The white and navy wolf stood alone at the top of the small drop-off next to the southern sea, gazing out at the shimmering azure waves below. It wasn't very high, no more than ten or fifteen feet, but it offered a great view out across the bay between the various islands that formed the archipelago. The hot summer sun hung high in the early afternoon sky, beating down on Boreas and creating a balmy, lazy late summer day. Thankfully, the solitary brute was shaded by the overhanging of some trees, hovering near one large oak that grew right along the edge of the cliff by the sea, the salt-tinged breeze rustling the leaves gently above in the strong branches along with his plush fur coat. Sure the tree was right at the edge of some pack's scent markers, but who really cared? Was some old geezer gonna come out and yell at him for standing on their lawn? The thought made the brute titter with a roguish smirk.

With a soft pensive hum, Maverick gazed up at the branches with crafty turquoise eyes, glancing between them and the rope he clutched in one large paw. His mind was working to try and come up with an excellent game to occupy his time, but he was having difficulty finding all the pieces he needed to make his idea work. Shame... With another pensive hum, Maverick tossed the rope up over one of the lower, thicker tree limbs, watching it hang for a moment while he looked around for something to act like a counterweight. A rock? Maybe, but a rock big enough to balance his weight would be tremendous. What he really needed was his brother or another wolf here...

Almost home. The trail Venom was on now wound over the coast. She was given picturesque views of the beaches below and glimpses of her island home as she traveled up ridges and cliffs. As she returned to Boreas the sun was much more present over the rainy days she spent in Auster. It was an edifying trip, and yet she still felt uncertain about her return to Ashen. Part of her felt like she needed more time, but the more sensible part knew that Plague would need reprieve.

So instead of allowing her paws to carry her away again Venom remained on the path towards home. She was undecided if she was going to swim across here or go around to the shrine, but the trivial thoughts were a small blessing. Every waking moment was full of emotional distress, but as she found her travels coming to an end there was a sense of peace that settled over her. Like the broken pices were rest to create something brand new. The effects of the past would never be erased, but what came out of disaster was more beautiful. Or that was what she told herself.

Her mundane thoughts were interrupted as she caught the scent of a stranger, and as white gloved paws carried her forward she realized how close said stranger was to her border. Venom’s hard glance softened as she Thought She saw a familiar form, but she knew almost immediately this wasn’t Gareth. "Making yourself pretty comfortable next to my border.” She confronted him calmly. "You might make a lady suspicious.”


"Venom"

Maverick was lifting and testing the weights of a few rocks near the oak tree, hefting them up in large paws before frowning and tossing them aside with a dull thud. None of them were heavy enough to do the trick. Pursing his lips in pensive thought, the dire brute began to search around for some other solution to his physics problem. Maybe if he tied the rope around another tree branch? That could work, and might make a more permanent solution, but he definitely lacked the dexterity to do all that tying himself. No, what he really needed was another wolf to assist him. Someone approximately close to his size, give or take a few inches.

As if his problem was being solved by divine intervention, the sound of soft paws approaching came from the grass behind him, but Maverick didn't even bother to turn around, still too busy studying his options, not even when a lovely voice called out to him, making a witty comment about him being comfortable beside her borders. Mav waved his paw off to her in a "yeah, yeah" fashion and replied in smooth, rich baritones, "Not across the border. It's all kosher." He hadn't even really been paying attention to who the stranger was or what she was saying to him. Only once he'd given up trying to solve this on his own did he sigh and turn to face the fae addressing him—and pale turquoise eyes immediately widened as he took her in. She was just a few inches shorter than he was, notably slimmer with pronounced curves in her voluptuous form. An absolute epitome of beauty. But Maverick saw something else in her.

"Oh, yes! You're perfect!" he declared with enthusiasm, trotting up to the stranger with a bright smile and excited eyes. He stood before her, tail wagging like a gentle pendulum while he studied her over swiftly. Suddenly he was very interested in the new wolf. "Oh yeah, totally perfect! Better than perfect, even! Come over here, I need your help with something." Trotting with a bounce in his step back over to the oak tree, Mav pointed to the rope hanging from the thick limb and lifted one end towards the monochromatic beauty with stunning twilight eyes. "Do me a favor and stand here. Hold this rope as tightly as you can, okay?" That was all he asked. No explanation, no filling her in, just asking for a helping paw and directions.

Not only was he close to the border he was also far to concerned with whatever he was working on in the oak tree. He barely acknowledged her presence. Not that she had any true dominion over him until he stepped foot inside Ashen. The surprise didn’t quite reach her features as he dismissed her with a wave and reiterating he wasn’t across just yet. He gaze narrowed further when he did eventually turn around to entertain her. Venom wasn’t sure what she saw in his eye as he obviously looked her over.

Perfect wasn’t the next word she expected to hear fall from his lips. She resisted taking a step back as he approached her, taking an even closer look. He seemed harmless, however much bigger than she was Venom could hold her own against the strongest wolves in Boreas. And just like that he was telling her what to do. A pale brow fell over her silver marked features.

The Empress hesitated for a long moment as he looked back over his shoulder at her, encouraging her forward to offer his help. Could she really let herself trust this stranger in front of her now after what had just happened? She held out for longer than would have been considered polite before finally relenting. White gloved paws brought her to where he directed.

"Only if you say please.” She told him before doing as he asked, taking the rope and holding it like he asked of her. Not having any idea what was in store for her. She couldn’t deny she was nervous, but it did a good job of distracting her from anything else as she neared home.

"Venom"

It wasn't that Maverick was inept to read and understand social cues—it was that he simply didn't care if he didn't have to. It got so tiring and tedious having to stand on ceremony, attempting to impress every pompous puffed up wolf who thought themselves higher than you when they still bled red and their shit still stank. It was far easier to just be and let others be as well. Sometimes he came off as rude, other times as refreshing. It all depended on perspective. From the expressions the lithe woman was wearing on her face, he assumed she fell into the former category. Well, that just meant he'd have the opportunity to turn her mood around. If he couldn't, then at least he could get her help for one excellent stunt before she went about her way.

Maverick waited barely patiently beside the oak tree while the woman hesitated, considering him and studying him. He was on the brink of tapping his paw impatiently when she finally relented, slowly sauntering over towards him at her own pace. He made a dramatic show of rolling his turquoise eyes and gave her a wide, all-too-friendly smile as he corrected himself. "Please do me a favor and stand here?" he asked, passing the rope off to her once she came over. Once the she-wolf had a good hold on the rope, Maverick stepped back to look at her in the bigger picture, then came back up and lifted large paws to the fae's sides and very gently ushered her back a step or two, closer to the trunk of the tree. "Okay, just gotta... There we go. Don't wanna accidentally hit you. That face is much too pretty to fuck up." With a click of his tongue, a wink, and a devilish grin, Mav stepped back and looked at his assistant's readjusted position before nodding his head. "Oh hell yeah, now we're talking! Whatever you do, don't move or let go, okay? Trust me!"

With that, Maverick ran off a few paces into the nearby woods. He shifted his weight back and forth on his paws, eyes locked with steely focus on the oak tree at the edge of the cliff. Then, with all his might, the dire brute kicked off the ground and ran full tilt sprint for the cliff. Massive paws thundered over the dry ground and soft grass, running for the tree, but just slightly past it. His eyes saw the opposite end of the rope hanging in the air and he gunned for it. Once he was within striking distance, he lunged and snatched up the hanging rope with his jaws just as he went flying off the edge of the cliff. Hanging onto the rope, Maverick swung out over the cliff, the lady's weight on the other end offering a pretty much perfect counterbalance to allow him to swing even further out into open air. Once he reached the height of his swing, he let go of the rope, doing a somersault in the air with a whooping cheer before falling straight down into the water below. "Awooooooo!" the brute howled before his cries were cut off by the splashing of his body hitting the water.

All at once, the heat of summer was replaced by the refreshing coolness of the ocean engulfing him. Maverick opened his eyes to find himself underwater. It had worked! Smiling proudly to himself, the wolf swam below the surface for a few moments, not resurfacing immediately but enjoying the cool water slicking off dust and sweat from his pelt before finally making his way up to the shimmering surface. He breached the water with a gasp and another cheer, treading water for a moment before turning to find the other wolf at the top of the cliff. "Did that look as fun as it felt?" he shouted up to her, wading his way over to the nearest segment of shore and realizing he had definitely crossed the border in his dive, but oh well. He trudged up the soft sands and back up to the top of the cliff, his fur dripping wet and slicked to his toned muscles, shown off by his wet form with every step he took. "That was worth all the effort!" the white and navy wolf said with a gleeful grin and lively eyes while he padded back up to stand next to his accomplice to awesomeness. "Thanks for not letting me die, I appreciate it. You wanna give it a try now? The water's nice and refreshing!"

Contrary to the man she was confronted with now Venom lived off of ceremony and etiquette. That was often the difference between her and the rest of the rabble within Boreas. This stranger lacked the refinement she put so much stock in, and while that quality annoyed her she couldn’t deny the refreshment of it. At the very least he was amusing. He reminded her far too much of Kuroki and his flippant attitude. The impatience and roll of his eyes when Venom finally approached sealed the connection in her mind. The Empress didn’t want to admit the attribute was endearing.

The stranger did acquiesce even if it was somewhat forced, and she was given her ‘please’ before she follow his guidance. Sunset eyes widened slightly and she only just restrained a flinch as he touched her. Repositioning her slightly so he wouldn’t have a chance of hitting her. Venom had to really indulge her curiosity to stay after his comments. Trust me. Of all of her challenges on this trip this might have been the most difficult.

Not knowing what to expected her eyes watched him, and as he lunged for the other end of the rope Venom tightened her grip to prepare for the sudden weight of the man at the other end. She watched him take to the air as she pulled back and held her end of the rope steady before he released himself at the peak of the swing. Enjoying himself far too much he flipped and turned while he howled. Having the time of his life Venom watched him disappear into the water. Very much within her waters.

She dropped the rope and paced forward to peer over the cliff. She could see his dark form passing through the water beneath the surface, so he had survived his stunt. Venom stood undecided on the edge of the cliff. She was so vulnerable right now there weren’t really any emotions that wished to flourish within her. As he surfaced there was a sense of victory and the joyous sparkle of life. He’d formulated his plans, gathered her assistance, and he had flown. It all seemed so much more productive than anything she had done since she left Ashen.

He shouted up at her from the ocean waves, and she just shook her head amusedly. Like she might after watching one of her children do something similar. Sunset eyes were already on him, but as he lifted himself from the ocean she was given a much better look at the form beneath his fur. It was not polite to stare, but he had already shown her his flippant attitude towards manners. He seemed giddy as he scaled the cliff face and thanked her for keeping him alive. "Ha, you’re welcome.” He didn’t stop there, not even a beat after he mentioned that she should give it a try.

He was full of surprises. Pale brows raised as she looked him over again, the convincing grin on his features encouraging in his suggestion. She hesitated a lot to even help him, but at his second suggestion she wouldn’t. The sun was beating down on her dark coat, and she craved the feeling of familiar sea water. "I think I will.” She answered, pulling her gaze from him as she returned her attention to the oak and the rope system within its branches. She waited for him to get into place before she backed up into the woods. Feeling incredibly immature and foolish as she did. As long as no one from Ashen saw her out here she could forget it all once she parted ways with whoever this man was. Trying not to distract herself with how inappropriate this felt Venom surged forward on white gloved paws. Her sharp claws extended as she gripped the earth with each reaching stride before she raced past and grabbed hold of the rope. She felt her bodyweight lifted by her jaws, and at the very top of her swing Venom released herself into the air.

Like she was always meant to fly her body contorted gracefully in the air, and nose followed her extended paws as she dived deep into the sea below. The contrast of hot day and cool water surrounding her almost took her breath as she held it below the surface. The vibrant colors of the corals below and the brilliant green reflecting from above brought Venom to a whole new world, and the return to the surface was regrettable as her lungs burned for air. She resurfaced with a gasp, feeling exhilarated as the ocean washed away any reservations she had before.

"Venom"

Trotting his way back up to the top of the short cliffs, Maverick had somehow managed to miss all of the time Venom spent staring at his drenched form, looking akin to a water deity risen to earth with his soaking blue fur dripping saltwater liberally. He didn't bother to shake himself dry; the sun would do that work for him, and besides, there was a good chance he was going diving again anyway. She was quite indifferent and passive with his thanks, which did little to faze the intrepid brute when he came back up to greet her again with a grin. He didn't even know her name, just that she was very pretty and kinda stuck up. Well, that was fine. He'd still managed to talk her into helping him with his plan, which meant he still had the charm working to his advantage. The she-wolf seemed genuinely surprised when he offered her a turn to try out his rudimentary swing, like she hadn't expected it nor knew what to do with his offer. Well surely she knew how to have a bit of fun, right? What wolf didn't know how to unwind and have a good time?

After a beat of pause to think it over, the white-gloved woman agreed, and Mav's grin widened on his face. "That's the spirit! Just remember to keep running and don't miss the rope," he said, trading places with her so he could take the opposite end in his strong jaws while she headed off into the woods a little bit just as he had done. Turquoise eyes followed after her svelte form while she took a ready position, and then she was running full sprint for the rope. Maverick clutched the other end tightly, bracing his body against the ground in preparation for her weight to take off on the other end. The lady was agile and swift on her paws, and the next thing he knew, Mav felt the rope tug against his grip with her weight as she went flying off the edge of the cliff. She was lighter than he expected, and he held on tightly, watching as she soared out into open air above the glistening sea, held aloft by the mutual teamwork of their jaws.

At the peak of her swing, the monochrome beauty released the rope and performed an elegant dive into the waters below, her body twisting and turning in the air as if she were born to be there. Once she was midair, Maverick released the rope and padded to the edge of the cliff to watch while she plunged into the water as precise and graceful as an arrow fired from a bow. He saw the dark form of her beneath the rippling and glistening waves as she swam about beneath the surface, a playful grin on his lips while he waited for her to resurface. When she did, she would be met by applause as the brute clapped his paws together for her. "Bravo! An artful performance by the beautiful lady! The judges give her a 10 out of 10!" he jested. "See? I told you you could trust me." While not necessarily always honest, Maverick wouldn't have allowed the lady to be hurt while helping him with his stunts. "So what name should I inscribe upon the high diving trophy?" he called down to her while he waited for her to return up to him, a playful way of probing gently to try and learn his accomplice's name.

He gave her a little suggestion after she agreed to take her turn, still hesitant as she took her position. Venom had to really push through the feeling of hesitancy, this was potentially very dangerous. Worse than that was keeping up her appearance while hanging from the end of a rope was impossible. This was not like her at all. Somehow she pushed past the thoughts and her own limitations. Venom went through the motions like she’d choreographed everything perfectly.

She took the rope in her jaws at the perfect moment and released without any trouble over the ocean water. Venom was a warrior and she had complete control over her body which was her weapon. That control was obvious in the way her body twisted in the air and flawlessly hit the water. For a long few moments Venom was alone beneath the water. There wasn’t anything that existed other than the mystical underwater world around her.

The Empress didn’t expect applause as she surfaced, but smirked lightly as she lifted herself from the water up to the path up the cliff. Her wet fur clung to her form, her quills were even more pronounced. She snorted as he teased her, and reiterated the prize for putting her trust in the complete stranger. Not that they were both soaking wet and all curiosity and adventure aside he would finally ask her name.

Venom waited until she was level with him again to speak, she hadn’t ever been a fan of shouting, even now as the adrenaline still lingered in her veins. As she walked she would debate internally what she wished to tell him. She hinted at her rank in the pack over their shoulder, but he didn’t really seem like he cared he was in the presence of royalty. Maybe it was better that way.

"Venom Klein Abraxas,” She offered with a small tilt of her head, but the confidence in her stance hinted to her place in the hierarchy. "And who are you, that put me up to all of this?” She questioned him softly, but not near as nicely with his subtle amusement.


"Venom"

Maverick hadn't known what to expect from the serious woman when she had dove from the cliff, or when she resurfaced, but if the smirk on her lips was any indication, he felt like he'd accomplished something today. The poor lady looked like she hadn't had a good time for a while. He watched while she climbed gracefully back onto land, not even being shy about the way his intrigued turquoise eyes took an appreciative glance over her drenched form. Her black and white fur clung to her voluptuous form in all the right ways, save for a patch behind her shoulders which he only realized as she came closer were rigid and looked more like porcupine quills than fur. Of course, ever the quick and roguish brute he was, by the time Venom had made it up the path to him, his interested eyes had stopped roving her body and simply held her twilight gaze with a crooked smile as she approached him.

The she-wolf introduced herself as Venom. Venom Abraxas Klein. "That's quite a name, Miss Venom," he remarked with a flabbergasted expression, chuckling to himself under his breath in rough tones. She asked who he was in turn, and with a sweeping wave of his paw and an exaggerated bow, he introduced himself. "Maverick Rhydderech. Or just Mav. Actually, just Mav or Maverick." He looked up at her with a devilish gleam in his eyes as he added, "Sorry, just Mav or Maverick, please." Mav generally wasn't a fan of using his full name, or his last name at all. It felt too formal, too stuffy. He liked his first name, however. It was synonymous with danger, and adventure, and scandal, and fun! Every spice of life he enjoyed thoroughly.

"So does a royal lady like yourself make it a habit of policing your borders so thoroughly?" he asked, rising to his paws as he began to look for a way to tie the rope to the branches permanently now that he knew his swing worked. Then anyone could use it without needing to trouble the surly wolves that lived in the nearby pack. "Or do you just make an exception for handsome strangers who are still technically in wild lands?" He shot her another tooth grin from over his shoulder while deft paws began to work knots around the limbs, testing them with a few tugs as he finished each one. He was letting Venom know that he had indeed heard her and understood she had some standing with the pack they were bordering—hell, the borders were literally made of her scent—he'd just simply disregarded her authority since he wasn't within her jurisdiction.

She wasn’t naive enough to believe that he wouldn’t be watching her as she lifted herself from the water. He was stealthy though, and she wasn’t able to catch him in the act, so maybe she was wrong. But if she’d found herself with lingering eyes she couldn't help but assume the same was true for him. His bright blue green gaze greeted her at the top of the cliffside while looking quite proud of himself.

After quite a lot happening between them, introductions were finally brought underway. His expression looked a bit surprised as she spoke her full name, sans titles. Venom chuckled when she thought about what he might say about her children’s names. He took her cue and introduced himself, offering an over performed bow with his first and last name. With a gleam in his eye Maverick added a cheeky please to his request.

Mav went on to question her further, continuing the trail of twenty questions. As he spoke she felt like he was leading up to something, his attention shifting back to his rope swing. He went on, still being bold in his pressing as he mentioned making exceptions for handsome strangers. Surprise flashed over her features as he glanced back over his shoulder. Her gaze narrowed as she returned harshly, "Maybe I would if there were any of those around.” Her tongue just as sharp as her talons the grin on her features revealed her opinion the opposite of her retort.

"Venom"

Bold might have been a good word to describe Maverick's disposition, though he would be reluctant to call himself such. This was just him as naturally as he came, his middle of the road, his personality. He was speaking and behaving with this wolf the way he would to anyone. Okay, maybe not anyone, but to any pretty lady, that much was for sure. He knew nothing about her other than her name, a name which none of its gilding or weight impacted him in the slightest. Mav didn't know about Abraxas or Klein or Ashen any more than he knew the intimacies of the wind or the sky or the moon. If she had been hoping to impress him with her lineage, she would go wanting as the brute was a stranger to these lands. He would've have been able to tell her apart from the gods and devils.

She seemed stunned yet equally as unimpressed by him when he teased her back, sniping back at him with snide words. The navy and snow brute make another dramatic show of gasping and clutching a paw to his broad chest, batting his lashes in mock astonishment. "Oooh, you wound me, Venom! And after I so kindly complimented you and made sure I didn't kick you in the face!" He sniggered and went back to focusing on typing the rope securely in place, tugging on it to gauge his satisfaction with its stability. "I see where your name comes from now." Mav stepped back to inspect his makeshift swing with an approving smile and nodded his head. That would do! Still wearing that confident, cocky grin that only came from a lifetime of getting away with mischief, Maverick turned back to face Venom, energized eyes finding her surly sunset gaze as if she weren't leering daggers at him currently.

"Careful, Your Highness. I've heard that if you scowl too much, your face will freeze that way. And that wouldn't be a very becoming look for you. You should try smiling more. I bet it's much prettier on you." Another chuckle and then Mav looked between her and his swing, as if debating whether he wanted to continue talking to her or going for another dip again. "Am I annoying you, Miss Klein Abraxas? Or was it Abraxas Klein? I can't remember. Is one of those your middle name? Or do you have two surnames?" He'd never met a wolf with two surnames before. Seemed like a ridiculous concept to him. Either way, he continued with the question he had started to ask, "So why are you sticking around then? Cause it seems to me like you're either actually having a good time and don't wanna give me the pleasure of knowing it, or you secretly really like what you're seeing right now and you're intrigued by the mysterious handsome stranger hanging out on your doorstep but don't want to admit it."

As if to emphasize his last point, Maverick gave a comical flip of his wet tail up over his hips and sauntered with an exaggerated sway back to the tree, grinning all the while while he eagerly awaited Venom's undoubtedly pointed retort.

She should have realized his subtle hint at flirting beforehand, his words tailored precisely for a beautiful woman like her, but Venom wasn’t a normal she wolf. She’d just been left by her husband, and there had never been a whole lot of flirting there. Hattori had loved her at one point, but it wasn’t a normal relationship. They had found common ground in their devotion to Ashen, and his strength made him attractive in potential to sire her children. He fit easily in her life, and Venom had relied so heavily upon him. It had been too long since she’d really flirted with anyone, if someone as serious as her were even really capable.

Maverick wasn’t done pushing his luck either, after she gave her retort he layered on the dramatics. He acted terribly wounded at her comment, but he had been asking for it. She could tell he was taking everything in stride in the way his eyes remained on his work and he chuckled amusedly, even commenting on her name. If he emulated his title then so did she. "I assure you my bite is worse than my bark.” She chuckled along with him as he finalized his rope swing, tying it to it could be used in solo oportation.

He returned his attention to her and remarked on the scowl that lingered on her features. It wasn’t a prominent feature, at least it wasn’t when she wasn’t dealing with hooligans at her border. Still, he really was the most fun she had in a long time. Before she could give her retort he went on, asking if he was annoying and asking for clarification about her name. That was what really caused her to pause, and as he asked, her sour expression lifted. "Yes, actually. Klein is my middle name. Almost everyone gets it wrong.” And he didn’t know it, but there was no way he could grate on her to the degree that her own son liked to.

She chuckled as he went on, mentioning how much she was enjoying the show. "You can believe whatever you’d like. But I couldn’t find peace if I just left you unaccompanied out here.” Maybe he was right though, she had a long and arduous journey, her vacation was just as stressful and heartbreaking as any day within Ashen. This was the first few moments since the long night that she had felt her shoulders relax and her heart lighten. "You never know what a ruffian like you could be up to next.”

"Venom"

Maverick gave a little whistle and intrigued chuckle when Venom made a remark about her bite being worse than her back. So the lady liked it rough, eh? The brute turned slowly to peer back at Venom with a debonair grin from over his shoulder, casually trying to size up the feisty fae before him. She was a slender thing, a few inches shorter than him, and nothing all that intimidating to look at initially—save for maybe those strange spiky quills she had jutting out of her back. Those looked nasty. He recalled a time as a pup when he'd gotten a bit too frisky with a porcupine in a hedge just to spent the next hour trying to sit still while his mother methodically pulled quit after quill out of his paw and muzzle (because of course he'd gone for it twice and didn't learn his lesson the first time). "Ooooh, so we're comparing our bites now, are we?" he asked, grinning just a bit wider to show off his teeth to her in a mischievous manner. "Well, if you wanted to get bitten so badly, you could've just asked. If that's what the lady is in to, who am I to say no? A true gentleman always makes sure the lady gets off too."

Mav wondered at what point would he cross a line with the mostly composed Abraxas woman. What would he say or do to finally push that button that triggered her just a bit too much and get her to lose her cool? It was almost like a fun game for the brute. So far, she was doing pretty damn well rolling with his banter. Would her stoic facade ever break? Or had he finally met his match, a wolf he couldn't rile a reaction out of? No, he refused to accept defeat! To his surprise, his comment about her name actually brightened up her expression, and she gave him a genuine compliment for getting it right when everyone else apparently got it wrong. Maverick shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno why it's so hard for them. Your initials are just a reverse alphabet. VKA. Klein Abraxas," he pointed out, showing her his little mental trick for remembering her name.

To Venom's remark about not being able to find peace leaving him out here, Mav gave a harsh, barking laugh and slumped back into a seated position, resting on his haunches while he leaned casually back against the oak tree and eyed her suspiciously, like a detective trying to sniff out a lie from a suspect. "Oh pleeease! Not only do you insult my dashingly rugged good looks again—ow, by the way—but now you lie to me as well? For shame, Venom Klein Abraxas! And here I was so kindly letting you use my swing." Mav sighed and shook his head, acting as if he had just suffered a great disappointment, but the rueful smile that came back revealed an unharmed ego. "I'm sure you'll find your peace just fine without me. Believe me, darling, I'm not the kind of guy you hang around looking for 'peace', and I've been just dandy on my own for quite a while."

Her final statement rang much more true, and Maverick shot Venom an impressed nod of his head. "Wow, a ruffian, huh? Congratulations, Venom! I've been called a lot of things in my life, but never a ruffian before. That's a new one for me! What's next? Hoodlum? Rapscallion? Delinquent? C'mon, I wanna hear more of your hoity-toity words. I'm so used to 'asshole' and 'prick' or 'you're a fucking dead man' that this is kinda refreshing for me."

He might not have thought she was much to look at when it came to physical presence, it was better for her to be underestimated. And while she spoke purely from a warrior’s perspective she couldn’t help notice the way his gaze watched her over his shoulder. Like he was reassessing her all over again before he spoke. If it were possible his grin became even more mischievous and she knew she was in for it then. She lifted a grow, her sunset gaze glancing over his pearly teeth as he went on. For a moment the Empress looked confused at his statement until it finally clicked, he was talking about sex.

Venom wasn’t sure there was anyone who really made her blush, but the combination of her initial confusion and surprise brought the flush to her silvery markings. The Empress tried to hide her expression with another scowl, she wasn’t ready to think about that just yet. Of course her mind still connected the dots better than she wished. Maverick wasn’t exactly wrong either, Hattori had never been a gentle lover. She wasn’t able to give a retort, she was so taken aback, and they were already talking about her name. Venom shrugged as she regained her composure, the fact that Klein was her middle name just didn’t happen to be a well known fact it seemed.

"I think your ego can handle a little bit of a hard time.” She smirked in return as he chastised her for being so harsh and mean. He told her that he would be just fine on his own, and that was the part that worried her. He was quite unapologetic about being so close to her border and flippant about its authority. She just shook her head in answer instead, not doubting that there really would be no peace if she lingered in his presence for very long. Still, she also couldn’t deny how much amusement she garnered from their encounter.

His tongue was just as sharp, but he seemed genuinely surprised at the words she chose. Hoity-toity apparently. That told her what she already assumed about him, this was no high born man she was speaking to. Still, Venom found him equally as refreshing. "Sounds like you’re only proving my point. Maybe I trusted you with my life but… to make mischief on my border?” He pulled a chuckle from her as she tilted her head with her rhetorical question. "Hooligan’ was actually where I was going next. Do you have a preference?”

Was there even a chance of seeing him again after this? He seemed to have easily amused himself teasing her, if he found his way back to the border for some more banter she wasn’t sure she’d be able to chase him off.

"Venom"

And there it was! Maverick saw the flush of embarrassed heat spread across Venom's cheeks and he knew he'd gotten her. A small personal victory to know he'd managed o get underneath the ludicrously composed wolf's facade. She tried to hide her shock behind a scowl, but it was too late. The vagabond had seen it all and was grinning triumphantly. The look of shock in her sunset eyes wouldn't soon be forgotten, but it did prove to him that maybe—just maybe—Venom wasn't quite as prudish as he thought she might be. That was fine, he could work with that. He'd changed the minds of many an uptight lady before, not that he was aiming to make Venom his latest conquest. After all, she had been kind enough to help him out with his swing when she could have just as easily ignored him and carried on about her day. But she'd been entertaining, and so he didn't see her simply as a means to an end.

Venom retorted that his ego could use a bit of a hard time and again Mav made a big dramatic display of being wounded by her words, as if he'd just been struck in the heart by an arrow. "Lady Abraxas, please, I beg of you! No more! My poor, fragile masculinity can't take it! Have mercy!" It was almost enough to make the dire brute burst into laughter at how overly dramatic he was being just because he knew it made her roll her evening-hued eyes. Venom's assumption about him was spot on. Neither himself nor his siblings were highborn wolves. Gods, he'd likely have killed himself by now had he been expected to lead an aristocratic lifestyle like she seemed so accustomed to. Her comment about not being able to trust him to not be trouble around her borders drew an incredulous groan from the man who shook his head with a tsk. "Oh, dear sweet Venom, if you think land is more important than you're life, you've got a lot to learn," he said almost as if he were chiding her gently like a parent would a pup. "Packs rise and fall. Land is claimed and lost. But your life... well, you only get one of those. Might as well make the most out of what you've got."

Perhaps that was what explained Maverick's flippant attitude towards packs and laws, his carefree and wild lifestyle governed by his heartfelt believe in living life to the fullest. After all, laws and rules were only as strong as the belief one put into them. If he didn't regard her authority, then she was virtually powerless. If no one regarded her authority, then she was actually powerless. It all came down to perception. How one was perceived by others. She was powerful by the grace of others alone. Without her pack, she was just Venom, another wolf in a wide, wide world—just as he was Maverick, and that was it. All they had at the end of the day was themselves. He snickered and shook his head. "'Hooligan' is way too old a term for someone as young as you to be using. That's what my grandmother would call noisy pups when she was trying to take a nap." Snow white shoulders rolled in a shrug as he added, "You can call me whatever you'd like. You're a free wolf, Venom. I'm not gonna tell you what you can and can't do anymore than you can to me."

Oh, but that brought up an interesting question in his mind. That devilish grin making its way across his lips again, Mav's pale turquoise eyes shown with mischievous life as he slid away from the tree and moved further away from Venom—and closer to Ashen territory. He stopped with his paws right beside the scent-marked borders, looking back at her and lifting a single paw daringly. "So what would you do if I stepped over the border?" he asked, wiggling the digits on his paw playfully. "Would you call for the alpha? Sound the alert? Attack the trespasser?"

She was shocked from her lack of understanding more than the topic at hand, but still Maverick slipped through her carefully constructed walls. He seemed awfully proud of himself too. She maintained and carefully built her pristine persona but this wandering rogue was suddenly hell bent on seeing it torn down. Thankfully besides his devilish grin he didn’t press her flustered state. It was easier to focus on him, and his words reflected his fake outrage as he wailed dramatically, admitting he couldn’t handle her harsh opinions.

He was absolutely ludicrous and she really should have just turned tail on him and walked off but she was captivated. His laughter was all encompassing and she couldn’t remind him how ridiculous he was through his laughter. As she explained herself he want on to rebuke her, saying her life should be much more important than the land she protected. "It’s not the earth under my paws, it's the lives within that are what’s really precious.” She answered him softly, having long since given up her life for her young and the wolves of her pack. She lived for them, and they went on to allow her to lead them; they trusted her with their prosperity and protection. "They come before my own life every time.” Venom vowed quietly, mostly to herself because she didn’t think he could hear her over his laughter.

He called her wording choice far too old for a woman of her age and Venom scoffed lighty with amusement. Maverick told her to call him whatever she wished, but she did wish he gave her a preference. "Alright, Mr. Rhydderech.” She offered with a smirk, if he wanted under her skin she would reciprocate. He obviously had no real desire to be addressed as such. As if to drill in that fact he pulled farther away from her and began to toe the line into Ashen. He was pressing a button he didn’t really want to. "Everything beyond that border belongs to me,” Venom started almost sweetly as she followed him. Her body’s movements were soft a fluid, almost accentuating her luxurious demeanor. All perfectly contrasting her words, "Including any misplaced toes.”

Her forked tongue slipped from behind her lips as she dared him to continue with his threat. Her quills began to raise along her shoulders and she flexed her toes, revealing wickedly sharp claws. She hadn’t had a good fight in a long time. After everything that happened and how she was processing it an unrestricted brawl would do her good.

"Venom"

As he approached the edge of Ashen territory, he both heard and saw Venom following behind him, still maintaining her distance, yet noticeably bristling the closer he got to the pack lands. Austere as ever, Venom corrected him by claiming it wasn't the land that she cared about, but the lives within that mattered to her. Vowing that they came before her own life every time only further asserted his understanding of just who she really was. Venom wasn't just some high-ranking noble wolf—she was the alpha of this pack. He had assumed as much by her haughty attitude, her stern and lifeless demeanor that reeked of public servant. Her choice to address him by his family name did indeed strike a nerve, and he shot Venom a cautionary look. He should have expected as much, but it still bugged him. Who the hell wanted to be addressed as "Mr." or "Mrs." all the time, or "sir" or "ma'am" for that matter either? It was boring, dull, asinine, drab! At least his first name had flair and personality to it. But knowing she had done it just to provoke a reaction, he withheld any verbal response, refusing to allow her to get what she sought from him.

Venom warned him that everything beyond the border of Ashen belonged to her—ahh, so she was the alpha!—and that included any misplaced toes. That was the first time he noticed the forked tongue hidden within her maw, watching as the pink oral muscle flicked out at the end of her words like a serpent. He raised a curious brow, an assortment of biological and lewd questions and thoughts passing through his mind briefly and getting stored away for later use. Right now was not the time for that. Now was the time for something far more devious. Venom had done something she should never have done with Maverick: she had given him a hard line. A rule to follow or to break. Unfortunately for her, that was just more of a challenge to the rambler, and nobody challenged Maverick.

Maintaining eye contact with her the entire time she was bristling her quill and flexing her mutated claws in a display of threatening dominance, Mav smirked and shot her a goading look before boldly slamming his paw down on the other side of the border. "Oh look. Something in your land that isn't yours." And then like a bolt of lightning, he shot out away from her, sprinting into Ashen lands and just skirting along the border, never going more than a few yards into the pack lands, yet very clearly flaunting her borders. "If you want me, you're gonna have to catch me, your Highness!" he shouted back to her, taunting her, urging her to pursue him and do something about it. She wanted to show off that she was the big boss here? Now was her chance. But Maverick wasn't going to make it easy for her.

Venom couldn’t help the amusement that was obvious in her grin as Maverick shot her a warning glance of his own when she poked at the place he’d told her not to. Served him right, trying to be so cheeky with her. He was really putting on a show but she was going to give it right back to him. He didn’t get to toy with Ashen’s alpha without heckling of him own. But she was beginning to learn him, and his flippant attitude was refreshing if not infuriating.

She really gained his attention as she flicked her tongue in his direction. There had always been mixed reactions but most were similar to Maverick’s. Curious appreciation if not apprehension. Of course despite the thoughts that ran through his head he remained quiet while listening intently to the threats that fell from pale lips. He challenged her border and she would not back down to him. She had no dominion over him here, but on the other side of Ashen’s borders he was hers.

His sharp gaze never left her features as he daringly, and very unwisely, slammed his paw into the dirt. Her dirt. Her brows lowered and before she leapt at him, Maverick was racing away. And he had been hurt she didn’t trust him here on her border to begin with. If he had immediately picked up his paw and apologized she wouldn’t have gone after him like she did. As he bolted, Venom moved just as quickly. He was very clearly taunting her and flaunting his boldness by criss crossing onto Ashen’s territory.

"I knew I couldn’t trust you!” She called back, far too good natured when compared to what she would do when she caught him. Her light slender form and long legs were enough to have her hot on his tail as the two of them raced through the trees. "You’ll regret your trespass, Maverick!” The words tumbled from her lips as her breath left her from deep exhales.

"Venom"

Maverick had seen the narrowing of the Empress' gaze just before he took off and he knew he was in trouble now. The wild brute yipped and hooted as he ran back and forth over the border, slaloming his way through trees and over ground, generally making himself as difficult of a target as possible while trying to goad Venom more and more. When he heard her holler that she knew she couldn't trust him, he scoffed and laughed again. Really?! She couldn't trust him because of a little prank? Gods, did she had a stick up her ass or what! "Ooooh, better watch out, Ashen wolves! Big, bad Maverick is coming to eat you!" he called back to Venom, taunting her overreaction in typical Maverick fashion. He could hear the pounding of Venom's paws directly behind him; she was a fast one, he'd give her that! However, Maverick was also a seasoned traveler and racer, and as such, he could traverse the unknown terrain with ease.

With the game afoot, Maverick continued to lead the Ashen alpha around the length of her own border, dipping back in for a moment only to duck back out again. "C'mon, Venom, you gotta catch me before I'll regret anything!" Another peel of masculine laughter, and then Maverick took a hard turn back out of Ashen lands and deeper into the surrounding forest. Now it was a real challenge! With the denser grouping of trees, weaving between them had gotten more dangerous. But the lightly panting brute did not give up the game. He wanted to see just how badly Venom wanted to catch him and punish him. "Gotta go faster if you wanna give me a spanking, Venom!" he goaded her on, leaping and springing off a tree trunk to assist him in taking a sharp right turn, bolting back for the Ashen border again.

He knew he was in trouble because he kept running, if he wasn’t at least worried about her retaliation he would have stood his ground. He was boisterous and he was daring as he teased and taunted the Empress. Every action and holler only strengthened her resolve to really show him who’s ire he had earned. Maverick taunted her and he was doing himself no favors as he called back over his shoulder. He was leading her and goading her, creating tension in the Empress. Part of her told her to stop, to leave him to go and do what he was going to do and not give him the satisfaction of the reaction he was eliciting.

The other part of her was enjoying the attention and the excitement. It wasn’t everyday she was bothered so heavily at her own border and she wouldn’t deny how amusing it had all been. From rope swinging into the water, to chasing him down now. She let him taunt her and waste his breath as he finally took a sharper turn to take him further away from the border. Venom let him go and stuck to her border while she ran parallel to him.

She raced like she had never ran before, keeping half an eye on him as he navigated the forest with acrobatic ease. The corner of her eye was always watching him, and as he began to return towards Ashen’s borders the Empress aimed to meet him halfway. She tried not to stay within field of view so that at the very last moment she could appear from the heavy forest and tackle him to the ground. White gloved arms aimed to wrap around his neck and bring them both to a tumbling halt.

"Venom"