Winter had finally unfurled its icy talons and released the world. Summer had begun as spring, with new life forming and shaping around them. The horny season of the world, where the little prey animals ran about in runt and making like there was no tomorrow.

The mark of the unusual winter remained, its frost having killed much of the vegetation that would have begun to gleam now as summer slowly wound along around them. Lorikeet noted this only in regards to her struggle to find soothing, wonderful herbs to help put any playmates she came across in a receptive mood.

Spice lounged across the wolf's broad back as the pair meandered down the lightly flowing river that ran between two hills. The scent of deer lingered in the air, inviting thoughts of dinner. A lazy day, and a lazy, bored pair.

"Speech"

Dark paws carried the giant of a brute over to the lazily flowing river, dipping his paws in the water and using it to wash the blood off of his paws. Behind him was a doe that he had just finished skinning and breaking down, the hide neatly rolled beside a leather satchel that carried the tools of the trade that for some reason he refused to get rid of despite the fact that he no longer had a real use for them. They were a part of him as much as is knowledge of crafting and smithing was and every time he tried to abandon the tools he always ended up going back for him for some unknown reason.

Once his paws were clean and the trail of blood drifting down the river had faded away, he went to turn and go back to his kill, but not before he glanced up and allowed his seafoam eyes to land on a striking woman marked as if blue fire had been caught in her pelt. He lifted a curious brow as he watched her from a distance from where he stood on the sandy river shore. He hadn't come across a woman that had caught his eye since coming to this new place and it had certainly been a while since he'd had any company...

A slight smirk pulled across his lips as he abandoned the skinned deer for just a moment, moving a bit closer to the passing stranger. "Hello there," he called to get her attention, his voice deep with a slight gravely pull to the sound. He nodded back toward the downed doe a handful of feet away and added, "I caught some dinner, but it's far too much for me to eat on my own... Would you like to join me?"

Rûga Amanto

Her meandering paws took her closer to the stream, where she could but only catch sight of what awaited her there. The large beast of a man in his coat of crimson, and eyes like pale moss. Coal like tendrils coiled up his legs, and faded into foggy grey, before burning like a blood-red sky across his back. She paused, one step lifted in the air, before slowly settling once more. She looked across to this stranger, and a smile grew across her maw. Delicious.

As though caught in her web and unable to fight the pull of her, the man abandoned his makeshift camp and moved closer to her. She stood there a moment longer, lithe legs resting on the soft grasses as Spice yawned and shook her coat, before padding up her back to drape over her forehead. Her little antlers sticking up between Keetie’s ears as she, too, watched the stranger. He was the first piece of entertainment either had found in some time.

At his words, she began to move again, mindful that she had an audience as she wandered over on light paws, skirting around him as though he was no matter, and food was far more interesting. Her laugh eyes were soon hidden from him as she stopped before the fallen prey. As through that was the only prey here. “Oh, how delightful. Skinned and ready for biting.” She turned back towards him, looking up from under her lashes. “Are you quite sure, Mr…?”

"Speech"

He cast a curious glance to the antlered feline that popped up between the woman's ears, but he was still far more interested in the little piece of the galaxy standing in front of him. Up close she was even more stunning with two different but equally beautiful eyes of amber and sapphire. A slight smirk lingered on his lips while he watched her move with a lithe grace that seemed to invite his gaze to wander down the length of her body as she skirted past him to move toward the meal he had prepared. Chuckling softly under his breath, he turned to follow her back to the deer he had left skinned and broken down into more manageable pieces, walking just a pace behind her so he could shamelessly follow the sway of her hips as she moved.

He brought his gaze back up to hers when she turned to face him, confirming that it was alright for her to have some of his kill while leaving an opening for him to introduce himself. "Rûga," he replied with a chivalrous dip of his head though his roguish grin still pulled at his lips. "And I'm more than sure. Can't just let it go to waste when there are gorgeous ladies around to feed, can I?" He slipped past her with a not so subtle brush of his shoulder against hers so that he could pick up a pice of meat for himself before moving a couple feet away and settling down into the plush grass with the meal between his paws. "And what can I call you?"

Rûga Amanto

She knew precisely where he was looking as she swayed to the kill, and swapped a grin with Spice as they snared in their latest conquest. When her head tilted questioningly back towards him, he offered up his name. “Rûga” She murmured back, letting the name roll off her tongue as soft as butter.

He had returned to his kill when she had, putting him close to her. Brushing past her, just close enough for his thick red coat to touch her starlit one. When he began to move away, she took a step, closing the gap between them. She was utterly mindless of personal space. She tapped her nose under his chin, grinning at the taller wolf. She liked all sizes, but today she was glad to find a man she could curl herself into. “I can see you know how to feed a lady.” She complimented him, and stepped away again, letting cold air fill the space between them. Letting him move away to settle on the grass with his chosen morsel.

“I’m Keetie, and this is Spice” She flicked an ear towards her kit, before leaning down and taking a piece of the deer for herself. She settled on the ground beside the kill, and rested her own piece between her paws. Mirroring his stance.

"Speech"

Rûga enjoyed the way his name sounded on her tongue as she repeated it back softly. What he enjoyed even more though was how she caught his chin with her nose and pulled his attention back to her before he could move away, commenting on how he knew how to feed a lady. A smirk pulled at the corners of his mouth and an amused gleam shone in his mossy green gaze while a low, pleased rumble sounded in his chest. He very nearly made a comment about how that wasn't the only thing he knew how to do for a lady, but he restrained himself - mostly because of the meat that was held between his teeth. He was already quite enjoying this delightfully flirtatious spitfire and he didn't even know her name yet.

As he settled with his meal, he kept his gaze on the woman across from him, thinking to himself that he had stumbled upon quite a gem. Beautiful and enticing with a personality to boot. He was more than happy to share as many meals as she wanted to keep this shooting star embodied around for a while longer. He took in her name as well as the name of the feline that she kept with her with small nods to each. "A pleasure to meet you, Keetie... You as well, Spice," he replied with a chuckle. "Feel free to enjoy some as well if you'd like, Spice. The more the merrier." He started pulling off bites of the venison between his paws, steadily eating his meal while still keeping an observant eye on the woman that had settled a short distance away with her own meal, occasionally giving her slender form another appreciative glance.

"Anything in particular being you out this way, Keetie?" he questioned as he ate, giving her a curious glance. Perhaps what he was really more interested in was if any prior commitments or obligations would be pulling her away from him any time soon, but he liked getting to know the women he was interested in as well. Sure, he could just enjoy her and let her move on if she desired it, but he got the sense that there was more fun to be had with her even beyond the obvious.

Rûga Amanto

Spice jumped off from Keetie’s shoulders, flicking her tail at Ruga in thanks as she settled in beside the carcass to take her own share. The attention of the red wolf settled on her, and she flicked an ear as she felt his gaze. Hiding another smile behind a mouthful of food. Her tummy rumbled, reminding her that it had been a while since she had taken care of the basic necessities.

Despite her hunger, she continued to eat daintily, pulling apart the meat between her fangs as Spice made small growling noises beside her. The early evening sky had begun to darken. Despite the fact that it was summer, the days still seemed shorter than they should.

“I’ve just been meandering along, looking out for anything interesting.” she brought her eyes up slowly, and settled them on his form, a smile growing on her muzzle. She would let him decide on his own interpretation for that look. “And you? I see some interesting tools there. Are you a torturer or a builder?” she wiggled her brows at the leather satchel.

"Speech"

Rûga watched her slow glance up at him with an enticing smile at his question, her answer insinuating many things for his imagination and bringing a lopsided grin to his rugged features. As the world around them slowly began to darken into night he steadily became more sure that he wouldn't be spending this night alone. It would be the first one in quite a while that he didn't spend lonely so he was grateful for this beautiful woman that had sauntered into his life.

He glanced toward the satchel of tools that still remained near the skinned doe with the roll of freshly harvested hide resting against it. A dagger poked up past the flap that covered the bag and a sharpened piece of obsidian that he used to scrape the skin clean lingered outside of the bag since he had failed to put it away before he got distracted by this lovely lady. He gave a laugh at the options she gave him for what his profession might be, a roguish grin giving her a flash of teeth. "I could certainly torture if you're into that sort of thing... though you'll find my kind of torture doesn't involve knifes or blood," he told her with a flash of daring fire in his mossy gaze, chuckling and stretching out more comfortably now that he was done with his meal.

"Alas, just a crafter, I'm afraid," he explained with a smirk. "Armor, weapons, bags, the occasional piece of jewelry... Those sorts of things." Remnants of a past he had left behind that still clung to him. Some things were impossible to escape and he supposed that if the worst thing he had to wrestle with was feeling like he couldn't fully detach himself from his artisan lineage then he was probably doing alright.

Rûga Amanto

The fearless, bold, woman finished her helping of meat and stretched her paws out along the grass. The day had been sunnier than most, and the grass still held a hint of warmth, even as the sunk sank further below the horizon. Spice began to slowly and methodically clean out her coat as the two wolves challenged each other with their eyes.

His laugh, she decided, was appealing. Rich and throaty and filled with amusement and promise. She raised a brow at his answer, hearing plenty of promises within them. He looked so at ease on his side of the grassy camp, meeting challenge with challenge as though he was not easily embarrassed or cowed.

“A crafter, you say?” she asked, scooting a little closer across the grass. “If the appreciation of a woman depended on an adornment, what would you make to win her heart?” Her eyes continued to tease him.

"Speech"

He chuckled as she took interest in his craft and started to shift closer, posing him a scenario in which he needed to earn the affections of a woman with some kind of adornment, her dual tone gaze sparkling with teasing in the low evening light. He chuckled and hummed thoughtfully. He had crafted many a gift for his lovers so there was plenty of options for him to pick from in his past experiences, ones that had gone over well and which ones he had ended up avoiding in the future. But the real challenge came in with tailoring his answer to fit something that his latest conquest might enjoy or want for herself. It was the one gift his skills had given him - the ability to spoil and surprise the ladies he wanted to keep.

"Well... Hypothetically of course..." he mused with a grin. "Perhaps a necklace inlayed with sapphires or turquoise or maybe topaz. I do like a bit of contrast in the pieces I make." His head tipped thoughtfully as he sized her up, his eyes curious. "Although, maybe my lady would prefer something a little more useful, eh? A piece of armor perhaps?" He pulled himself to his paws and crossed the small distance between them before settling down closer to her, putting her within reach of his large, worn paws.

An evident hunger lingered in his light green eyes while a grin pulled at his lips. His paw trailed along her back and sides, tracing out where he would have the fitted armor land as he described it. "Maybe a base of supple leather so that it fits well to the curve of their body and is comfortable to wear... Have it cover the chest, follow the curve of the ribs here, end here right before the hip. Then the question comes of what we put over that base layer though, eh? Can't have a beautiful woman wearing any old piece of armor." His claws lightly followed the swish of electric blue that adorned her shoulder before moving on to the one that covered her side, his gaze lingering on hers all the while. He knew he was being extraordinarily forward, but hadn't she been the same?

"I'm thinking... Small pieces of metal placed all over the armor like scales. Protective, but still flexible and adaptable. It takes a long time to make, but I'm sure she's worth it. Perhaps if she's truly spectacular I'd take the time to inlay some gems into some of the scales to create some patterns or accent something about her body that I find particularly beautiful... Something to make that armor as dazzling as she is." He smirked and brought a paw up to her chin, lightly holding her jaw in his paw as he brought his muzzle to hers, his lips just a breath away from touching hers. "How does that sound?"

Rûga Amanto

She leaned towards him as he began to speak. She could see he was taken with the challenge, and started to scoot closer - only the other wolf had the same idea. She chuckled softly when he stopped just within arms reach of her. She glanced over at his paws, before flicking out a single cat-like claw. She ran it up the soot like markings across his tones that she had been admiring just before.

He pulled his paw free of her touch, only to return the favour. Tracing his paw along the markings of her body where he envisioned a piece of armor, just for her. Her fur tingled at his touch. She listened with rapt attention as he described an armour that would glitter like her star-formed markings, and mold supply to her lithe shape.

She gave him a slow, tantalising smile as she leaned closer to him, matching his movements as they close enough for her breath to brush his nose. She leaned forward, brushing her mouth by his ear, and tugging at it with her teeth. “You sure know how to make a girl swoon, Ruga” she purred. “But I think you're just trying to twist me around your delightful sooty paws. Such a promising gift would mean spending days, no, weeks, in your company. Is that your play here, Ruby Smith.” She whispered.

"Speech"

Rûga was having a splendid time playing this game of teasing tug and war with Keetie, passing touches and words back and forth as they met each other's challenges with more of their own. He fed off of her and replied in turn with more of his own interest and desire. He enjoyed the feeling of her claw tracing along his leg, catching him by surprise as he glanced at the dangerous retractable claw as it danced across his skin and sent sparks through him to light that familiar fire in his core. He enjoyed the feeling of her soft fur passing through his claws even more as he traced the curves of her body and imagined how it might feel to have her tucked against him.

He got the feeling that he might find out sooner rather than later as she leaned even closer to him to bring her muzzle to his ear, her teeth grazing his ear sending a light shiver along his spine. Her whispered words pulled a grin to his lips and a hopeful desire to his chest. Keetie had picked up on his usual game easily, revealing how the work he put into these special pieces of armor was usually a ploy to keep the prettiest ones around even longer. The more he liked them the more work he would put into their pieces and all he ever charged was their time and affections.

Rûga shifted forward then with a rumble in his chest, hooking a strong forelimb around her waist and pulling her closer as he rolled with her, holding himself over her with one paw just over her shoulder. He peered down into those sapphire and amber eyes with a heated look of desire in his own, a grin pulling across his lips. "Looks like you've caught onto my game, my sapphire," he rumbled quietly as he brushed his muzzle against hers and gave her chin a teasing lick. his chest and stomach brushed against hers, the feeling of their fur mingling together fanning the flames spreading through him even higher. "So the only question is... Are you going to commission my work? Spend days and weeks with me for the prize at the end?"

Rûga Amanto

She could see what he was doing, when he brought his paw over and tucked it around her waist. She considered her options for a moment - fight him on it, and see what he was willing to give for a little play, or fall into his arms and let him think she was easy prey for now and catch him off guard later.

Time was up, and she leaned backwards, letting herself fall into his arms as he pulled her close. He did stop there however, as he rolled her onto the grass onto her back. Holding her down with his superior sized paws and his great might over her.

He brushed his muzzle against hers, and his eyes were a witches fire, burning wicks of green as he grinned at her. She appraised him for a moment through her own hot/cold eyes. “Oh baby, your asking all the wrong questions” she whispered, a wicked gleam his only warning, before she unsheated her claws and dug them hard into his back. Her teeth lashed out, aiming for the side of his muzzle in a bid to sink them in and release again. “You should be asking if you can handle this much heat.” as she bucked her back to throw him off her. The wicked, inviting expression in her eyes was the only indication that this was more than just a bid to fight him off.

Lorikeet Flame Aracari vs Ruga for right to mate
Round 1/2
Age: Over one
Size: Extra large
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Sharpened antler head armor
Companion 1: Cat with antlers, Female - Battle
Mutation 1: Thicker fur - Defensive
Mutation 2: Feline claws - Offensive
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Expert Healer
Specialty: N/A

"Speech"

He took in the appraising look in her eyes, lifting a curious brow to the ball of blue fire under him when she told him that he was asking all the wrong questions. He caught the dangerous gleam in her stunning gaze just a heart beat before he felt the bite of her razor sharp claws digging into his back. He pulled in a sharp breath through gritted teeth at the sharp pain that danced with the static shocks of desire in a heady mix that he certainly hadn't been expecting, but it wasn't unwelcome either. He pulled his head to the side to avoid the bite of her teeth, feeling them graze his muzzle as a wicked grin pulled across his features with a gleam of his teeth. The promise in her words and the inviting gleam in her eyes told him all that he needed to know and he dove into their fight head first first with a deep growl rolling in his chest.

Rûga fought back against her attempts to buck him off, attempting to bring the paw that was holding her around her side around to her chest to press her more firmly to the ground, leaning his larger form down into hers. She was a strong woman though and even more feisty than he had originally imagined which only drew him to her more. He lunged his jaws for her neck, finding any purchase within his reach to give him a better chance of keeping her from getting away.

Rûga Amanto vs Lorikeet for Right to Mate
Round: 1/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Intellectual
Specialty: N/A

Rûga Amanto

He all but groaned as her claws dug into his back, and dodged her strike to the side of his chin. Her teeth gained only a glancing pull of skin, and then he was shoving a paw into her chest, almost knocking the air from her lungs. She sucked in a deep breath, breathing past the weight he left on her.

She coiled her body and pushed down on her head, bringing her back feet up to strike at his underside with her needle-like claws. She turned her head to the side, letting his bite land near her scruff. She didn’t have much room to manoeuvre away from his strike.

Instead, she went for distraction, letting out a purr-like moan as his teeth sank in. She licked what she could reach of his chin. “Earn it, Baby” she whispered as she dug her claws in deeper.

Lorikeet Flame Aracari vs Ruga for right to mate
Round 2/2
Age: Over one
Size: Extra large
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Sharpened antler head armor
Companion 1: Cat with antlers, Female - Battle
Mutation 1: Thicker fur - Defensive
Mutation 2: Feline claws - Offensive
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Expert Healer
Specialty: N/A

"Speech"

There was absolutely no way for him to avoid the paws that kicked at his stomach, her claws sending pain radiating into his core and sending a shudder through him, the snarl on his lips twisting into a wicked grin. Even if he liked the feeling of her claws in his skin, she was still just a little too close to some very important parts of him for comfort so he finally relented a bit in his hold on her, releasing her chest and stumbling off of her enough to avoid those hind paws and get them away from his tender stomach. He didn't release her scruff though, holding firm to that grip to make sure she couldn't go that far. The whispered words she gave him made that already burning, molten desire burn even brighter and a deep, rough growl rumbled louder in his chest.

His teeth dug harder into her scruff as he reached to hook a foreleg across her stomach, trying to scoop and twist her body to hopefully pull her under him to get her back pressed to his stomach. Really the biggest factor was if he could get her to release the claws that were currently ripping at his scruff or if she'd hold firm and prevent him from flipping her over. She had lit a desperate fire in his belly and somehow her claws and the fight she gave only continued to make it burn hotter until he thought it might actually burn him alive. She was playing into everything he adored perfectly without even knowing a single thing about him. There was a reason that his whole body was littered with small scars and it wasn't because he was the warmongering type.

Rûga Amanto vs Lorikeet for Right to Mate
Round: 2/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Intellectual
Specialty: N/A

Rûga Amanto

And the winner is...

Ruga	Lorikeet must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Lorikeet : Rolls:    70, 16, 33, 59 Adjusted rolls:    91, 21.6, 34.65, 59 Total:     226.88 Ruga: Rolls:    92, 25, 57, 43 Adjusted rolls:    105.8, 25, 57, 43 Total:     230.80

Her blows made headway as he released her. She had enjoyed the way her claws felt, scraping through his coat, and she laughed easily and contently as he moved just enough. He didn’t release her scruff, and she grunted against the pull of his fangs in her fur.

She began to adjust her weight, wanting to shove him to the side and roll him so that she could have the upper hand. Instead, as she moved her weight, he yanked her unexpectedly, and flipped her pushing her stomach into the ground and exposing her back to the ground. He held her tight and firm in his unyielding paws. “Point to you, hot stuff.” she whispered into the grass, releasing her hold on his scruff to give him a sly, questioning look. What was he going to do with her now?

"Speech"

Rûga felt her claws release his scruff as he finally got the upper hand, getting her stomach toward the ground as he held her back tonight against him with his teeth in her scruff. A low, rumbling chuckle rolled in his chest at her words as she gave him the point, that victory tasting all the more sweet with this gorgeous spitfire tucked against him, her lean, lithe body now fully at his mercy. He had risen to her challenge and now he was going to claim his prize.

He released her scruff as his foreleg wrapped around her waist, pulling her hips back as his teeth grazed her ear. "Now, my precious sapphire," he told her softly against her ear with a low growl to his voice, "I'm going to savor every last second of our time together and throughly enjoy this win." He settled his body over hers and his free paw that wasn't holding her waist trailed his claws through her stunningly blue marked coat along her side while his teeth caught her scruff once more, holding her steady and tight to him as he fully delved into this beautiful woman, starting what he knew was going to be an obsession with Keetie.

- fade -

Rûga Amanto