Old Scars and New

That strange heat stayed settled in Iki's belly and there was a little fluttering there as well. She took a deep breath and let it out slow, centering herself and regaining control of herself once more. She was no idiot and knew that her first heat would be upon her soon. Ikigai just chalked these strange feeling to the oncoming adulthood that would soon take hold of her. Thankfully, she didn't notice that Deimos was ruffled as well or it would have made things much more awkward.

When she spoke of Manea's kindness, Deimos again found a way to compliment her, mentioning her plethora of gifts. Iki's jaw tightened for a moment and she nodded, accepting the compliment. It would have been rude not to. She didn't know how to feel about receiving so many compliments. They weren't necessary. Ikigai didn't need admiration or any of those things that most females needed.

Deimos upped the stomach clenching feeling when he spoke of his family valuing pleasure as well as strength and loyalty. The snowy princess's back went straight as a board and she lifted her crown high. "Pleasure isn't something that I'm concerned about. As long as this alliance is forged and is solid, nothing else matters." She was leaving her family and essentially giving herself to a stranger to strength her family pack. For Ashen, she would subject herself to anything.

The woods thinned and the pair of wolves came to the end of it. Tanuki was resting there, waiting for them. Ikigai nodded to him and the akita motioned with a point of his nose in the direction that they would be traveling in. "Not long now," she informed Deimos. They would be able to run again and there would be no time or breath for talking. Suddenly, she was very thankful for that.

"Ikigai"