not maybe, definitely

The late fall evening was cool and clear, the air crisp with the chill of approaching winter. Trees had begun to change color en masse, with many beginning to shed their leaves in preparation for the colder months of snow and ice and darkness. It was what drove Maverick to pace about the lush valley of plant life on a little grocery trip of his own, seeking to gather a small stash to get him through the winter. Though not a healer by trade, there were a couple herbs of the… shall we say recreational variety that he was intimately familiar with. That was what he was after tonight, and it had been a fruitful day for the renegade of a wolf!

Carrying a leather pouch full to the brim with fresh cannabis, Maverick had begun to make his way south to the neighboring province of Algoma Prairie in search of a place to winter without having to travel all the way south to Auster. Well, he had been going that way, until he heard a startled whine from somewhere nearby and stopped on a dime. Now Mav was no hero by any means, but he wasn’t heartless either. The sound of someone in distress warranted investigation, and with a nimble turn, the dire brute hurried off in the direction of the cry. He came to the top of a ravine, peering around the empty area. There was no one here except him and the nocturnal insects beginning to sing their chorus. With a pensive expression, Maverick began to sniff about—and blinked in surprise when he recognized a familiar scent.

No fucking way… the lone wolf thought to himself and hurried along the top of the ravine, following the scent of the woman he’d met once before. Though he was large, his feet were deft and agile along the dark edge of the drop. The scent got stronger and stronger, until eventually it dropped right off the edge. Mav came to an abrupt halt and peered down, spotting the dark crumpled form of a wolf lying near the stream. Aw shit…! "Venom!" he called down to her, watching for movement or any signs of life. What if she’d hit her head on the way down and was unconscious? What if she was dead? He had to do something. "Don’t move, I’m coming down!"

Navigating down the ravine wasn’t an easy feat, especially in the dark of the encroaching night. Every step Maverick took was measured and deliberate, but also swift and with urgency. When he was halfway down to her, he called out again, "Hang on, I’m almost th- oh fuck!" With a crumble of rock, Maverick slid and tumbled down the rest of the way to the bottom of the ravine, winding up scattered with toned limbs going in all directions, but ultimately unharmed. Not wasting any time, he scrambled to right himself and hurried to the fallen Empress. He didn’t smell any blood, which was a good start. "You okay? I heard a yelp." He turned a guarded gaze towards Venom, a bit of a rueful smirk teasing at his lips. "You’re not gonna bite my toes again if I help you, are you, Your Majesty?"

"Maverick"