked wryly, tilting her head. She plopped her book in the basket that was also left outside and trotted with her tail in the air back into the den to deposit it safely inside.

When she returned to the patio she pressed against his side like a trilling cat and closed her eyes to his scent. His masculine musk nearly drove her to tease him into it all again.
"Speech"

He could get lost in the scent of her, and it did seem like the pair of them had a lot of trouble getting anything done. Would he ever lose the blooming lust he felt when he looked at her? He nipped at her ear again as she pressed out her book, and then moved around him, arching her back against him. He playfully batted at her with a paw. “That’s what we need to find out” he pointed out dryly.

Come one,” he said, lightly swatting at her before starting forward. “If we stick around here we won't get anything done.” She would know the truth of that as well as he did. He would have her go over her defences again, and assess if she was ready to be tested.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

She'd playfully scrunch her face at him as he continued to swat her. She would duck and dodge and try to swat him back in between his own. Eventually, she giggled and stuck her tongue out as she skipped a little ahead of him down the stairs as he moved forward. Agreeing they'd be trapped there forever if they didn't move on. Not that it really would stop him if he wanted to as he demonstrated before, the bastard.

"So what's first?" She asked as she made it to the bottom of the stairs. Wondering where he'd like to assess her defenses.

"Speech"

*He led her down the sloped path from the Warlords den… from the den that he and Ignita had decided to share. He still hadn’t spoken to her about his ideas to create a multi-level den if they were able to. One that incorporated her old den through the secret tunnel Ignita had found.

They neared the bottom of the slope, where the ground was still angled and hadn’t flattened out yet when he turned back to Ignita. “Here is good. Show me what you’ve learned, and we’ll assess if you're ready for the challenge yet” he said, nodding his head towards her so she could show him what she had learned with Wylan and with practice.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

She took a breath as he turned and pointed out the spot they were already in. From her time watching in the training ring and working with Wylan she imagined watching herself as she posed. But that became too difficult to imagine so she decided to try and embody one of the fighters. She mirrored the pose she had seen a few times, her head level, her knees braced, and her nose just tipped down slightly, ready to spring in any direction. She rolled her shoulders and flinched, one still hurt from a few days ago and from their fun last night.

"Speech"

He watched Ignita fall into position. She was… a great deal more competent than that first day she had attempted this. Where he had lost his patience with her. He walked a full circle around her, and stopped at her side. He raised a paw and pushed lightly at her side. Testing the steadiness of her stance. The slope of the hill would have worked against her if she hadn’t found her centre.

But he found her to be steady, and well balanced. He walked a little more around her. (pausing to admire her ass) and then lightly kicking one of her paws to the side. She kept her balance, and returned to position. She was ready for her core to be put to the test. “Come with me.” he ordered her. He led her to the stores and stopped them both outside. “Stay here… hang around the stores for a bit” he ordered her, and trotted up the mountain pass. He returned a little bit later and found her working inside. No surprise there. He grinned at her, grabbing a piece of fabric and holding it up. “I’m going to blindfold you, are you ready?”

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

He walked around her, her eyes and ears keeping tabs on his track. She smirked as he gently tested her stance and found her solid. She had indeed braced along the slope, using the angle to keep herself steady. Her breathing was even and steady as he circled and lingered around her tail. She swished it just to tease him. He kicked her foot and she easily kept her stance. She sees why this stance is so important. She felt stronger and the longer she stood in this pose she could feel her confidence rising.

He gave her a new order and she easily fell in step behind him, the stance was easy to shift in and out of at least. She tilted her head at him as he commanded her to hang around the stores a bit, and then he trotted away. She swept her tongue around her teeth for a minute as she peeked inside the storeroom. Ah fleas, they forgot to put the empty jars on this shelf over here! She made herself busy until he came back and called her out.

He held up a piece of cloth and his next words gave her pause.
"Oh... uh... alright." She agreed with trepidation. Could be fun... She couldn't help the subtle hitch in her breath of anxiety. She even felt a little nauseous.

"Ignita"

He saw the trepidation in her expression, and lightly bumped her chin with a paw. “You’ve got this.” He told her, as if there were no doubts. He led her up the ascent to First Light point. The last time they had been up this way, he had been chasing Ignita. He had caught her, of course..

His tail swished with amusement at the thought, and he stopped her just before they would crest the top. Here he turned back to her and held up the blindfold. “Your test starts here, are you ready?” He asked her, voice clear and serious. The voice not of her lover, but of her Alpha. The wolf who was pushing her to better herself for her sake, and for the sake of the children they wanted.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

He bumps her chin with his paw and gives her some steadying words. She steels herself with a breath in and a long breath out. She's got this. Her paws cover the ground beside him and her mind also lingers on the memory of the last time they were ascending this slope. She exchanged a smile and a knowing teasing glance with him and saw the swish of his tail he would do when he was amused. She liked that game.

Just before the crest, he stopped her and held up the blindfold. She lifted her nose stoically and nodded curtly with as strong a "Yes." as she could muster.

She closed her eyes as she felt him tie the blindfold on tightly. The world dark as she was blinded. She felt the ground beneath her paws, slightly gritty, a little damp. She could smell the wind, a mix of sea, beach, woodland, and mountain as well as a subtle note of rot. As well as him. Her ears could catch the crunch of his paws on the ground and one of their packmates talking to another down by the beach. She could almost see it all before her though her eyes saw nothing.

"It's tight. Can't see a thing." She told him confidently.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

With her agreement, he carefully tied the blindfold around her eyes. Setting it snugly in place. It looked like it covered everything and her words were in agreement with that. 


He pressed himself lightly against her side so she had something to anchor to and guide her. Leading her more slowly now over the crest and into the lookout point properly. He led her around to a back area that he had carefully worked for this. 


He stopped her near a sturdy plank, the sort they used for shelving but thicker, stronger. “Feel in front of you, there's a plank you can walk onto.” He instructed her. It was wide enough to fit all four of her paws on “it stretches out over the mountain edge facing the forest and curves back. remember your balances, tighten your core and walk the plank blindfolded” he instructed her. Looking at the wood he had placed over a very tiny ditch. About a 2 foot drop at worst.