Iroh had never been particularly close to Aureus, he was Pyrrhic’s twin but that was the extent he really knew him. Of course he was family and seeing the rest of his clan feel the sudden loss brought the reality of the event further home. These mortal bodies were just that. Mortal. Aure wasn’t much older than Iroh was, and unlike his brother hadn’t started his own family. Though iroh had seen him with that albino man more than once and had his own suspicions. Not that he would speak them aloud now, there was no need.

With how sombre Aerie was now Iroh found himself scouting the surrounding territories for fresh air. He was reminded all too clearly of what he was missing. His mother’s death and the quiet nature of his brother. How long had it been since Zagan had spoken to him? Iroh tried not to think about how alone he was in the world. He had his cousins, and they lifted him up and strengthened him, but his immediate family did not exist.

He was old enough now, and with his encounters with strangers, and Eli’s small speech at the… party, he felt like his work for the Abraxas name was lacking. He was expected to find a worthy mate and continue their god’s line, but Iroh felt a similar pull to have his own family. After he’d seen Tamsyn round with children he couldn’t shake the vision from his mind. Though he prayed she hadn’t birthed his pups. He found himself again seeking to emulate Pyrrhic, he needed to find a wife.

Of course his mind returned to Elise over and over again as his dark paws drew him further into the bright green briar. He followed a moose path so it was slightly easier to traverse than a deer or fox run. He followed along on auto-pilot as his thoughts raced. When he reached the clearing he had to pause. The waterfall gurgled softly and the sun’s warm rays filtered in softly. There would be no better place to sit and be alone with his thoughts. And tea. Sarabi was quick in building a small fire and warming water from the falls as Iroh made himself comfortable on the moss and closed his eyes to meditate over everything that had happened.

The trip she had made out to that random island had been a good pallet cleanser and a nice change of pace. She had a nice time with the dark- hued woman and it had made the otherwise boring trip a little more intriguing. She thought she would be able to come back to the mainland of Boreas with a clear mind and go back to her usual free roaming ways. However, without really intending to she found herself pulled and drawn to Aerie’s borders. The dark man slowly creeped back into her thoughts and memories despite how often she tried to shake him. As she moved through the dense briar wood, she set herself a resolution. Just one more time - she’d seek him out and enjoy him one more time so she could have some kind of resolution. Like an addicted junkie, she found herself being pulled back for another dose. She was a moth to a flame without fully feeling like she had control over the situation. Hopefully one last visit would do the trick so that she could finally put this to rest. As if fate was reading her mind, she smelled the now familiar scent of a campfire and she wondered to herself if they could possibly cross paths like this again. It seemed that fate had a sense of humor since her curiosity drew her to the fire and sure enough her sky blue gaze landed on the handsome form of Iroh. The similarities between this moment and their first meeting didn’t escape her and she found herself both bothered and amused by how life seemed to work in repeating patterns. She padded toward him, a slight smile tugging at her lips as she got closer and walked into the clearing. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” she commented with a chuckle. There was far less trepidation this time as she approached him and she immediately came to his side to settle in beside him, leaning into his larger form. The relief she felt to be with him was notable and overwhelming and she found herself searching his face to see if he felt the same. It was silly and ridiculous and against everything she had ever wanted for herself, but... what was she supposed to do? "Talk" "You" Think

Had the pack not endured such a tragedy so recently Iroh would have tried to seek Elise out again himself in the next few days. He really couldn’t get enough of her, and the more he thought of her sparkling eyes the more certain he became in what he wanted to see in the future. The near future. He didn’t know how much time he’d have, but he realized more than ever that it wasn’t unlimited. He could be taken at any time and he didn’t want to leave behind any unfinished business.

Like Elise, he kept wanting to come back to Elise, like there wasn’t enough to satiate him. It seemed that fate planned to reunite them once again, and like the first time they met Elise appeared from the bush to join in his fire. This time she didn’t hesitate at the opposing side instead she made her way beside him. ”You don’t enjoy it?” He chuckled teasingly in return as she leaned against him and relaxed.

Iroh was slightly surprised at how much he was able to relax against her in return. He knew how she made him feel when they were together, but he hadn’t realized just how much he’d missed her beside him. He leaned into her and tilted his head slightly so he might brush her muzzle softly. Being intimate with her was near natural at this point, a unique facet of their relationship. He felt the familiar warmth of desire build in his belly and he knew nothing had changed.

Tonight held a sense of finality that he hadn’t fully grasped at first. He hadn’t planned to throw his plans in to motion so quickly, but if she denied him Iroh would have to quit her. Something he loathed to do. ”Do you think its bad that I missed you?” He started as he moved up from her muzzle to her cheek softly, and then he nuzzled into the soft fur at her ear. ”Craved you.” He amended himself.

A grin pulled at her lips at his comment about enjoying how their lives continued to cross and she couldn’t deny that she did enjoy it a bit. There was just something about it she couldn’t quite figure out. She wanted more, but she also wanted less. The edge between cutting her ties completely and diving head first into him without looking back was a thin one and she felt herself wobbling on that line more than ever as she leaned into his side and found herself surrounded in his scent again. He made even the softest brush of his muzzle against hers feel like the most tender, intimate affection and somehow that felt comfortable in a way that she wasn’t expecting. She leaned into every touch and returned it with one of her own. His words about missing and craving her struck a chord with her. It was like he was reading her mind and as much as she tried to deny this fact, that was exactly what she had done since they saw each other last. He had shown up again and again in her mind in a way that she hadn’t experienced with anyone else. The only problem was that she didn’t know what to do with that information. She adored how much he always wanted her and that craving they had for each other was undeniable... but was she ready to do anything about it? She wasn’t sure. The nuzzle he left behind her ear made her heart flutter and she brought her muzzle up to his cheek to catch the short fur there between her teeth. “I don’t think a day has gone by since the last time I saw you that I haven’t thought about you,” she told him honestly even though admitting that out loud was nerve wracking. The flirting and sex and teasing was all easy. Unraveling feelings and fears was much harder. "Talk" "You" Think

Iroh’s experience began and ended with Banshee when it came to real relationships. He’d told her he loved her, and he’d felt so strongly for the warrioress. Then just like she’d never even existed she was gone. Maybe that was a reason why Iroh was drawn so strongly to Elise, he’d known what it was like to give your heart away and then lose that wolf. He wanted to give Elise his heart. It was more than just attraction or the desire to make sure he got everything done that he needed to before he died. He had so much to experience he had to take his life into his own paws. He wouldn’t be like Aureus.

Elise was often on his mind, especially now that he’d been forcing himself to visualize the future for himself. He couldn’t wait for Pyrrhic or Eligos to live his life for him. Iroh had to take what he wanted and make life bend to his will like the god that he was. Had he been taking a back seat for so long? He wasn’t sure what the future held but as Elise sat so close beside him he knew what he wanted it to look like.

As his features brushed against her own she returned his affection, it felt so natural to be like this with her. The way she spoke, her words soft and echoing his own made his heart skip as he closed blue and lavender eyes and leaned into her touch. He could hear the honesty in her voice and he knew that she felt the same as he did.

”Being apart from you is getting harder and harder, Elise.” He confessed further as his dark striped tail wrapped around her hips possessively. He knew how carefully he had to tread. She was like some wild filly that would not be tamed but Iroh wanted her so bad. ”I don’t want to say goodbye again.” He told her as he aimed to press his forehead to hers. These emotions were real and overwhelming. ”I need you beside me.”

Her heart was racing in a whole new way and she thought for certain it might run right out of her chest. Up until now their banter had been light and fun even in the moments when they had each let their feelings peek through. Now they had crossed over into something else entirely. The way he claimed that he wanted her at his side, the not so subtle possessiveness in how his tail wrapped around her, and how his forehead leaned into hers was beautifully overwhelming and thrilling all at once. She loved this feeling but she was also so incredibly frightened by the possibility and implications of what he was suggesting. Her breath hung in her lungs while his head pressed to hers and she let her eyes close to savor the way he completely took over her senses. “How do you know?” she asked softly after a moment, her voice breathless from the moment where she had forgotten to breathe. She thought about her father who had loved and been loved twice in his life. She had asked him about love at one point when she had been far too young to understand what that really meant and had questioned how he had known that the wolves he had made his mates were really the right ones for him and she had never forgotten his response. She pulled her face away from his enough so that her eyes could meet his again, her ears flicking back against her head uncertainly while she searched his gaze for answers. “How do you know I’m the one you want? Out of all the girls out there... why me?” "Talk" "You" Think

Experiencing the grief his cousins went through in the wake of Aures’ death, seeing Tamsyn stand before him round and full of puppies, and knowing that he would never see Banshee again made him certain of his words. He could feel the tension in the woman’s body as he spoke, he could almost hear her heartbeat over the pounding of his own. They remained silent in those couple of moments, both of them savoring the other's company as the implications overwhelmed them.

”Even if I don’t know, I know that I would regret every moment the rest of my life if I didn’t try.” He whispered back when she pulled away on slightly enough that their eyes could meet once more. Mismatched ears fell against her skull as she showed him her uncertainty. The future was scary and unreadable but he knew that he wouldn’t be making a mistake if he took her for his own.

”Because you’re the only one who is on my mind every day. Because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever held. Because I refuse to make the mistake of letting you go.” Or letting her go without trying. He knew how much he desired her and there was no doubt it would dissipate anytime soon. Especially if they continued such sporadic meetings. Iroh would want her for eternity.

”You’ll know when the time comes... Whenever you find someone that you can’t stop thinking about and you can’t imagine living without - that’s when you’ll know.” Her fathers words rang in her ears as Iroh spoke, hearing so much of that advice in his words. The finality of it still frightened her. Her life had been so loose and free form like a leaf in the wind and now it felt like she was being caught and pinned in place. She’d never had any real responsibility or anyone that wanted to have her in their lives for longer than the night. Now a future with a reason and a purpose was staring her in the face and she found herself in a crossroads that could change everything. However, even though it was scary, it was also thrilling. She had never really considered what it would be like to have a real relationship, to be part of a family again... To have someone that actually cared about her beyond just what she could do for them. She was quiet and thoughtful for a long moment before she finally made a resolution in her mind. “I don’t want you to let me go,” she finally responded, feeling her heart pounding in her chest and a slight, giddy smile creeping over her face. "Talk" "You" Think

Honestly Iroh knew nothing about love, he’d been raised by a single mother, he’d never met Pyrrhic and Eligos’ mother. He had no one to base these feelings on. All He knew was how he felt, and how he’d feel if he didn’t take this chance. He felt right, being close to her and having her presence beside him again. When she was gone he felt tense and couldn’t get her out of his head. What if something happened to her, what if she disappeared like Banshee? Iroh couldn’t relax until he could call her his own.

Elise returned to a soft quietness as he leaned lightly into her side. He wouldn’t pressure her choice, he knew what he was asking of her. She was wild, and he was asking her to tame those ways to be with him. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek lightly before she finally spoke and made a decision that warmed his heart and brought a grin to his features.

”I won't.” He promised her and took that moment to finally wrap her up in his arms. At the same time he’d aim to press his lips to her shy grin. Iroh hadn’t ever felt elation like what was brewing in his chest. Maybe he knew what love felt like, but it was nothing like this. Elise wanted him too, and she’d accepted what he’d asked of her. ”Elise, I’ve fallen in love with you.” The dark coated Abraxas whispered. Iroh didn’t want to stop kissing her, but the words needed to be said and he wanted her to hear them.

She knew his promise rang with truth when he swore to not leave her and it made her more confident that she had given herself and her heart to someone she could trust. Even though she was still a bit nervous about what the future would hold, she was excited to see how it would go with Iroh at her side. A small part of her wished that any remnant of her family remained so that she could introduce him to them, but they had all gone or disappeared long ago. She knew there were plenty of Adravendi out there in the world, but her immediate family was no where to be found. It was something that she had made her peace with, but in these moments when she made some kind of big, life altering change she wished there was a way she could ask her father for his advice or get her sister's valuable input. She silently hoped that if her parents could see her now they would be proud of her for finally taking a step to settle somewhere with someone that she felt confident that at least her father would approve of. She settled into his embrace happily, the slight bit of worry driven tension that had formed in her shoulders quickly melting away. The feeling of his lips on hers was a welcome and familiar one - something that she was more than willing to lean in to while her mind continued to spin from how this chance meeting had gone. When he spoke again, whispering words she never thought she would hear against her lips, her heart skipped a beat while she completely lost herself in the tender adoration of the wolf that was now hers. "I love you too, Iroh," she whispered back, not realizing how true those words were until she spoke them. As her own emotions began to overwhelm her, she dove back into a passionate, love driven kiss, drowning herself in his presence and giving up her entire being to him. There was still plenty to figure out with how her life would fit into his, but for now she didn't want to think about all of that. She just wanted to enjoy him and their fresh, fledgling love for each other. "Talk" "You" Think

He was making the right choice, he knew he was. For himself and in the end for the pack as well. He hoped that this would also be for the benefit of Elise. He wanted to shower her everyday in his love and adoration and make sure that she never doubted this decision. Maybe Elise was mortal, but she was going to be his and that was what mattered. Already his mind raced to the future but as their lips met al he could exist in was the present. Eligos asked the wolves of Aerie to branch out and Iroh was certain that this was the woman he wanted to bring home.

Elise relaxed and melted into his embrace as he finally wrapped his arms around her after the elation of her approval. It was crazy to think about that their random chance encounter would turn into something like that. Iroh wouldn’t have traded her for the world though. He’d been with a couple of women after Elise but none of them could stack up to her in any way. Elise knew him, and Iroh could only imagine that the flame he had for her in his heart would only grow larger and larger. He was addicted, but now he could call his drug his own.

Addiction wasn’t the right word though, was it? Now that he’d said it aloud he couldn’t call what he felt anything else. Iroh loved Elise, that was why he couldn’t get her off his mind and why he wanted to keep coming back. She returned the words just as soft and sweet as he had expected. He grinned as he kissed her, floored and elated at the turn of events. Though she seemed as eager for words about the future as he did. Tonight would be for the two of them. They would start to truly get to know each other now, but Iroh was eager to show her just how well he remembered.

He squeezed her lightly, but his attention was shifting from her lips to her jawline and into the soft fur of her neck as he made his way down her throat. Delicate kisses and teasing nibbles were placed on her flesh as he pressed into her soft pelt. ”Let me show you just how far I’ve fallen.” He muttered into his fur as he shifted to her chest. His blue and lavender eyes sparkled with mischief before letting his actions speak louder than his words.

-fade-

She had never really had anything or anyone to call hers. The closest she had ever gotten was perhaps her parents and siblings, but now they were gone - at least as far as she knew. Perhaps her siblings were still out there somewhere, but she had no way of knowing. She had never joined a pack and - until now - she had never loved. She was a wandering vagabond and she had always imagined herself to be as unpredictable as a fluff from a dandelion. Somehow, Iroh had changed all of that. The future was frightening and uncertain and there was so many things that she wanted to know about what this would mean for her life, but she couldn't deny how he made her feel and the love that he had sparked in her heart. The fact that she could call him hers was enticing and intoxicating in a whole new way. As his affections took on the form of kisses and nibbles along her jaw and neck, she easily lost herself in the heady lust and love he gave her. -fade- Elise stayed curled into Iroh's side while she floated on the high of new love and the infinite possibilities of the future. It was just as thrilling as it was uncertain and as much as she wanted to only focus on the happy parts of it all, she knew there was other things that needed to be discussed. It was one thing to just say they loved each other and that they wanted to be together, but... what did that really mean? What did he want out of life? What was his pack like? She lifted her head so she could catch his eyes with hers, a little smile lingering on her lips as she playfully licked his nose. "So... what is life going to look like with you? I assume I'll be coming with you to your pack, but... what else should I know?" "Talk" "You" Think

Iroh was satisfied just being in her presence, but having her like this was the ultimate experience. She curled in against him and even as the fire burned out Iroh would hold her tight. The Autumn breeze had chilled the evening and as the night waned on the temperature was dropping. All the better to hold his love to his chest. Blue and lavender eyes gazed down at her brightly as she looked up to him. Iroh couldn’t help the way his lips pulled back into a grin, even as she spoke of the uncertainty of the future.

”Not too much different than your current life I hope. Except perhaps waking up next to me every morning.” He chuckled before leaning forward to kiss her nose. Iroh held her to his chest and rolled with her so that she was perched on his chest and belly and he was facing the stars above them. ”What do you expect out of pack life? Best case scenario and worst?” He prompted her with another kiss before relaxing his head against the earth as he watched her with disbelief. She was really his.

She couldn't help but give a bark of laughter and a playful eye roll at him when he said that he hoped it wouldn't be much different from her current life. She couldn't imagine how that could possibly be, but she was willing to humor him. He rolled them so that her smaller, slender form was draped across his chest and stomach and she shifted herself a bit to be able to look down into those magnificent eyes that had drawn her in the first time they met. What did she expect from pack life? That was really the question, wasn't it? She happily returned any kisses he gave her while she pondered the question, humming softly and thoughtfully to herself. She only had stories to go off of when it came to what pack life was like and there was no way to know if that was what his pack was like. From what her father had told her they were all a little different. But that wasn't really the question, was it? The question was what did she want from a pack and that was a hard one to answer. "I don't have too much I'd ask for really... I guess best case scenario is something that isn't too strict to I can still explore from time to time. I don't want them to get all bent out of shape if we leave for a day or two, you know? And hopefully they're not expecting me to fight all the time. I'm much more of a lover instead of a fighter... as I'm sure you can tell." She grinned at that and gave him a light peck of a kiss before continuing, her expression growing a bit more serious and thoughtful as she went. "But... I have been thinking about my family a lot and how my father had always wanted us to do all these big things and now it's just me that's left and I've done... what? Wander around and sleep with some wolves? So I suppose having something to be proud of wouldn't be a bad thing..." It was a rare moment of vulnerability for her, but who else would she share these thoughts with if not her love? A little grin returned to her lips as she focused on him again and she brought one of her forepaws up to brush his cheek. "I think my father would be happy that I've finally fallen in love though... he was always such a romantic. I wish you could've met him." "Talk" "You" Think

He shifted her easily and Elise made herself comfortable on his broad chest returning his affectionate little kisses as they both reveled in the newness of their relationship. Her soft hums as she thought about his question were adorable and only further endeared her to him. He smiled as she finally spoke, seemingly easy to please for the most part. Freedoms were the top of her list and Iroh didn’t forsee any problems with that request. He could come and go as he pleased as long as his responsibilities were seen to. Perhaps she’d get assigned a scouting role, and he wondered how good she might be at crafting, brewing, or even pottery.

”You are quite the talented lover.” Iroh agreed teasingly as he squeezed her affectionately. Of course that talent wouldn’t be useful to anyone in the pack but himself, but that was the point right? He fell hard for Elise, and he wanted her to be the one he raised up his children with. His expression grew more serious as she spoke of her father and the accomplishments she had made so far. Iroh’s list wasn’t much better but he had excelled in the raid against his home. He hadn’t driven the Armada off on his own and they’d lost but he’d done what he could. Tamsyn certainly wouldn’t ever forget him. That wasn’t entirely because of his battle prowess but he didn’t want to think about her and what had happened between them.

Iroh wanted to focus completely on his new love. His new partner. ”I’m proud of you.” He promised, blue and lavender eyes gazing up at her adoringly as her paw caressed his cheek. She was taking a giant leap, she was giving up everything she had ever known for him. ”I’m thrilled that I get to share my life with you, and that I get to prove how much I love you.” He told her softly. ”We’ll find a perfect place for you in Aerie, but I think the best spot will be beside me.” Iroh chuckled with a light hearted grin. ”We can spend the night here together, in the morning I’ll introduce you to Eligos, my cousin and alpha.”

Of course she couldn't help the grin he pulled to her lips when he complemented her skills as a lover and she laughed lightly as she went to give him another kiss in response. Well, at the very least she was certain that she could keep him satisfied. All the other pack stuff would hopefully fall into place but she figured that as long as they were both happy with each other that was probably the most important part. She knew that she would be the one making the most changes to her life to make their every day lives together a reality, but considering what she would be getting in return that felt like a small sacrifice. His declaration of his pride in her made her expression soften with affection and she wondered what she had done to get this lucky. Her head tipped slightly to the side to lean into his touch as his paw brushed her cheek. "I think you're very right about that," she agreed with a grin of her own when he spoke of how her perfect place was at his side. She knew she had been considering finding a pack to join for a while now and this seemed like the best case scenario. She wasn't having to walk into a brand new pack on her own - she had him to lean on and love while she found her own footing there. Was it reckless and free spirited to fall into love this quickly and completely change her way of life to be with him? Sure. But when had she not taken the wildest and most unconventional way of doing things? A nod of agreement to his plan of spending the night here and then going to meet Eligos in the morning was the only response she gave before nuzzling her head into the fur around his neck and settling into him. Dark and light, night and day. Even though they seemed to be opposite in so many ways, it felt like they couldn't exist without one another and that was a good feeling to have. She smiled as she closed her eyes with a content smile. She wasn't sure when the high of happiness and new love would allow her to sleep, but it didn't matter. She was happy to just rest on Iroh and enjoy his presence the same way she would for the rest of her days. "Talk" "You" Think