Walk | Talk | Think For the second time that morning, Callisto reorganized her cache of medicinal herbs. There was really no point. She had gone over them so often that each pile and bunch was near perfect and orderly, just the way she liked it, and the ones that would help with small scrapes and cuts had already been set aside and picked out from the rest. But she needed the movement, the distraction, something to keep her busy while she waited. Jakart would be by soon. Not to satisfy an itch, as he had been helping over the past month, though he was still on call for that. No, today he was giving her a defense lesson, at her request. It still puzzled her how it had come about, how the idea had even taken shape in her mind. She was safe, the safest she could be without a pack, and yet it had still occurred to her how poor she was when it came to keeping herself safe. She had suffered once because of it, suffered long because of it, and with her hormones adding an unusual amount of energy to her system using some of it to learn to protect herself seemed appropriate. There was no guarantee how long her current arrangements would hold up, no guarantee how long her relative safety would last. It made sense, when her hormones were quiet enough for thought, that she put her new energy to better use. She stared determinedly at the plants as she considered again her choice, and looked up somewhat expectantly when she heard a soft set of footsteps approach the den. "Organizing again?" Belladonna asked as she strolled with casual feline grace into the den, a teasing glint within her light golden eyes. The cat glanced from the black and grey wolf to the select plants she had separated from the main stores of the cache, and her whiskers twitched. "What’s this for?" Without answering, Callisto carefully scooped up the plants between her teeth and rose to her paws, forcing Bella to step back as she walked out of the den and into the open space outside of it. She took only a few steps before gently setting down the plants with a lick to her lips. "Just a precaution," she explained, turning her head to glance back at the black cat as Belladonna stepped to the entryway of the den and sat with her thin tail curled at her side, "Jakart’s going to teach me some basics to fighting, and defense." Belladonna’s tail tip flicked idly as she considered the news, then nodded her head. "That’s a decent idea. You’re way too scrawny to pose much of a threat naturally" – to which Callisto offered a sour scowl – "so planning ahead should help." It would definitely give the healer a little more comfort if and when she decided to start branching out in her searches for plants beyond the Fern Gulley. The cat was sure she was going to run out of bits of forest here to investigate soon, especially at the rate she went about it. And Jakart – while he did give off the impression of being something of a pushover, especially when it came to Callisto – spent the majority of his time honing those physical fighting skills, arming himself with knowledge to share that doubled at putting him in peak form. A fact she was sure Callisto already knew, perhaps a little too well. A new spark entered her eye, one of mischief and mirth. "Are you sure now’s a good time for this?" she questioned innocently as she barely suppressed the urge of her lips to curl, and her tail swayed just slightly at her side. "It's going to be an awfully short lesson." Callisto's brow furrowed. "Why? I've got the extra energy to burn, and I want to learn this" she countered sharply. And, compared to what else she had been doing with that energy, this was a much smarter move all the way around. She figured, of all people, the cat would see the sense in that. Belladonna saw something different, and was much more amused than she would have expected as she realized her mistress had not seen it for herself. Succumbing to her knowing smile, the scrawny black cat sighed and shook her head in a defeated sort of gesture. "You realize this is going to end with him on top of you, right?" Blunt as ever, Bella added no sugar coating to her explanation, did not bother to waste her breath being delicate about the subject. "And I don't mean as part of the lesson." Callisto scoffed, almost a laugh, and shook her head, but her silvery blue eyes looked away from the amused black cat with a growing level of uncertainty. She had made the plans with Jak during a moment of clarity, a moment after the needy monster inside of her had been sated. The whole idea had made perfect sense then, when her control was intact, her thoughts once more ruling her body. But now...even thinking about it, about him, especially after the idea had been planted... Frustrated, irritated that her unwanted companion was implying she lacked self-control, the healer wrinkled her nose in agitation. "I'm not so–" "Sure, sure," the cat cut her off with a dismissive wave of her tail as she rose to her dainty paws and stepped away from the den, walking along the edge of the open space outside of it that would soon become the training grounds. "You can control yourself, blah blah blah. You say all that now," she stated as she sat down, claiming a spot that she assumed would offer a decent view of the awkwardly entertaining first act, "but once he's here?" Her bony shoulders shrugged, and her mouth curved into a wickedly amused grin. "I've seen you around him enough to know. You'll cave. I'd wager a fat, delicious fish on it." Callisto wanted to argue, to even rush forward and chase the aggravating cat away for all the good it would do. But hearing another set of footsteps approaching, the ones she had initially been listening out for, she turned her attention away from the cat to stare at her new company, the look of irritation still set upon her sharp features.

Jakart rolled over into his belly with a groan, tongue lolling out of his muzzle as he finally started to stir from his nap. Between fighting with his brothers and helping out Callisto with her seasonal needs was starting to take a toll on him physically. If his brothers smelled anything they didn't say anything, but living this double life so to speak was a bit taxing on his worries and fears of being found out during the times Callisto guided the male to a place of solitude and have him preform. No pups as of yet, her hips still remaining in their natural shape, a act he had come to note each time they were together. And it came as a surprise to him when laying with her recently that she had asked if she could be instructed on the art of defense.

There had been no way to escape the question as they lay in each other's embrace, Jakart only having the option to say yes. He could've sworn the he felt her forelegs grip him tighter and tighter until he had relented. And that training was to be today. Already he was headed back to he den, a trip often repeated this last month, and went over several things that would have to be with a few mutterings of defenses to himself. Honestly, with his brothers it wasn't even taken seriously, though when he and his father had sparred those years ago back in Ebony he had ended up pinning the old wolf. A fact the he was much congratulated on by his father. Callisto's scent brought him back, just as his paws were, and it seemed that the end of conversation was taking place as he noticed his own loud pawsteps. Something about a delicious fish and self control. Jakart remembered Tahlia often brought home fish for everyone, not know here why Callisto and Bella would be arguing about having a good meal. The grey wolf rounded the bend in the foliage and stopped at the look of Callisto's expression. Oh boy, it must have been a heated conversation about food. Females in heat would crave anything with meat on it. Or was that pregnancy? Jakart stood there and eyes the little clearing, weight shifting from side to side before he spoke with uncertainty. "Am I late?"

Walk | Talk | Think Callisto stared sharply at the grey wolf as he gave off a thick air of uncertainty, even going so far as to question whether he had timed his arrival wrong. If only it was something as simple as that. There was nothing simple about her season, about the way it toyed with her head and body and twisted around her wants in ways that she never would have thought any other time of the year. Already she felt it beginning to wake, a soft purr that wanted to lure the timid man closer and make him blush. And, what was worse, she knew all she needed to do was ask. He had been so compliant so far, so accommodating, that she had no reason to doubt it now. It would have been easy to change the plans for their meeting here, so easy. Too easy. The black and grey healer turned her head slightly toward the black cat seated off to the side, casting a sidelong glance to gauge Belladonna's reaction. Even at an angle, she could see the smile stretched wide across the cat's face, a grin of amusement that said plainly, at least to Callisto, what was on her mind. In answer, Calli felt her stubbornness grow. She had more self-control than the cat thought she did. She was not so ruled by the wants of her body to succumb to them every time they called out to her. She could go through a simple lesson in defenses without losing her direction. And she would, just to prove the damn cat wrong. Her tail lashed once as she turned her attention back around to Jakart, trying to muster up some more patience so she did not give away the battle she was currently waging inside. "You're not late," she informed him simply, her tone firm if not outright sharp. "Don't mind me," Bella spoke up from her seated position a safe distance from the pair, still grinning away as her tail waved amusingly and she watched the pair expectantly. Callisto gave the cat another pointed stare, wishing the feline was anywhere but there. Having her sitting there, smiling the entire time was not going to help at all, and already she could feel her presence frustrating her more. "I hope you don't mind an audience," she remarked with clearer irritation. Already, she knew this was going to be a challenge after all.

Jakart shifted where he stood, eyes traveling back and forth between Callisto and Belladonna with uncertainty. His oncemate took a step closer to him and he wished he could somehow block his nose from smelling her heat. That slight purr, Jakart looking at Bella when he saw Callisto's gaze shift that way. He supposed she was still sore from the argument, the cat was practically beaming. If only he had arrived sooner he perhaps could've listened in if his scent didn't give him away or he had been downwind. Oh gods, what if Callisto had been doing girl talk with the black feline? Already felt his cheeks warm at the sudden thought. He hoped Callisto wasn't doing that with the cat, or the very least not making a regular thing of telling a tale of the times she had been under him.

Callisto informed him that he wasn't late, to which Jakart could only nod as he was brought back to focus on the matter before him. Defense lesson. Right. Asked of him after their last time when their minds had been cleared and logical thought had returned. The males nose twitched at the scent of heat again, earn giving a flick as Bella spoke up from the side. "No, not really," Jakart remarked as he tried to solely focus upon the task in front of him. A task who had no previous experience in such a matter as fighting or defense. The black and grey healer had the potential as did anybody to learn. But for him their current closeness and the conditions she brought with her season brought a brand new challenge as he would have to focus and not act upon instinct should his instruction need to be demonstrated in a more side by side setting. The grey wolf cleared his throat. "Um, should me how you would defend yourself if I were to come at you right now." This was going to be hell with his self control, even if it was just a mere demonstration.

Walk | Talk | Think How unfortunate that he was alright with the cat sitting in on their lesson. If he had expressed any dislike at the idea of her sitting by to watch, Callisto might have taken that as the perfect excuse to chase the cat away, ridding herself of that little smug smile that she knew without a doubt was still beaming at the back of her head. Gods, this was already difficult without having Belladonna there, reminding her without a word of their conversation and the thought that had been planted. Eventually, Calli was sure as she thought about it, the circumstances would have crossed her mind if the lesson had been left to play out on its own, but now, before they had even begun, she already felt the thoughts clouding her judgment and tempting her with other ways they could spend their time instead. Damn that cat! Still feeling sour, still fighting to retain her calm, the black and grey wolf’s expression remained set in a look of stoic frustration while she eyed her new teacher, pointedly ignoring the onlooker seated away from them. Her restlessness had her itching to get the lesson started, to have something else other than her own unhelpful thoughts to consider. Jakart did not look any better, though he looked incredibly confused and a little nervous if she had to put a name to it. Just say something, she wanted to tell him, ignore the cat and talk. And after an uncertain second he did, beginning their lesson with a request for a demonstration of her defensive stance. Callisto clenched her jaw tightly. Her pride made it challenging to try new things since she hated to put herself and her capabilities in a bad light, and suddenly she found herself questioning her decision to do this. She knew nothing about fighting, about stances, about what was correct and what she ought not to do. Smart move, Callisto. Real smart. With the lesson already underway – and especially with Bella looking on – there was no way she was getting out of it. Learning this was still important anyway, so she just had to bear her own ignorance in order to learn the lesson. Breathing out slowly, Calli lowered her head, evening her neck out with her spine with her chin tipping toward her chest and her silvery blue eyes fixed on Jakart. Though her stance did not square off quite as successfully as it could have, she did sink a little lower into it, bending her grey legs and keeping them that way, just slightly tense as she set herself up for the hypothetical attack. Her tail lashed once before it fell still behind her, and with her serious, stern expression still staring at Jak she raised a brow in silent question, wondering what he would have to say.

Callisto after a moment took finally seemed to decide to follow his command much more quickly then last time when they were both in Ebony together. During that particular meeting she had been far more reluctant to follow his command, of which the specifics of the lesson eluded him. Now that the two of them were in a amicable relationship, and if communicating well during these times such as him helping to deal with the needs of her season, he didn't know how else they would get very far in saying what they other wanted. Right now she was assuming a defensive stance, Jakart sensing the uncertainty in her posture, and came up with a few corrections right immediately.

"Alright, a few things. For one, hold still by the way," Jakart strode over to her and nudged her chin up with his nose. "Don't tuck it in that much. You'd end up look like a prancing idiot with a bone lodged in your throat and your ears are ready to be torn off." The grey wolf smoothed her ears flat with his cheek as he then strode over to her shoulder and decided that the way she held herself was satisfactory, if a bit unprepared to maneuver to either side. A shift in the wind and the healers own shifting tail brought a strong aroma of her heat, causing Jakart to stop mid step for a second. A shaky breath was let out and he wished he had told her to mask the scent of her heat before this lesson. Somehow. With a tentative step given past her waist, eyes flicking to where her hind legs curved inward to her abdomen, Jakart wanted to hold his breath. Already instinct was replacing logical thought and he stopped, nipping the closest ankle. "S-slightly wider stance." The male stammered. The aroma of her season bombarded his nose as he tried not to breath, continuing around Callisto's rump. A shoulder brushed against her thigh as he came to stand by her side. Jakart hadn't spoken, the first tinges of a growl rippling up from his throat. With all sense of what he was supposed to be doing gone, he lay his muzzle on her neck, tongue giving a lick to the she wolfs scruff and desire now in his gaze. He couldn't do this with her current state.

Walk | Talk | Think The toes of her forepaws dug slightly into the earth as her newest teacher instructed her to hold still while he stepped in for a closer inspection. A quiet breath slid into her lungs and was held while her sharp eyes continued to bore into his, her mind focused on trying not to react in any way that was out of context for their lesson. It was difficult. Belladonna’s prediction painted a tempting picture which stirred up desires in Callisto that she would have rather stayed silent. The close proximity to him as he reached forward to nudge her chin upward slightly with a quick comment brought his scent with him, not with quite the same alluring pull that she created but one that was inviting with its familiarity, and she tried not to think of how that same gesture could have evolved into a provocative lick to her neck. She released the breath she had been holding as Jakart smoothed back her ears with a brush of his cheek, and managed to keep them down mostly because of the given instruction to stay still. It was surprisingly easier to do than she had thought it would be. She about felt frozen in place, tensed and half expecting any little movement to unsettle the whole focused charade that she was playing at with their lesson. This was a bad idea, at least for the lesson to be conducted now. Breaking just slightly from her form, Callisto discreetly turned her head as if to peer behind her, her tucked ears listening for Jak as he continued his circle of her and paused beside her hips long enough to nip at her ankle with a stuttered command. Instinctively, her grey leg raised slightly off the ground and quickly lowered again, but the instruction hardly brought about notions of the lesson anymore. Her breath was no longer quite so calm, so measured, to suggest she was managing through the lesson alright. It was becoming harder and harder to recall the cat and her one-sided wager, the dare that had been discreetly made and that Calli was certain she was currently losing. She did not need to look over at Bella to see her eyes narrow over her smile with a victorious glint, and knew that any resolve she had left was very quickly going to get worn away as Jakart’s shoulder brushed against her thigh on her other side and the sound of his soft, succumbing growl started low in his throat. Her dark body shivered as he stopped at her side, and she turned her head to regard him with a restrained look of hunger, noting immediately that a similar one stared back at her from his face. The lick to her scruff was her undoing. She was fighting a losing battle, a battle that no longer felt worth the effort, worth the strain, and as Jak’s tongue slid across the back of her neck a low, quiet murmur that was part moan, part groan, sounded from her muzzle as her silver-blue eyes closed. That was it. There was no more fight left, only a strong, undeniable need that was going to have its way no matter what she wished. Giving in, Callisto leaned and pressed her side into Jak’s, offering a quick growl to get his attention that faded into a purred sound of desire once she had caught his eye. Even he no longer fought it, and, remembering belatedly their audience, she spoke in a hazy sort of tone though her eyes never left Jakart's. "Cat. Leave." She did not pause even as she heard the feline cackle, but sunk right there to the ground outside of her den and rolled from her side to her back, certain that the grey male would follow. From the sidelines, Belladonna grinned and rose to her paws with a triumphant wag of her thin, black tail, and taunted through her smug expression, "Told you so."

The eyes that stared back at him were not disappointed at the stalling of the lesson, but rather full of want. These were emotions mirrored in his own eyes, a gaze that had become familiar of the course of the season when the time was right and Callisto felt that a moment could be stolen between them as her need became great. His ears thrummed with the sound of her moan his tongue had caressed the noise out of her. The noise of want had become a very feline purr, Jakart wondering if Belladonna's natural habit had rubbed off on Callisto or if this was simply a special noise given only in the right circumstance. The cat was told to leave even as she pressed herself further against his side.

Oh no, he certainly couldn't preform now. She wasn't ready. Callisto needed to beg, he needed to push her further along the eager want she was showing. Without any sort of grace the healer simply rolled onto her side and upon her back, each breath Jakart not took seemed to quicken tenfold as her scent bullied it's way into his nose. With a shaking step a foreleg was brought to the side of her neck as his muzzle dipped down to where their noses were touching. It was rather sudden when his muzzle pressed firmly against the females own, tongue slightly intruding into her maw. Jakart pulled back and twisted his muzzle to mirror the kiss. Just absently he felt his hips move over hers, the feeling of her tail laying over one of his paws. The male gave another breathless kiss as two began to become one. As he dined upon her lips he was far more happy about a new boundary they were both crossing in their jumbled relationship, another kiss given as he started their climb up the mountain as he gently began guiding them towards its peak.

-Fade to Black-

Walk | Talk | Think Callisto only had eyes for Jakart as he stepped over her, and as she continued to hold his gaze her heartbeat sped in anticipation. Oh gods, she needed this. One little taste of the right sort of partner, of him, had opened a new world of pleasure to her, and had turned her season away from being something to be feared to being something that only needed to be prepared for. If not for her plants, she knew her moodiness and anxiety would have made her insufferable and driven even this most patient of wolves away. But with them, she was able to enjoy what Jakart offered her, to give in to her body’s needs without regret, and rest easy knowing it was all temporary. She never expected to become such a slave to her desires during this time, not with the horrendous start to it that she had been given, but she felt safe now, comfortable, and with enough control that she no longer felt the need to worry. She should have expected the kiss, but it was still new and strange to her, and caught her off guard when she felt his tongue enter her mouth. For the span of a second, she was confused – did she reciprocate in kind? Just let it happen? As he kissed her again, however, Calli felt him shift further over her, aligning his body with hers, and very suddenly the gesture became thrilling. Odd or not, the intruding kiss seemed to signify some level of intimacy for Jakart, something that he needed, and since getting him to want this as much as she did was important, she murmured a quiet, low sound of pleasure against his lips as she returned the kiss with fervor, wrapping her grey forelegs around his sides to draw him closer while her tail thrashed once in a candid gesture of excitement. Very quickly things were becoming heated between the two wolves, and from the sidelines Belladonna rolled her eyes. "Can’t even wait for me to leave," she complained loudly as she turned in place and began to walk away, shaking her head over how quickly she had won her wager. She had known from the start it was going to happen, but they had surprised her by losing control so soon. Callisto had even less restraint than Bella had originally thought she did. Walking was not getting her away from the pair’s hormonal rages fast enough, and hearing another moan from Calli the black cat bounded forward into a run and fled the scene, leaving them to enjoy their rendezvous alone. The healer was oblivious to her companion, unable to spare enough thought to wonder whether she had listened to her warning to leave or not, and remained too wrapped up in Jakart, in his kisses, in his touch, to think of anything but the delight, the expectancy, as he succumbed to desire with her. -Fade-

A kiss was placed on the side of Callisto's jaw, again, his nips and nuzzle having not ceased even during their stolen moment together. Instinct and a touch of desire had thrown all plans away and tossed the two wolves into each other's embraces. So unexpected yet somehow so needed between the two of them. This arrangement during Callisto's season had at first been a simple task of alleviating the symptoms and helping his friend be free of any urges for a time. And yet another special moment they both partook in cleared their heads of desire. A gentle nip against the grey cheek of his once mate, foreleg tightening and drawing her closer against him. Maybe he had also needed this one instance. Maybe it could be about helping both of them now instead of just getting Callisto to think clearly. Obviously the season wasn't over yet and that meant more stolen moments, more times to see what worked for their strange relationship. Jakart let his paw gently rove up and down across the dark fur of her chest, thinking. Scent had been a powerful thing, one that he would ask that she should dull with herbs or something. Later he could inquire when they were done basking in the hidden nook of the autumn foliage outside her den. For now Jakart would rest and keep an ear ready to hear if anything was on Callisto's mind.

Walk | Talk | Think On the edge of consciousness, Callisto lay within Jakart's embrace, feeling once more like her normal self. The hungry monster that lived in her during this time had been sated, satisfied, and had drifted off into a slumber of its own, while the healer considered following suit. Even with her den only feet away, she did not feel like moving, and neither did it seem like Jak wanted her to. As the thought slipped through her mind, she felt the paw of his that wrapped around her pull her closer against him, snugly fitting her back against his chest. This, resting curled up beside him with his paws holding here there, she could live with. The rest of it, on the other hand... His kisses and nips were keeping her awake. Easily she could have drifted off to sleep if his every little gesture did not suddenly pull her away from that edge of slumber that she danced upon, causing her silver-blue eyes to blink lazily as it happened. As his paw brushed through the fur of her chest in an absent-minded gesture, her eyes flickered open again only to close with an audible sigh. Beneath his foreleg, Callisto's shoulder moved, a shrug-like gesture meant to bump against his chest behind her. "Can't you stay still?" she grumbled drowsily, adopting a tone of voice that was a closer match to her typical, slightly irritated manner.

To Jakart the scene was one of familiarity, of bonding even after the physical intimacy was done and over with. One he certainly hoped his brothers wouldn't stumble upon. He felt as if these moments could only ever be shared with Callisto, that he could only give them to the female. It was a hope that the healer felt the same way about him, that this arrangement was to be mutual in its benefits. One having the burn of heat quelled, and the other having the need to help another live in a more comfortable manner. The two of them fit with such symmetry, there had been a gap left by Jakart's sisters, a gap filled as his paws were no long idle. It certainly differed from hunting and locating future prey to feed his siblings when the entire family was but wanderers to the lands. But had been enough in his life.

Now this was his task, an internal vow to give Callisto anything he could to help the troubled she wolf. And this season required him to give himself fully to help with her needs and without complaint he obeyed his friend wish. A black paw gently swept through the fur of her stomach and up towards her chest. Callisto nudged him, Jakart already taking away his paw and tucking the limb between them as she spoke. A slight grin creased his muzzle at her words and a final nip was given on her ear. Content with the affections he had stolen, Jakart settled against Callisto with a pleased rumble and wrapped his forelegs around her. With his oncemate wrapped up in his embrace sleep eventually claimed him as the efforts of their impromptu lesson caught up to him.

-Jakart is asleep-

Walk | Talk | Think He seemed to take the hint at first, drawing his paws away though he placed no distance between them. Her back still nestled up into the curve of his body, pressed to his chest in a manner that was comfortable to both of them. Her eyes closed, and as they did she breathed another soft, quiet sigh. Finally, peace, she thought, though in the very back of her mind a little voice began to nag. There was something different here, something that had changed in the relationship they shared. Calli had not sensed it before, not when her hormones clouded her judgment and obliterated the possibility of rational thought, but she could sense it now. It created a concern, a worry, that had been put to rest before but was currently brought into question. One that she was not keen on addressing now. He's getting too far into this. Despite convincing herself that Jakart could separate any feelings from the relationship they had developed, her certainty began to weaken. The way he held her, kissed her, suggested more, suggested a closeness that she knew was not for her. I need to quit letting it happen, Callisto thought to herself as she lay beside him, still sleepily toeing the line between consciousness and slumber. Later. Her eyelids fluttered once more as she felt those paws that had been drawn away reach back out and wrap around her, securely holding her against Jakart. Later. For now, she decided, she could let it slide, and posing no resistance to the male that held her, Calli let herself drift away to sleep. -Exit Callisto through sleep-