Traveling alone didn't really phase young Satira much. She'd spent the last half year of her life traveling the wild lands with her mother and brother and her mother's "companions". She wasn't exactly blind to the relations those wolves had with her mother, no matter how discreet they tried to be, and though she didn't fully comprehend the harem Asla had put together, she at least knew the three wolves were all romantic with one another. The fawn-coated girl didn't exactly understand why her mother needed so many partners, or why she wasn't romantic with her dad anymore, or why they'd had to leave the Armada and their family, or really the whys behind anything that had happened after her life had been thrown into chaos. Now her days felt like they were being filled just trying to sort through the confusion and uncertainty. Between her mother handling her own affairs, her father split between them and the Armada, and her brother still woefully depressed by the death of his father, Tira felt caught up in a whirlwind with no direction or foundation to her world anymore.

Perhaps that was why she took to traveling alone once she'd turned one. Solitude granted her a semblance of peace in her turbulent mind, allowed her to think unabated by the pressures around her. She could simply be—exist in the world for herself and take it all in while she tried to make sense of the nonsensical. Her wandering paws had brought her south today, past the brambly briar just below where her family had taken up temporary residence in the Fern Gulley. She'd made her way down the rocky paths along the sides of the fjord's mountains, navigating past sparse pine trees while she enjoyed Boreas' bright and sunny summer weather. The river flowing at the bottom of the fjord looked positively inviting; maybe she'd go for a swim to cool down before she headed back. With no direction or destination in her mind, Satira wandered, taking in the sights and simply enjoying existing on her own.

"Satira"

Azzurra hadn’t been this far north in quite a while, at least not since she and Balthier came to Auster to live in Fenmyre. She wasn’t sure what exactly had her itching to come up past the bifrost now, but she was enjoying a bit of time on her own. It was liberating to travel on her own, even if it was just for a short trip, since it wasn't something she had been physically able to do before. Even now as she moved through the rocky, forested terrain of the fjord she was having to take fairly frequent breaks to keep herself from getting too winded. Sometimes she wondered what it was like to be able to travel for miles and run and explore, but she didn’t think that was a reality she would ever get to live.

She attempted to cross a particularly rocky part of the path and her paw started to slip, making her give a slight startled yelp as she caught herself and scrambled back away from the edge. She sat down with a sigh to let her heart stop beating so fast and catch her breath again. It was a blessing and a curse that this area was so beautiful to look at. It made for wonderful scenery for her walk, but it was enticing enough to keep going when she probably should have turned back. The sound of paw steps made her ears perk and she lifted her head to look toward the sound. She spotted the pale blonde and white girl who looked to maybe be a bit smaller than herself, though it was hard to tell from this distance.

Azzurra glanced around for a moment, her first instinct to get off the path and avoid the stranger while she still could, but then she stopped herself. She questioned herself, wondering why she was so set on secluding herself. Her distrust in the world made her nervous, especially when Balthier wasn’t here to protect her. She glanced up at the other girl again and decided to force herself to remain where she was sitting on the edge of the fjord path—partially because she wanted to challenge herself to meet new wolves and partially because she was still a little afraid she’d slip.

"Azzurra"

Wandering along the mountain trail, Satira caught scent of another wolf somewhere close by. Her senses immediately went on high alert—not because she was afraid the stranger would be a threat, but because she didn't know if they were or not. Her brush with death at a young age had left her cautious and guarded, especially when out on her own. She spotted the wolf—another girl around her age—sitting on the edge of the cliffside path just a ways ahead. She looked up at Satira and the two made eye contact for a brief moment, sapphire blue eyes meeting the wolf-dog's sky blue. Nervousness touched her heart, but Satira steeled herself on. She was a wolf of Fatalis and Klein stock, dammit, and she wouldn't be intimidated off by a stranger on a mountain!

As she came closer, her floppy ears bobbing in time with her steps, Satira greeted the anxious looking fae with a polite tip of her muzzle, but no smile. Her mother never smiled, so she didn't see a reason to either. "Hello," she greeted the stranger in her sweet voice, looking to see if she could carefully maneuver around her without bumping into her on the narrow path. "Um... you're not thinking about jumping, are you?" It was a bold and direct question, but Tira didn't know if she needed to try and help the stranger or if she was about to watch a wolf die today.

"Satira"

Azzurra attempted to look casual and nonchalant as she waited for the other girl to get closer, letting her gaze drift over the fjord and at the landscape to keep herself occupied in the moments that passed between when their gazes met and when the smaller white and tan girl reached her. She still made little glances toward the other wolf occasionally to see if she was still heading this direction and once she was a little closer Azzurra noticed her bobbing, folded over ears. It was harder to keep herself from watching the other girl walking once she noticed them and was immediately enamored by how cute they looked moving with every step the girl took. She had been so caught up examining the unusual ears that when she was actually greeted it caught her off guard and her face flushed as she stumbled over her words. "Oh, um, hello," she replied back with a shy smile, her ears flicking back against her head.

She noticed the very stoic expression on the girl's face and Azzurra realized she probably wasn't all that interested in meeting a stranger so she looked away again, trying to keep herself to the side so she could get by. Her question surprised her though and she looked up at the smaller girl's sky blue gaze again with a few surprised blinks. "No! No, I um... I was just trying to stay out of the way since I saw you coming this way," she explained. Once the black-marked girl was past she stood again, carefully moving back toward the middle of the path. She was about to keep going to prevent herself from embarrassing herself any more than she had, but she just couldn't help looking at the other girl again over her shoulder to tell her, "Um... Your ears are really cute, by the way." Her short puff ball of a tail wagged gently before she started walking down the path again.

"Azzurra"

When she approached the other wolf, Satira noticed how the young woman was staring at her. No... not her—her ears. Immediately the wolf-dog cringed inwardly, already preparing a mental defense for when the inevitable question was asked and ridicule would soon follow. The other lady greeted her with a timid hello, giving a shy yet friendly smile. Tira's question about her potential suicide seemed to really take the girl aback, and she was quick to affirm that no, she was not about to hurl herself down the mountain to her death. Satira breathed a sigh of relief; well, at least she wouldn't have to worry about watching a wolf die today. "That's good. I was afraid I might have to try to pull you away from the ledge." She gave a slightly awkward chuckle, but nodded as the young fae explained she was just staying out of her way. Of course... get out of the way of the wolf-dog freak... "Oh, right. Um... thanks."

Satira turned her rueful blue eyes away from the other girl and slipped by, continuing on down the mountain path and on her way. She didn't make it more than a couple of steps, however, before the other girl's voice called out to her and called her ears cute. Tira froze in her tracks, her heart stopping along with her thoughts. What had she just said? Satira spun around so fast her ears nearly smacked her in her forehead, watching the girl walk away. Had she been playing a joke on her? Did she really think her ears were cute? Nobody had complimented her ears besides her mom and dad, usually just making fun of them or thinking she looked weird. But this random girl on the side of the mountain... she really thought they were cute...?

Driven by a need to know, Satira sprinted back after the stranger. "H-Hey, wait up!" she called to the wolf, skidding to a bit of a clumsy stop before she went careening into the taller girl, her ears flopping about while she ran. Up close, Satira was able to scrutinize the girl's expression, her rich sapphire blue eyes, looking for any signs of dishonesty. "You really mean that? What you said about my ears?" The fawn and white tail behind her began to wag with excitement and hope, peering up into the other girl's eyes while she tried not to get too outwardly happy or emotional about the kindness of the stranger. "I'm Satira," she introduced herself, averting her eyes momentarily before she explained herself. "I'm sorry for stopping you again, I just... I don't get a lot of compliments about my ears, so... I wanted to say thanks for not thinking I'm a freak, I guess."

"Satira"

Azzurra slowly padded along the mountain path once the other girl had gone past her, looking at the ground as she went and kicking herself for being so incredibly awkward. Balthier had been the only wolf she had really spoken to for most of her life so trying to talk to anyone, much less a complete stranger, was a daunting task. Just as she was scolding herself for doing something as silly as complementing the girl’s ears, she heard the sound of paws hurrying toward her and the sound of the girl in question calling out to her, telling her to wait up.

She blinked with surprise and quickly turned around, confused and worried maybe she had offended her in some way, but instead when the tan and white girl slid to a stop in front of her she didn’t see any sort of anger or malice in her lighter blue gaze. Instead, she was questioned over whether she actually meant what she said and Azzurra’s own ears flicked back shyly in response. "Well… Yeah. They’re really cute. I’ve never seen ears like yours before and I really like that they’re different," she insisted, giving the stranger a bashful smile. She certainly hadn’t expected to make such an impact with her passing comment, but seeing how interested it made the other girl and seeing how her tail wagged made her happy. As someone with a slightly unusual tail she liked finding other little unique traits in other wolves so her compliment was very much genuine. Maybe giving out random complements was a good idea after all.

"I’m Azzurra," she replied when Satira introduced herself and gave a little tilt of her head when Satira looked away from her. Hearing her say that she didn't get many complements on her ears and the thanks for not thinking of her as a freak made her smile shift into a concerned, confused frown. "Why would anyone think you're a freak?" she questioned, her ears folding back with worry. "They're so cute... I love that they're different." Maybe not everyone appreciated their uniqueness the way she did, but she couldn't imagine ever being so mean to anyone for something that they couldn't control and had no say over.

"Azzurra"

The other girl looked stunned and a little taken aback when Satira came charging back up to her, and yeah she probably was being a bit brash with how she went about it, but she just had to know. She needed this little bit of real validation after all the setbacks and insecurities and uncertainties she'd discovered in her life. But to her surprise, the other girl confessed that she did think her ears were really cute and unique and that she liked them. Tira's mouth nearly dropped open in shock, but instead her haunches just hit the ground instead, leaving the smaller girl reeling in stupor. She thought of all the sideways looks she'd gotten from some of the members of the Armada, of the way her brother teased her, and how that red bully had mocked her for her ears. How she'd been called half a wolf and a mutant. But now... this girl said she was cute and she loved that they were different. Tira could have cried.

The tawny yearling didn't, however. She kept herself in check, her emotions reined in, but she certainly couldn't help the little shy smile creeping across her tiny muzzle. "W-Well, um... th-thank you, Azzurra. I really appreciate it," she replied, trying to ignore the way heat was starting to spread beneath her pallid cheeks. She noted the tiny wagging pom at the end of Azzurra's hindquarters and gave the girl a little bit of a cheeky smile, pointing towards her tail with a paw. "Your tail is really cute too. I've never seen another wolf with a tail like yours." Satira's smile faltered a bit when she realized she was basically implying that she was looking at the other girl's ass, and raised a paw with a panicked look on her face. "Not that I was checking out your butt or anything like that! I just saw your tail wagging and thought it looked cute. Your butt just happens to be what it's attached to!" Tira cringed at herself, the heat in her face getting worse with every word she sputtered out.

Azzurra asked with concern why anyone would think she was a freak because of her ears and Satira's shoulders slumped. Her own heritage was something that she tried her best to be proud of—but sometimes that felt like a Sisyphean task. Frowning to herself, Tira turned and moved to sit at the edge of the mountain path with a sigh, gazing down at the coniferous forest around the fjord. "Because I'm... not a pure wolf," she admitted. Be proud of your heritage. Be proud of your heritage. "My dad's part dog. It's where our ears come from. He has a pair just like mine." Tira reached up to flick one floppy ear with a white and gray speckled paw. "I guess some wolves think that if you're even a little bit not perfect, then you're worthless..." It hurt to say out loud, but it was what that boy's words in the winter forest had made her feel all those months ago. She'd never fully recovered; sometimes she doubted if she ever would.

"Satira"

Azzurra grinned happily at how Satira reacted to her compliment, a flush spreading across her own cheeks as well while her short, fluffy tail continued to wiggle behind her. This was pretty much the first time she had ever really talked to someone outside of her family and just seeing how happy she made the smaller girl made her happy as well. Her ears perked when Satira pointed out her tail, giving a quick glance at it as the tan and white girl commented on it, saying that it was cute as well. Azzurra giggled softly, her cheeks warming even more as she looked shyly back to Satira with a thankful smile. No one had ever really commented on her tail one way or another, but getting complements from someone other than her brother felt nice. "Oh! Um, thank you, that's really nice of you to say."

She didn't even consider the fact that Satira would have had to been looking at her butt to notice her tail until she said something, seeing her expression change as she suddenly got so flustered over the implication that she might have been checking out her butt. Azzurra grinned and laughed, though her ears did still pin back with shy embarrassment while the pink of her flushed face peeked through her pale fur. "I-It's okay! It's okay! I um... I don't mind," she managed to reply after a moment once she got her giggling under control. She didn't mind the pretty, sweet girl looking at her butt if she wanted to, but she did also believe it was just something she noticed. It was a pretty substantial thing for a wolf to not have, she supposed, though it probably wasn't as immediately noticeable as something like Satira's ears since it was behind her instead of right on top of her head. She always felt like she was pretty plain as far as markings and colorings went, especially compared to Balthier who got their father's gold, swirling markings, so her tail was kind of the only thing that she felt was unique about her appearance. If Satira liked it then she didn't mind the other girl looking at it at all.

The tone of the conversation shifted once she questioned why anyone would think so negatively about her ears and she watched as Tira's shoulders visibly sunk under the weight of the question. Azzurra's smile faded and concern etched on her face while she waited patiently for an answer, watching Satira move away just a bit to sit at the edge of the path. Azzurra quietly padded closer and sat beside her, watching her curiously as she finally admitted the truth of the fact that she wasn't purely wolf, but actually part dog as well. Azzurra blinked with surprise, but didn't say anything so she wouldn't interrupt as the other girl explained that the unusual heritage came from her father who had ears that folded over like this as well. Her frown deepened when she said how some wolves seemed to think she was worthless for not being perfect. It tugged at her heart, not because anyone had ever called her worthless to her face, but because of all of the times she had felt worthless herself when she was too sick to move, depending entirely on her father and brother to care for her. In every practical sense she had been useless and a burden and she would have understood if any of her family had resented her for that fact, but to just hate someone purely because of some trait they couldn't control or change...

She was quiet for a moment before she shifted a little closer, her side nearly touching Satira's as she said, "Don't listen to them. You're not worthless." She gave Satira a warm smile, adding, "Your ears are pretty and so are you, but you're also out here on your own, traveling over mountains like it's easy... I know we don't really know each other yet, but... All of that seems pretty amazing to me." Without really thinking about it, she lowered her head and pressed a kiss to Satira's cheek. It wasn't until she shared the affection with the other girl that she realized what she had done and her ears pulled back with embarrassment, her face flushing. "I'm sorry! I just... Whenever I'm feeling down or hurting usually kisses and snuggles make me feel better so I thought..." She glanced away shyly, silently wishing she could just disappear.

"Azzurra"

Satira felt some relief wash away her burning embarrassment when Azzurra giggled and thanked her for the compliment, then dismissed her stammered apology for looking at her rump with only a bit of a flush. Whew! At least she'd managed to save a bit of face there, no thanks to her awkward yammering to defend herself when she hadn't needed defending or to say anything at all! Still, it did scant little to alleviate the heaviness Tira felt weighing on her soul as she talked about the bigotry she'd received for her mixed genetics and her strange appearance in a land and family dominated almost entirely by wolves. Azzurra would never know and she'd never say how it felt to be a part of the Fatalis family, where familial heritage and pride were toted as the greatest aspects, and to know you didn't belong in it entirely, no matter how much she tried or how much effort she put forth. She would still never be 100% what they valued. Sure, her mother had taken her and her brother away from there to live their own lives, but it was a painful memory seared into her young brain for the rest of her life.

There was quiet between them, and for a moment, Satira wondered if she should have just kept her mouth shut and pretended everything was fine, just like she always did. Then at least she wouldn't have put Azzurra in an awkward spot like this. But to her surprise, she heard the sound of paw steps moving not away, but towards her. When Tira looked up, there Azzie was, sitting so close she could feel her fur brushing her side. Bright blue eyes peered up at the taller girl in shock while she reaffirmed that Satira's ears were cute and so was she. She called her amazing—the first time anyone other than her mother or father had complimented her. Then she felt the other girl's lips on her cheek. Tira's mouth dropped open in a silent gasp, eyes wide while she gawked at Azzurra. The monochromatic girl got so flustered when she realized what she'd done, but little Tira was still just reeling at the notion that someone outside her family had kissed her!

"N-No! No, don't be sorry! It felt nice. I just... I wasn't really expecting it. No one's kissed me besides my mom and dad before, so I just... wasn't ready for it, y'know?" She gave a bashful little smile up to Azzie, hoping to assuage the other girl's sudden shyness. She leaned over to nudge and nuzzle Azzurra's shoulder, hoping to get her to look back at her again. She liked being around the larger girl. She made her feel special and got her warm all over, but in a good way. She thought about how she saw her mother kiss those wolves they traveled with, and how Azzie had just kissed her. Maybe kissing was just a general expression of affection to wolves you liked? Gathering up what boldness and courage she had within her, Satira leaned up to plant her lips right against the side of Azzie's cheek, kissing her back in turn. "There," she said with a confident smirk, "now I kissed you too. So you can feel better too."


"Satira"

Azzurra gave an uncertain glance toward Satira when the smaller girl started insisting it was okay, that it did actually feel nice and that she just hadn't been expecting it. For a split second she was surprised to hear that she had never been kissed by anyone other than her parents before, but Azzie quickly reminded herself that the situation between her and Balthier wasn't exactly common. Most wolves probably didn't love their sibling or start kissing and making out and having sex at their age—especially not with their sibling. She had gathered from paying attention to things around Fenmyre's island that Chimera and Siren were siblings and they seemed pretty affectionate also, but they were the only other couple she had ever seen that were siblings and the more she was exposed to the world the more she began to understand why Balthier had felt so conflicted at first. She still didn't fully understand why that had overridden how much he loved her for at least a little while, but they seemed to be mostly past that now.

A little smile pulled at her lips and she looked to Satira shyly when the smaller girl nudged and nuzzled her shoulder, bringing her attention back down to her. When Satira reached up to kiss her cheek in return Azzie's eyes widened with surprise as well and her face warmed, but not out of embarrassment this time. She couldn't keep her short tail from wiggling in response as she looked down at this pretty girl beside her, appreciating the confidence in her expression and wishing she had even half of the confidence she saw in Satira's smirk. It was something she was slowly working on in herself with her small trips away from her brother and her constant practicing and working on herself physically, hoping maybe the confidence would follow on its own. "I do feel better now," she replied with a giggle, her expression still bashfully as she looked at Satira happily, feeling a familiar warmth spreading through her that caught her off guard a bit since she had never felt it for anyone besides Balthier.

She hesitated for a moment, looking at Satira's pretty, bright blue eyes and the interesting marking that framed one of them for a lingering moment until she finally said softly, "Um... I'd... I'd like to kiss you again... if that's okay." She didn't know why but she felt like she could relate so well to this beautiful tan and white girl and felt so comfortable with her even if her shyness made it seem like she didn't. She waited for Satira to agree before she lowered her head to hers and hesitated for just a beat while she gathered her courage before she brought her muzzle to Satira's leaving her gentle kiss on the otter girl's lips this time. Her heart gave a little skip with excitement and after a moment she pulled away again, looking to Satira to make sure she hadn't gone too far too fast.

"Azzurra"

Seeing how her bravado had brought Azzurra back from her sudden bout of shyness, Satira was feeling more confident in her ability to be confident. She tried so hard to be like her mother was; Asla wasn't intimidated or made meek by anything. She wanted to be that same domineering force of will to be reckoned with as well. Seeing how it made Azzie happy was just icing on the proverbial cake. "Good!" Satira declared with a proud nod of her head and a puff of her chest. She didn't want her new friend to be shy or embarrassed for just being friendly. It seemed like neither of them were particularly well socialized, but they were managing their best. At least she hadn't offended or upset her yet, and Azzie didn't seem put off by her quarter breed genetics. So far, so good!

Gazing back into Azzurra deep ocean blue eyes in turn, she saw the hesitation and nervousness in the other girl's expression, her tensed posture and body language telling more than her words did. Satira began to worry again for a moment. Had she done something wrong? Why was Azzie getting nervous around her again? Oh no, what did she do?! Fortunately, those frantic fears were quickly dispelled when the taller and older girl said she'd like to kiss her again. Tira's heart missed an anxious beat, but outwardly the girl kept her expression even, despite her surprise. "Uh, y-yeah, sure!" she agreed easily, giving a nervous smile despite her rapidly wagging tail behind her. The little peck on her cheek had felt nice, and despite the unusual simmering warmth in her belly, Tira was more than happy to receive another little affection from Azzurra. When Azzie lowered her muzzle toward her, Tira closed her eyes and waited to feel those lips kiss her cheek again.

Except this time, she felt the warmth and softness of Azzie's lips against her own. Satira's eyes flew open wide in surprise, humming in shock. The kiss was brief, lasting only a second, but it was enough to send electricity through every nerve in Tira's body. Bright blue eyes gazed in stunned stupor at Azzurra when the girl did pull back, her mouth hung open in speechlessness while heat burned over her cheeks and in her belly. Azzurra had just kissed her the same way she saw her mother kissing those other adults! So that's what that feels like... thought Tira in awe. No wonder Mom likes to kiss other wolves so much! Despite her stunned state, Tira's tail was beating the ground like crazy, betraying how much she'd actually enjoyed the kiss despite the flustered aftermath. "W-Wow... No one's ever kissed me like that before...!" she said, her voice a little breathless from her shallow breathing and racing heart.

"Satira"

Azzurra giggled softly at the stunned look on Satira's face as she pulled away, blushing while she watched the other girl trying to process what happened. That warmth that settled in her core was familiar, obviously more familiar than it was for Satira who still sat in stunned silence, and when she finally admitted that she had never been kissed like that before she understood why. The way Satira's tail was hitting the ground told her that the smaller girl had enjoyed it and she was really glad for that. She didn't want to do anything that she didn't like or made her uncomfortable, but she liked Satira and enjoyed talking to her so far and she loved the way it felt to kiss her. As long as they both liked it then there was no harm in sharing a few kisses! "Well... Now you have been!" she said with another giggle, her ears flicking back shyly with a bashful grin.

She nodded toward the trail behind them and said, "Do you want to walk with me for a little bit? Maybe we'll find somewhere better to sit than the edge of this path." She chuckled and got to her paws, walking side by side with Satira for a little bit. Occasionally their sides would brush together when the path got narrow and she would glance at the smaller girl with a shy smile. "I'm glad you stopped me," she admitted, glancing down at the path in front of her paws. "I've haven't really talked to anyone besides my brother in a long time so... it's nice to find someone as sweet as you to talk to." It gave her a bit of confidence, assuring her that maybe the world wasn't as scary as it felt sometimes.

They reached a point in the mountain path branched off into a more substantial cliff with a grassy area and a couple trees which gave them a good spot to stop again. She walked over to one of the trees, settling down onto her stomach under it with a sigh, stretching her sore legs out in front of her. Finding this spot was good timing since she wasn't sure how much farther she'd be able to go without a break and at least now she didn't have to make excuses for it. "This place is pretty, but kinda hard to get around, huh?" she said with a soft chuckle, looking to Satira happily.

"Azzurra"

A light giggly laugh escaped the fawn-colored adolescent while she grinned back at Azzurra, beaming with a huge smile and bright blue eyes. "Yeah I have!" she remarked almost triumphantly, as if getting her first kiss was this huge accomplishment for her. It definitely made her feel more mature and like an adult, out here venturing on her own, getting to smooch a cute girl! The warmth she was feeling was strange, and while she didn't know what to do about it or what it was, she was liking the foreign sensation. Azzurra offered to take a walk together, and immediately Tira was on her paws. "Yeah, that sounds nice," she agreed. Tiny mottled paws padded down the rugged mountain path while she walked alongside Azzie, their sides and hips occasionally bumping and brushing against one another's whenever the path would narrow. Every time they touched, that fire in her belly seemed to flare up. Tira didn't want to mention it until she knew what it was, lest she risk messing things up with her new friend. What if it was something bad, or something she wasn't supposed to feel? How would she know what to do about it?

"I'm glad I stopped too. Even though I thought you were gonna try to hurt yourself." Satira gave Azzie an apologetic smile for her initial assumptions. "I haven't really gotten to speak to anyone much at all either. My brother doesn't really talk to anyone, and my mom's busy with her new adult friends. My dad..." Tira's words drifted off, floppy ears drooping slightly. "...he doesn't live with us." She briefly thought about her father back in the Armada. Did he miss her? Did he think about her? Or had he already forgotten about her and Asla, moved on to start a new family without them? Satira swallowed back her sadness and forced the glee back to the front while she refocused on Azzie with a wry smile. "You're super sweet to talk to as well. Plus you gave me my first kiss, so you're double sweet!" Azzie had been Tira's first kiss outside of her parents; this was a big moment in the young girl's life.

The two faes eventually arrived to a grassy plateau with hardy trees and a fantastic view of the fjord around them. While Azzie got situated resting beneath a tree, Tira wandered to the edge and peered over, her indomitable adventurous spirit wanting to see everything first. "Nah, it's not too bad. My family and I have been traveling for a couple seasons, so maybe I'm just kinda used to it though?" she said while she sauntered back over to lie down next to Azzie, leaving just a thin gap of space between them while they rested on the soft grasses. She gazed up at Azzie's pretty face with another smile, trying to place the feelings she got inside when she looked at her. They were totally unknown to her, but a part of her felt like she should instinctually recognize them. "So where are you from, Azzurra?" she asked, not recognizing the pack scent she detected on the other girl's coat.

"Satira"

As Satira described how she also hadn't interacted with anyone else much with her brother who didn't talk much, her busy mother, and her absent father, Azzurra gave a knowing, sympathetic nod. She had been in a similar situation for a large portion of her life except it was her mother who didn't live with them. Her father was pretty present in her life until he wasn't and that change had been drastic and sudden. Balthier wasn't exactly a talkative wolf, but he did at least keep her company most days. Satira pulled her away from these darker thoughts again though when she returned the compliment of being sweet and mentioning how her first kiss had been doubly sweet, making her grin happily and her tail wiggle again. She knew the kiss they shared was only a little peck compared to other things, but she was glad that Satira had enjoyed it all the same. It felt special to be the other girl's first kiss even if it was just a little, sweet thing.

Once they were in their at least momentary resting spot she watched Satira walk over to the near by edge and look out over the vast fajord ahead of them. She almost missed what the smaller girl was saying while Satira was talking about how she and her family had been traveling which made her more used to the harder to traverse terrains like this. Instead she was distracted by watching Satira move toward the edge of the cliff from behind, how soft her fluffier fur looked around her hips and tail, watching the soft way of her tail as she moved. Azzie quickly gave her head a little shake and smiled as she refocused on what she was saying before she could turn around and notice her staring. She gave a nod in response and said, "Ah, yeah, that probably helps. I haven't gotten out much until recently so I'm still getting used to it." She didn't know why she was suddenly so distracted by this pretty girl, but it was hard to keep her mind on anything other than the little kiss they shared and thinking about how soft her plush fur must feel.

She continued to rest and let her muscles recover while Satira came back to where she was laying to settle in beside her, retuning Satira's smile as the girl looked up at her again. It was hard to ignore that familiar feeling of warmth in her belly, but she tried to. She didn't want to come off as weird or pushy when they had only just met each other. She already felt like maybe she had gone too far with the kiss they shared already, but she already wanted to kiss her again so much. Luckily Satira offered a bit of distraction when she asked where she was from, giving her something else to focus on for a moment. "I live in a pack called Fenmyre now," she replied, "It's in Auster not too far from here on an island. I'm originally from Abaven, but my brother and I left after... well, after our parents passed away." Her smile faltered a little, but she was able to maintain her composure for the most part. It felt like it had been so long ago since all of that happened even though it really wasn't. She shrugged a little as she tried to hurry past it, adding, "I like living in Fenmyre though. You should come visit sometime! It's a really pretty island."

"Azzurra"

Satira hadn't noticed any of the times Azzurra had been checking her out, nor the looks the other girl stole when she glanced away or the sudden shyness and nervousness she felt. Perhaps it was because she was still so blissfully naive to anything romantic or lustful, she wasn't able to recognize any of the signs in the other girl. She was just having a good time with her new friend! Azzurra had opened so many new doors to discoveries and feelings she'd never felt before, it was like a rush of dopamine and Tira was becoming a little bit addicted! Azzie explained that she was from a pack called Fenmyre, located on an island south in Auster. Then she explained how she and her brother were from Abaven originally until their parents passed away. "Oh... I'm so sorry," she spoke softly, speckled floppy ears lowering to her head in a show of sympathy. Both of her parents were still fortunately alive, just not together, but Arcturus had lost his father, and she'd seen the pain he was going through. Perhaps it was because of that Satira felt the need to read a tiny dappled paw over to rest on Azzie's foreleg, just to give her a bit of comfort.

"You were from Abaven?" she asked excitedly, her tiny tail wagging so fast it started to gently bump Azzurra's hip with every sway. "I'm from the Armada. We lived just down the coast from each other!" A little airy giggle left Tira at the irony of it all. "Small world, huh?" Azzie then mentioned how pretty Fenmyre was and invited Satira to come visit sometime and the little wolf dog practically exploded with excitement. Bright blue eyes grew huge as a wide grin split her face, flashing every shiny white tooth to the other girl while her tail whipped back and forth. "Oh, I'd love to! I've never been on an island before! You can show me all around your pretty tropical island home, and I definitely want to see you again after today, Azzie! Oh, can I call you Azzie?" A bashful smile and a blush crept onto the girl's face, hoping she hadn't embarrassed herself by being too enthusiastic.

"Satira"

Azzurra gave a little shrug to Satira's condolences, but gave her a thankful smile all the same. It was strange because she hadn't actually seen either of her parents after they passed. Her father had left them in the night and just never came back and their mother had left to live in a different pack and never came to visit them again. Both of them were suddenly just gone one day. The loss of her father had hurt more in the sense that she had been closer to him and loved him dearly, but her mother's death had been almost more painful in a strange way since she had been so hopeful to rebuild some kind of relationship with their estranged mother and they had found out about her death when they needed her most. She glanced down to Satira's paw where it rested on her leg comfortingly and she smiled a little more, resting one of her pale paws over the other girl's in return.

Tira turned the conversation back to her original home of Abaven, making her grin when she felt her tail bumping her hip in her excitement at finding out that they had grown up so close to each other. She didn't know a lot about Armada, but she was definitely aware of the pack and knew where they were located. "Definitely a small world!" she agreed with a giggle as well. She was glad that Satira seemed to excited about coming to visit Fenmyre and see the island. It made her feel like she was even more certain to see the pretty girl again and that made her really happy. She had never really had a friend outside of Balthier so the idea that maybe the two of them could continue to see each other and be friends was really exciting. She was also just so cute when she was all excited like this and it made her feel like they meshed well together. She grinned when she was asked if she could be called Azzie and she nodded in agreement. "Yeah! That's been my nickname for a long time."

Azzurra chuckled softly, giving Tira's paw a little squeeze with her own where they were resting over her other foreleg. She kept feeling her face flush whenever her sapphire gaze caught Satira's lighter blue eyes, making the fluttering butterflies in her stomach stir up like crazy while they laid close together in this little secluded spot in the fjord. It was hard not to think about the kisses they shared before. There was always a little bit of a high that came along with stuff like that and it always felt so good that it was hard not to want more of it—especially when it was with someone as sweet, cute, and fun as Satira. As their conversation trailed off and their collective giggles faded she let herself look into Satira's pretty blue eyes again, smiling as her ears folded back with that shy, fluttering attraction again. Without really thinking, Azzie leaned her head down to bring her muzzle to Tira's again, hesitating for just a moment before she gave the smaller girl another gentle kiss. Instead of pulling away this time though, she let the feeling of it start to sweep her away and she followed that light kiss up with another and another until she eventually pressed her lips more firmly to Satira's as her eyes flickered closed.

"Azzurra"

Between all the light girly giggles and excited chatter, Satira was having an absolute blast hanging out with Azzurra! Growing up in the Armada, she hadn't really had any friends besides her brother. There hadn't been any other pups in the pack to play with, and the adults were always so serious and stern all the time. Other than the red bully she'd met on the edge of Armada lands, Azzie was the first wolf she'd really gotten to interact with outside her immediate family. The fact that the other girl was a few seasons older than her did nothing to deter her. Satira was just happy to have a friend! Someone to talk to and who was showing her fun new things. She soaked in the attention, reveling in it, like this was what she'd wanted all along. "All right, Azzie it is! And you can call me Tira if you'd like. It's what my brother calls me." How funny the two of them were... Both vagrants from their home packs, both sisters to brothers, both just trying to make their way in this wide, cruel world. It was like they were meant to be best friends!

The two young girls' chorus of giggles gradually faded away, drifting into soft sighs and comfortable quiet. The squeeze Azzie gave her paw brought Tira's attention back down to where their paws lay together, feeling that unfamiliar warmth in her belly again. She turned pale oceanic eyes up to her new friend and met Azzie's deeper blue gaze with a little Fatalis smile. Satira saw a brief flash of shyness cross Azzie's features—and then the larger fae was leaning her head back towards hers. Satira's breath caught and her heart gave an excited leap when she realized another kiss was coming, giving no resistance when the gray-furred girl brought her lips to Tira's own once more after a beat of luscious hesitation that almost had the tawny wolf-dog whining for her. Even though she knew what to expect, the soft brush and press of Azzurra's warm muzzle against her own made Tira practically tremble with delight. She really, really liked kissing, it turned out, and Azzie was so good at it too! Maybe with enough practice, she could be as good and confident about it as the other girl was.

Satira leaned into Azzurra's kiss, giving a quiet, happy hum under her breath until their lips parted. Except this time, the kisses didn't end there. Azzie immediately followed up her first kiss with another light one, which Tira returned enthusiastically, and then another, and another. The next thing Tira knew, Azzie had pressed her mouth to hers more firmly, keeping their lips locked together in a heated kiss that blew the Fatalis girl's mind away. Tira gave a muffled cry of surprise, pale blue eyes going wide whereas Azzurra's slipped closed. Yet despite her shock, Satira did not pull away. Her body tensed, but the new insistence in her friend's kiss caused the warmth in her belly to flare up into a living fire.

It took a few moments for Satira to fully relax again, but when she did, she melted into Azzie's lips, sinking into her kisses and letting the gray fae be her guide. She returned Azzurra's kiss in kind, pressing her mouth with the same insistent pressure, giving little muffled murrs of delight with every few passing seconds. Behind her, her silky tail wagged a mile a minute, betraying just how eager she was for the affection and the strange, intoxicating sensations and emotions Azzie was stirring up inside her. Acting on instinct, Satira lifted a gray speckled paw to stroke Azzie's cheek, caressing her face while also silently urging her not to stop.

"Satira"

Azzie felt Tira tense up a little bit when she pressed the deeper kiss to her lips and for a moment she worried that she had gone too far or made her new friend uncomfortable, but as the kiss went on she felt the smaller girl relax and press back into the kiss as well and her worries were swept away. The soft sounds Tira made into their kiss were wonderful and made her love kissing Tira that much more. Her lips felt so delicate and soft on her own—an entirely different experience from when she was kissing Balthier. She didn't know if there was one experience she preferred more than the other. She was enjoying kissing Satira as much as she did kissing Balthier, though she did have to admit that the freedom from the confusing, conflicting feelings that she often felt with Balthier was a nice departure and gave this time with Tira a good bit of advantage.

The gentle, speckled paw she felt on her cheek made a little sound of delight and desire escape her as well and she continued to make out with Tira eagerly as she followed the silent plea not to stop. Her lips moved in time with Tira's for a few lingering moments before she eventually let her tongue gently part the other girl's lips and sneak out to feel her new friend's tongue against her own. That caused her to make a soft whine of need with the fire that continued to build and burn in her core with each passing moment. It was so easy to get swept away in all of the feelings and sensations with this sort of thing. That's how she had ended up in trouble more than once with Balthier. Still... As much as she wanted to just let go and enjoy all of it, her and Tira had just met. She hardly knew this sweet girl and she was even younger than she herself was.

She allowed herself to enjoy making out with the smaller girl for a little while longer before she finally pulled back with a soft gasp, panting lightly as she blinked open her eyes so her sapphire gaze could find Tira's pale blue eyes. She gave a soft chuckle and a little grin while she caught her breath, her heart still pattering in her chest. "It's a lot of fun being with you," she said as she leaned in to gently nuzzle Tira's cheek. Maybe one day if they did get to visit with each other some more she might see if she'd be interested in more, but until then, just spending time with her new friend and enjoying some snuggles and kisses were more than enough.

"Azzurra"

If Satira had thought she'd been experiencing a whole new world before, then Azzurra's response to her reactions took her to entirely new planes of existence she'd never known were possible! The quiet sounds of delight that were coaxed from the small wolf-dog hybrid were instantly intensified when she felt Azzie's lips part hers, then felt and tasted her new friend's tongue in her maw and against her own. Tira's eyes flew open wide in surprise, her stomach clenching deep down in a way that it never had before, and then those pale blue pools gradually disappeared behind dark eyelids again while she gave herself entirely over to the passion of their shared kiss. Tira made out with Azzie with such youthful enthusiasm of someone exploring something new for the first time with gusto. She was totally inexperienced when it came to kissing or desire, so she followed the older girl's lead. When Azzie moved her tongue one way, Satira would gently glide hers back in time, matching rhythm and pace where she could. She gauged how well she was doing by the sounds Azzie was making, each noise guiding her and spurring her on.

Deep inside her, Satira felt like she was burning up. A heat she couldn't identify was tugging at her belly, aching like she was hungry, even though she wasn't. It was a need she didn't recognize, a drive her young body had yet to learn and comprehend. All she knew was that kissing Azzie like this and tasting her in her mouth was making it stronger, and it wasn't an unwelcome feeling. She'd caught her mother kissing Ocean and Chrystelle like this before, but she hadn't known what she was seeing until now. Now she understood why her mom liked this so much! But what was she supposed to be about the ache she was feeling? What did her mother do about it? Maybe she'd have to ask her when she got the chance. The yearling girl's body quivered gently in Azzie's hold, trembling so much her floppy ears were swaying. Her heart was racing, pounding at her chest like it might burst free at any moment—and yet she still didn't want it to stop! She was addicted to the feelings, to the heat, to the attention! Azzurra was giving her everything she craved and created new cravings at the same time. It was all so, so, so good!

After what felt like a blissful eternity, Azzie's lips finally parted from hers and her tongue left her mouth, giving Satira a chance to swallow a deep, gasping breath. Her lungs flooded with refreshing air, only just now realizing how breathless she had gotten during their making out. She'd been so lost in the bliss and passion she hadn't noticed her lungs aching for breath or the slight dizziness that spun in her head. Pallid blue eyes slowly flickered open halfway, peering at Azzie with a dopey, eager grin in return. "T-Thanks," she spoke, voice broken with her heaving breaths and little breathless giggles. "You're really fun being with too, Azzie! Especially when you do things like kiss me like that."

The tiny speckled paw on the wolf's face slowly slid down to drop and rest over one of her larger forepaws while she snuggled closer into her larger body, biting on her bottom lip while she gazed into those deep blue eyes for a long moment. "If I come visit you in Fenmyre... will you show me more things like this?" Tira didn't know how much more there was to learn in the realm of passion and lust and love, still much too young to comprehend it all—but she did know she really liked Azzie's kisses! Already she was thinking about kissing the other girl again—and maybe again, and again, and again.

"Satira"