Tahlia, oh his Tahlia. Each of his shoulders hurt from where her dewclaws had scraped the skin from where she held him during their mating. But Bane didn't care. She was satisfied. He was satisfied. Nothing else mattered in their current moment together. His mate's forelegs were tucked against her chest just above his outstretched forelegs, the paw resting on her shifting down to touch them.?Tahlia's diaphragm rose and fell with her panting, Bane's body wriggling in so that his belly fur was touching her side. He heard her breathy exhale, Bane going a slow blink at the content noise she made as he continued to nose and nibble on her ear. Tahlia let out a laugh and sucked in a gulp of air, Bane stopped his toying of her ear just as she turned her head to stare at him for a moment to then match his comment.

She put a fire inside him, this female he pledged his heart too. The she-wolf lay on her side, Bane's muzzle reaching out to place a kiss on her cheek and along corner of her maw as she did the same for him.?"Nothing like simultaneous satisfaction huh?" Bane mumbled with an exhausted half smile when she laid her head underneath his chin. The pale wolf tilted his head placed a few licks into between her two ears, tongue roving down the left side of her face as another rumble surfaced in his chest. He settled down closer against her and traced the paw from her neck all the way alongside the edge of her stomach, a lick being placed in-between her ears as he waited just a little bit longer in their time spent alone before responsibilities would have to be put first again. Other responsibilities besides raising a family. Taking care of his mate's needs. That was job he would never mind for as long as he had Tahlia.

Walk | Talk | Think She laughed, a quiet, happy sound, when he spoke of their satisfaction, and found that even after all this time she was still a little surprised by his boldness regarding the subject. But, oh, it was true. There was little to compare with the feeling of her heart racing against his, and in the end both reaching that high together. And the relaxed, exhausted state that claimed them after. There was truly no one she could have imagined going on this journey with, no one that she wanted to to take that journey with, except him. It shone in her eyes when she looked at him, a wanting that was more than simply physical. She loved him. He had stolen her feet right out from under her and opened her to a deeper, more meaningful relationship and love than she had thought to wish for. And though she had had no idea what she had been missing before she was grateful for it, for him. He made her life all the better just by being a part of it. Her dark gold eyes blinked slowly as he leaned his head to place a few licks between her ears and across her forehead, so sweet, so soft. They roamed, traveling down the side of her face, and a lazy, contented smile spread across her muzzle. And again that growl, rumbling through his body, spreading into her own. She would have drawn herself closer if he had not already beat her to it, his paw moving again down her torso. So attentive he was to her, as if they had all the time in the world... "I swear time stands still when I am with you," she remarked, gently placing a kiss beneath his chin. "I feel as if there is nothing else in the world but us."

Being together with Tahlia intimately was like a journey up a mountain. It followed a trail with many splits and were entwined in their path together. While all the paths lead to the same destination, some were quick and others took awhile, but again. They all lead to the top. A peak, if you will, that both wolves could enjoy summiting at the end with enough skill. A joy at overcoming the trails and savoring the view they had worked to climb as one, giving advice and suggestions on their route to the top, hardly ever stopping and always moving. Breathing became harder the further you both climbed, making muscles ache as you fought not to be the first to the peak and watch your partner struggle on a different trail, but to rise along together. Communicate, and ask what to do too help your mate along the way if they tell you they're struggling. And the view at the summit is as glorious as it is special when staying together to savor the end of your journey. Give a few licks and nuzzles and kisses along the jaw as you stare into each others eyes and a few wags of a tail. Let them know you enjoyed their part in the climb most of all, ask how you did the trial of passion and what path to take next on the mountain if curiosity suits either of your racing and passionate hearts.

Bane gave a slow blink, not imagining anybody else he would want to share this with. Tahlia had stolen his heart and his soul. They were hers forever. It was sobering, this journey they often took together, a reminder that all the moments with your significant other had to be savored. An experience of trust and letting your mate know fully know you in your most vulnerable state. Concentrating on the one you love without a care to outside happenings. They are yours and you are theirs. Bane was Tahlia's and Tahlia was Bane's.

A rumble left his muzzle at her words, feeling her muzzle touch his chin. "The time we spend together, it lasts longer that it should when I'm with you. I absolutely cannot imagine a lesser way of living then how we live now. We have found our happiness." The pale wolf traced his paw down from the base of her throat and across her stomach, letting it drift a little lower before massaging her sternum. His muzzle would touch against hers and tilt slightly so his tongue would intrude into her muzzle again. The taste of her maw was the sweetest of anything he had dined upon, the vibration his body continuously rumbled against her didn't hurt. He knew Tahlia enjoyed it.

Walk | Talk | Think She settled still against him, smiling away as he went on to repeat her own feelings. She should have known what she felt he did too. They were lucky in that way, she thought, bonded so deeply that even this they shared. It was so unlike her previous relationship, unlike any relationship that she could have imagined. And he was absolutely right. They were happy, the happiest Tahlia could remember being at any point in her life. The fact they were rogues, exiles, was of no consequence to her in these moments. For all she felt she might as well have been queen of their new domain. Her skin tingled where his paw trailed and a short series of low giggles sprang up from the sensation. Only when he brought his muzzle to hers did she stop, far too distracted by his intruding, intimate kiss to express the giddiness she felt with him. Her heart sped at the still new gesture, a quick breath drawn in. She only managed another soft, "Mmm," before her tongue pressed back against his, spurred into action by the feel of his body rumbling with his growl against her. He was close enough for her to feel almost every vibration, and she did love that feeling, that sound, so very much. Her forepaw lifted and came to rest against his side, tempted to pull him close again although with as close as he had scooted himself already she was not sure it would have made much of a difference. "Do you try to make me breathless?" she asked, indeed beginning to sound that way as she drew slightly away from their kiss, the suggestion of a impish smile curving up the corners of her mouth, "Or is that just your luck you speak of?"

His ears echoed with his mate's giggles and his maw tasted of her as Tahlia made the sound of pure satisfaction again. Bane closed his eye as he enjoyed that way the coarse tips of their tongues touched when she kissed him, the taste of her lips. The pale wolf hummed as he withdrew and gave her a kiss on the nose, snuggling closer to his mate at the wanting tug she gave against his side. "Heh, I know for a fact you like being breathless," His roving muzzle bent down and nosed underneath her chin. "and I know you don't mind that." The rogue pinched and nipped his jaws along the base of her throat. "or that." Oh he wasn't through teasing Tahlia just yet, that was for certain.

The pale wolf rubbed his leg against the side of his mate's chest upon hearing her teasing, voicing a grunt as he brought himself over the she-wolf. "And this." Bane breathed over her muzzle as he straddled her and could effectively pin her in place should he choose. The first kiss was placed on her nose, the other on the side of her maw with a little flick of a tongue against her fangs. The next went to the corner of her muzzle and the other over her right eye. A second was taken to draw back and see how Tahlia was doing. "Hey you." Gentleness was in Bane's gaze as he touched their noses together.

These intimate gestures were all he could ever show to the female who held his heart. Carried his young. Returned the affection he showed as equally as she could and pleased him with her body as he did to hers. The pale wolf savored the way their wispy stomach fur touched as he placed his muzzle behind a shoulder and nipped at Tahlia's withers. The sensual actions he preformed being away from prying eyes, and that was all right with Bane as he continued to caress and nibble his Tahlia. Feeling the way she reacted and the rumble of affection he voiced to please her ears. To get her to arch her back and gasp his name with closed eyes and pinned ears as she tried to wag her tail about. That was what Bane lived for in these moments alone. To let her know that he was ready to please.

Walk | Talk | Think She had been counting on her words to push Bane toward action and was rewarded far more than anticipated for her teasing. His muzzle ducked, nosed beneath her chin, and all too obligingly Tahlia bent her head back, eyes closing blissfully at each touch while her heart only continued to race faster. Yes, she agreed silently. She did like that. Still smiling as his muzzle moved from below her chin to the base of her throat, the series of gentle nips he placed there drew out a quiet gasp, a shiver, and she squirmed eagerly beneath his teasing touch. Yes. She particularly liked that too. More dizzying kisses, more grazing bites, were what she expected, but he moved instead, not away but closer. He brought himself over her, pinning her in place, and her eyes opened to stare with tense anticipation up into his face as he straddled her. Her breath caught in her chest. Yes. Already beginning to anticipate what it meant - or did he simply mean to wind her up as far as he could just to watch her squirm? - she shifted onto her back, forepaws rising again to hold his sides. More kisses - on her nose, her muzzle, her lips, her face - only proved to pull her more taut, a thin whine whispering from her muzzle as she met his smiling gaze across their touching noses with a look that was full of desire and longing. Oh gods, and that wonderful growl. Did he know the effect he had on her? Her paws wrapped more securely around him and hugged him tightly, certain she could never get close enough to him to ever satisfy. The feel of his soft bites, now being given behind her shoulders, brought out quick little shudders in her frame, each more delightful than the last. "Bane," she breathed into the fur of his shoulder, still far from catching her breath though, as he had already pointed out, she liked it that way, "Bane." Her voice was pleading, begging, wanting him to keep going, to go further, to keep her breathless.

Bane couldn't remember a time when Tahlia had actually wanted him, almost always him initiating except for when she first asked they try for pups and start a family. This day was one of firsts, his mate craving intimacy over such a simple gesture as a flower being placed in the fur of her ear. Granted, exactly how he had placed the bloom was very suggestive in unto itself. Riling her up so much that they've ventured together down the trail of physical gratification twice. Bane stood over his mate who shifted onto her back for him. His love. His life. A distracting kiss placed against the side of her neck as a foreleg crept down just below her ribs, a throaty growl given as he wiggled the paw underneath between her back and the leaves she lay on.

The pale wolf wanted her to beg before any move was made, a whisper of need or a nip of demand on his nose. The paws gripping against his sides and her pleading whine would do. He felt his name be breathed next to an ear as he tugged on the side of her neck. Tahlia's muzzle settled on his left shoulder as she gasped his name again. Very needy. Very ready. Almost as if they haven't mated two times this morning. All worries of a young wolf roaming about and finding them were nonexistent. All that mattered was that he satisfy his mate. Bane closed his eye with a grunt, tucked paw rolling the female onto her chest. The pale wolf roughly grabbed up her hips, savoring the secure crook between her hind legs and chest as his claws dug into her nerved waist. Bane strode forward to raise her rump and keep her chest pressed into the leaves, savoring the softness of her tail against his stomach. The rogue wolf's fangs would snap up Tahlia's scruff and firmly tug on the loose skin to keep her relaxed and docile as he began to work her over.

-Fade and skip-

The wolves time together bonding through desire and lust had been exhausting for the male after all he had done, Bane sliding off her to lay on his back and just gaze up at the sky for a few moments. His sapphire eye would wander over the tree branches, minding the steady curling and uncurling of his toes as the rogue female lay next to him. A whine left him, exhausted and just hoping that Tahlia was satisfied after his vigorous lovemaking. She liked being breathless, Bane knowing she would be kept that way for a few more moments. His mate had been... needy today, all over a flower. Maybe he'd give her another in the future.

She was glanced at, his chest rising and falling from the demanding session as he spoke. "Gods I wish you were in heat, what I've left in you must feel useless right now. More paw steps could be soon running after us." Bane rumbled as his body began to convulse in laughter. A kiss was placed behind her ear, head tilting to eye her with a shaky exhalation. He saw the blood trickling over her neck to mingle with the pine needles and leaves, the taste as prominent in his maw as it was visible to his eye.

Some remorse, but she had to be satisfied quickly and their bodies freed up as soon as possible due to wandering pups. He turned his muzzle to her. "We should get this smell off of each other. The less said to the pups the better if they're in an asking mood." The pale wolf mumbled suddenly, the realization that they should be getting back to supervising and rearing young suddenly coming to mind. "Come on." The rogue hushed as he nosed his mates bleeding neck before loping up the hill ahead of her. The river came into view after a moment of weaving through trees, Bane quickly wadding into the current and tossing up the silt along the rock strewn bottom in an attempt to mask the scent of their time together.

Walk | Talk | Think No sooner had Bane's paws released their grip on her hips Tahlia followed him to the soft, leaf covered ground, sinking to her stomach. Her deep gold eyes were closed and an ear turned toward her husband, listening not only to the sounds of their ragged breathing and a whine from her mate but also the echoes in her body of the pleasure he had brought her. Not even she was sure where her sudden insatiable desire had come from but there was no question that he had sated it, leaving her breathless as she had asked. And she was sure not to forget it, especially with the familiar sting at her neck where he had held her tight and purposeful. Another mark on her, the second of its kind. How noticeable would it be? He spoke up and her ear twitched, listening to his suggestion of pups with a mixture of feelings. Oh, how she did long to give him more children, as many as she could while she still had the strength and swiftness to keep up with them. It had always been her dream to have a large family and being with Bane had not changed those sentiments in the least. If anything, they had been strengthened, but though she wished for more she was unsure if now would have been the best time. They were homeless, even if their dens beside the river were comfortable. Not now, she thought to herself as she smiled in response to his laughter, finally cracking her eyes open to peer sidelong at him beside her. But later, possibly, if their fortune could turn around, she was eager to reconsider her opinion on the matter. A kiss was placed behind her ear, eyes blinking with a lazy slowness, and the quiet suggestion made that they clean themselves in the river. Tahlia almost laughed - still breathless herself she was unsure if he even had the strength to make that move - but the implications returning as they were was enough to make her see the sense in his words. The last thing she wished to do was spark the curiosity of her children. And it was really about time that they returned to them; poor Anais, she did not want to scare the girl away from helping her or one day having pups of her own if Kailos and Lior were proving to be difficult in any way. With a slight wince - her bloody neck smarted at the movement - Tahlia pulled herself to her paws and followed after her grey husband at a more sedate pace, up and over the ridge, past her flower's blue petals, and toward the river. Bane was already in the river by the time she arrived, and without pausing to test it she waded in for a second time that day. It was cool as she remembered, bringing her around quickly from the somewhat dazed, drowsy state Bane had left her in, and though it stung at first it eased the pain of her neck almost to the point of numbing it. Sighing happily, feeling cleansed and presentable to return to their children, she stepped further into the water and crouched, ducking her head beneath its churning surface to enjoy the feel and sound of it as it rushed past the whole of her. Standing upright again, her head again above water, she took in a fresh breath of air, shaking the water from her face as she cast a smiling glance at her husband. "I miss having a lake to swim in," she remarked absently. But at least she had her family together again. "Do you suppose we are presentable now?"

Tahlia came in right after him, Bane watching her wade into the lazy current along the shore. He brought himself back up the beach until it was just his ankles being submerged. Tahlia dunked herself, the rogue male standing still as he watched her damp pelt fur plaster itself against her body. She remaminced about Seracia's lake the times she swam in it, also adding after a moment if they were ok to return to their den. He was only half listening, Bane's breathing rapidly turning ragged as a thin whine was voiced. He didn't really give her a chance to answer as he sloshed up to his mate and planted a kiss against her cheek.

"You think we'd get away with what we spent all morning doing in that pack?" Bane gasped against an ear. The tip of his muzzle nuzzling against her neck, tongue trailing over her fang wounds as he traced along her spine. Bane traced his chin down her tail and grabbed the appendage with a stimulating growl. The rogue rose up to grip her hips in a sloshing of water, her tail being let go of as it was pressed between their two bodies. Bane liked the way the water flowed around his shuffling hind legs as he brought himself against her. The way the smoothed fur of Tahlia's damp rump and back became disheveled as he worked her over to await the next time they could be together intimately.

The flowing river matching the passion the two wolves shared during the act, feeling the way her sides expanded with a very pleased grin as his jaws loosened from around her neck scruff when their bodies freed up. The male slide off to the side and looked upstream where their den's beach was visible just around the river bend, certain no eyes having witness this act of passion. Bane sipped up some water and let it all drizzle over Tahlia's neck scruff, a sigh being breathed against her cheek. "We... we really should be getting back." The pale wolf rubbed the top of his head against her shoulder and closed his eye.

Walk | Talk | Think He said nothing immediately, only stared rather intently at her, and Tahlia took her gaze from his to look herself over. Well, she did look less conspicuous now, her fur slicked against her body as if she had only been fishing and likely with less of a telling scent upon her. The waters ran awfully fast; at least she could feel confident of their cleansing abilities. Just to be certain, however, she reached her head over one shoulder and tried to lick as high as she was able, glad when she tasted no blood from the new shallow bite against her neck. Hopefully it would go unnoticed. She was just about to make a teasing, chastising remark to Bane about the bite when she heard his whine above the noise of the river. Immediately she turned her head to look his way, recognizing the sound within his voice, the need even after... Well, needless to say she did not expect it. He was already halfway to her, plodding through the rough waters, breath unnecessarily ragged for that short trip, and once at her side he kissed her cheek. Breathed against an ear, his question drew about a sudden smile and a swift, quiet response - "That would have been far too risky." Seracia had always been a dignified sort of pack as well as decently sized. There had been too much to do, as well as too many chances to be found out, to consider more than they had allowed. Although, if Bane's behavior was any indicator, it hardly sounded as if their morning was over just yet. He hinted further at that as all of his nuzzles and licks and touches followed the line of her back, progressively stirring up more tingling sensations as he went. Did he really-- Oh, but maybe he did. His hold against her tail had not been painful but she drew in a sudden breath just the same, feeling her startled heartbeat start to accelerate excitedly as she turned her head to peer at him behind her. That look about his face accompanied by that growl. There was little question left as he let go of her tail to lift himself over her, pull her close, and grip her neck again, her body suddenly tense with anticipation. Just vaguely she wondered whether he might have only intended to tease her again, to stir her up one last time before-- Oh. Apparently not. She was breathless all over again by the time he let go of her and as he came to stand beside her she pressed her shoulder to his, leaning against him within the rush of the river. That had been...unexpected. But oh so satisfying. He shifted beside her and she stood on her own, watching him as her breathing eased into a more natural pace and closing her eyes when the water was allowed to trickle down her neck. It stung though perhaps not so strongly as it originally had. Maybe there would be no second set of bite marks added to the first. Tahlia turned her head to his as he sighed against her, and found herself laughing gently when he suggested for a second time that they return to their den. "Do you really mean that?" she asked, her tone teasing as she leaned her head to nuzzle the back of his neck where he rested his head against her shoulder, "or do you intend to surprise me another time before we get there?" For all she knew now it could have been a very likely possibility. She sighed as she closed her eyes, considering, before she took a step back to put just a little space of distance between herself and Bane. "We better go," she agreed, smiling. "Before either one of us does something to cause another delay." And before she could give him a chance to do just that she turned and hurriedly made for the riverbank, pausing just long enough to shake the water from her coat and cast a quick glance his way before she set off back toward the den, hardly expecting her lead over him to be kept for long.

Surely his mate had been startled at first. But as far as complaining? Didn't hear a thing from her. Bane's shoulder tingled from where it had been ruffled by her pressing touch. Water droplets trailed from his jaw across Tahlia's scruff as he rested his muzzle above her shoulder. At her question Bane couldn't help but give a sly smile. "Now I'm serious. I mean it. Let's just say that was holdover until the next time you needy thing." Bane froze for a moment when she placed her head on the back of his neck and gave her retort. He reached around to his side and nibbled the edge of an ear, from tip to bottom. Tahlia stepped away right as he started to go up the ear again. She headed towards the shore.

The pale elder's head dipped to sip some water, ears listening to his mate saying that they should go. He spit a stream of water after her retreating form with a harrumph, submerged ankles sloshing in the river as he followed her to the shore. Bane shook his pelt and curiously eyed Tahlia as she took took off ahead of him. His eye narrowed, also feeling the brow above his missing eye behave oddly at his expression. A few hurried paces were taken, and when he saw that he wasn't going to catch up, began to run. Tahlia was a bit ahead through the trees, Bane weaving past the pines to stride next her. Their damp pelts touched as the grey wolf nudged against her, a lick being snuck against the side of his mate's cheek. "I'll, uhhh." Bane began with a pause. "If it's all the same to you I'm going to sleep this morning off at the entrance to the den." Bane spoke into an ear, still staying by her side until they got to their den. The exhausted wolf sat down and nuzzled Tahlia's cheek as she passed by, curling up to quickly fall asleep.

-Bane is asleep-

Walk | Talk | Think He caught up with her, as she had expected him to, and fell into step beside her with a little nudge. Tahlia smiled and then brighter when he kissed her cheek, feeling as if her paws grazed the earth in a hover rather than carried her upon it. When she had set out away from the den that morning she had never expected things to take the turn that they had. She had thought maybe to just stretch and run about a little bit to counter the time that she spent cooped up inside the den, but instead she had used that time to reacquaint herself with her husband. It had been pleasantly unexpected, a much needed moment for themselves, and even now when all was said and done she still felt the lingering happiness, and likely would for a while yet. She listened as he spoke to her, catching the slight pause between his words, and glanced a sidelong, assessing look at him. Actually, a nap did sound like a wonderful idea; she just could not say yet whether the pups would have been up for it considering Anais had been watching them while she had been away. For all she knew, they could have already been sleeping during her time with Bane. "Alright," she answered simply, giving a slight nod of her head and looking ahead at the den that she could see. Her husband left her there outside of it, offering a nuzzle that she readily returned, and as he shifted to settle himself there on the ground Tahlia proceeded inside. Anais was still with the young ones, the pups still playing but in a manner that suggested to Tahlia that they had been about it long enough to be tired beneath their constant movements. They were at her paws as soon as they saw her there creeping into the den, telling her of their time spent with their older sibling, and she smiled at them tenderly as she listened. Her dark gold eyes shifted to the grey-gold pup as she got to her paws with a tail wag, looking only a little worse for the wear and smiling with something that might have had a touch of relief to it. She nuzzled her elder daughter and thanked her for babysitting, all the while guiding her toward the exit with the added advice of letting her father sleep on her way out. And with that taken care of, she settled in the den with Kailos and Lior and got them to reluctantly lay down, knowing in a matter of minutes they would cave and all of them would be able to rest after. -Exit Tahlia through sleep-