After her successful hunt in the morning Azzurra had settled into her little makeshift den happily to eat and enjoy the fruits of her labor. She was so proud and pleased with herself as she set to work breaking down the young pronghorn. This part she had even less experience with than she did the proper hunting portion of things since usually Balthier would be the one to open up the kills that they gathered, but if she was able to just tear out a piece of two that would be enough for her. She didn't need much and was honestly just happy to have been successful in her efforts at all.

The pronghorn's hide was a bit mangled by the time she was done, but in the end she was settled halfway out of the small den she had slept in the night before and was happily eating from her kill—the prey she had tracked and brought down entirely on her own. Somehow that made it taste even more sweet and she was reminded again of the conversation she had with Chimera before she moved into her new bungalow. Having things that were hers and being able to get them herself so no one could take them from her or leave her with nothing... It was something that she was weaving into more of her daily life as she learned what independence was really like.

The idea of trying to survive on her own had been so freighting for so long that even considering it felt like an impossible task, but now here she was... She almost wished Balthier would return so she could show him how much she had grown, just to shove it in his face and prove him wrong. He had coddled her for so long it made her believe that was really what she needed. She huffed a little at the thought as she took another bite of her meal. Although, as she ate and looked around the empty, snow dusted prairie around her, even she could admit that even if she could survive on her own she wasn't sure if she wanted to. She had gotten so used to the constant companionship that being alone for even a day felt incredibly lonely.

"Azzurra"

Being out and about on her own in wild lands still felt... strange to Satira. She had spent so much of her life at her collective family's side that solitude almost felt wrong. But the more she thought about going back to Elysium and everyone, the more she felt an unusual anxiety about it that hadn't been there before. Tira loved her family more than anything else in the world, but more and more lately, she found herself feeling like a phantom in her own world, not truly belonging here nor there nor anywhere really. It was a strange and isolating feeling, one she didn't think she could openly share with anyone. Who else would understand what it felt like to feel out of place in your own life? The wedding had been a nice change of pace, an exciting event where she could go and forget about her worries and woes. She'd tried alcohol for the first time, gotten to slap the smug grin off that asshole who'd made fun of her before, and then... well, the rest of the night was a bit of a hazy blur, but the memories she did recall made her face flush hot enough to melt the snow she was trudging through.

On her own, Satira walked through the pristine undisturbed snow of the flat prairie, not really heading in any particular direction. Northwards, she supposed, though whether she returned to Elysium right away or not remained to be seen. She should, she supposed, so as to at least not worry her mother over her. But even that didn't feel like the right path to her anymore. Tira just didn't know what she wanted anymore or what she was supposed to do. It was an existential crisis of the highest order, and it felt like she was rapidly approaching a crossroads in her life where she would need to decide who she was and who she wanted to be. Frowning as she mused over her own mental conflicts, the tawny wolf-dog didn't even notice the gray-furred girl from her past in her makeshift den, her tiny paws crunching through the snow while she wandered to nowhere in particular, bracing against the harsh chill of the occasional gale.

"Satira"

Azzurra was just finishing up her meal, taking the last few bites and licking her paws and lips clean. She didn't eat a bunch usually anyway so even a small meal was pretty filling. This was practically a feast as far as she was concerned! Just as she was getting cleaned up she heard the crunching of paws moving though the snow and her ears perked at the sound, her sapphire gaze lifting to look out across the prairie ahead of her. A familiar and distinctive figure with signature folded over ears and curled tail came into view in this distance and she blinked with surprise, a grin tugging at her lips as a excited flutter ticked up in her stomach. It seemed like this day just kept getting better and better as her surprise friend suddenly appeared into view.

She hadn't seen Satira since the afternoon they shared on the cliffs, but that made her all the more happy to be surprised with her presence now. Her day out of the pack was just getting better and better. Stepping out of the den she was resting in, she got to her paws and walked out across the prairie toward where Tira was wandering across, seemingly preoccupied by something. Hoping that she wasn't interrupting, she called out, "Tira!" Once the smaller girl looked up at her she grinned, her small puff of a tail wiggling happily behind her. She slowed to a stop once Satira noticed her, letting the other girl meet her half way. She was feeling better now that she had rested for a bit and eaten a good meal, but she knew she needed to be careful to keep from tiring herself out again. "It's so good to see you again," she said genuinely, smiling with a soft flush that touched her cheeks as she thought about the last time they were together. "How have you been?"

"Azzurra"

Satira had been so lost in her own thoughts and headspace that she hadn't noticed the other young woman lying in the den not too far away. She didn't even hear when the wolf rose to her paws and began to approach her from across the snowbanks. She did, however, hear her name called out across the quiet, arctic prairie. Satira's eyes snapped up, pallid ice blue jewels gazing across the way to the small gray and white fae approaching her, her tiny pom tail wagging. The wolf-dog's eyes lit up and a smile pulled across her lips as she turned to greet her. "Azzie!" she called back, altering her course immediately to approach the girl she'd shared an exciting and educational afternoon with several seasons ago. The two met halfway, Tira's curled tail wagging happily behind her as she bounded through the snow with her floppy ears bobbing as she went. "It's so good to see you too!" It had been far too long, and Tira really should have gone to see the girl sooner, especially with all the tumultuousness stirring up her life into chaos and uncertainty.

Azzurra asked how she had been, and all of a sudden Tira didn't know how to answer her. Did she answer truthfully and tell her of the struggle and discord her life had been thrown into with the departure of her father again, her family joining a pack temporarily, and her mother starting a whole new family without her or Arcturus? Or did she tell a convincing little white lie and let the matter rest? In the end, Satira decided to split the choice in half. "I'm fine, doing all right. Some ups and downs, y'know?" she replied, giving a little flip of her head to fix one folded ear that had gotten stuck inside out. A sweet yet feigned smile touched her lips while she looked up into Azzie's bright sapphire blue eyes, feeling a familiar warmth growing steadily in her belly the longer she looked at the other fae. When she'd first felt it when making out with Azzie, Tira hadn't been able to identify the feelings. Now that she was a little older and more worldly, she recognized those feelings as desire and lust.

"I'm sorry I didn't come to visit you sooner like I said I would. My family settled down with a pack to the far north for the winter. But what about you? How have you been?" Tira was grateful for the escape route to shift the conversation back to Azzie, no longer feeling the pressure to hide her problems or confess them all to a friend she hadn't known very long—and in some cases, knew very intimately, since the wolf-dog girl could accurately remember what Azzie's mouth tasted like. Her initial question did raise another big one in her mind though, and with furrowed brows, Satira asked, "What are you doing out here all on your own?" She vaguely recalled Azzie mentioning she had a brother and had been a part of Fenmyre. If both statements were still true, that begged the question of where her brother was, and what she was doing so far from Fenmyrian lands.

"Satira"

Azzurra nodded with understanding as Tira summed up how she had been doing simply with "ups and downs". That was a feeling she knew a little too well these days, but it did make her wonder what had been going on to make her say that. It felt like there was more she wasn't saying, but Azzie wouldn't push her on it. Even though she was thrilled to have found her again and she did feel very fond and affectionate toward the smaller girl, they had still only spent an afternoon together a while back. She didn't expect her to just go spilling all her worries to her right away. She smiled and waved her apologies away with a little shake of her head for not visiting sooner. Honestly, it was probably for the best. If she had shown up in Fenmyre in the recent weeks or even months it likely wouldn't have been a good time. She was only now just getting back on her feet so really the timing was perfect.

When she asked how she had been she had the same quiet feeling of uncertainty about how much she should share and she gave a soft smile as a subtle flick of her ears gave away a bit of what she had been feeling. "I'm doing better now," she replied honestly, her shortened tail wiggling gently. "Like you said... ups and downs." She had been through the highest highs and lowest lows in the last few months and she was just grateful that things were beginning to level back out again. Her next question was a little easier to answer and she gestured back toward the den she had been staying in, the remnants of the pronghorn she had been eating from laying not too far from it. "I came to test out my hunting skills a little bit. There's more medium and small sized prey out here so I thought I could manage that on my own a little easier." Looking back to Tira, she smiled again and gave a little shrug. "And I just wanted to get away for a little bit. It's been... weird back home."

With another small shrug as she tried to brush off the tension she felt as she thought about everything that had happened since she last saw Satira, she nodded back toward the den she had been staying in and asked, "Do you want to come stay with me for a little bit? There's still plenty of food left if you're hungry and I won't really be able to carry it back with me... Or if you just wanna hang out or talk or... whatever." It was hard to keep the little hint of a grin from pulling at her lips, the much more pleasant memories of how they spent their time on the cliffs filtering back into her memories and pushing out the less pleasant ones of her brother. She didn't want to assume anything about how Tira might have felt about it or what she'd want to do now, but it was certainly on her mind at least.

"Azzurra"

Satira didn't exactly know how to phrase her issues with her home life, nor did she really want to talk about them openly, so she simply glossed over them and let the conversation flow on. Thankfully, if Azzurra sensed any of her reluctance or upset, she didn't call her out on it and simply let it pass by. At least this way she wouldn't need to dour the mood with unnecessary chatter about her own insecurities and the family she didn't know if she even had anymore. Though she guessed if anyone was going to empathize with her woes, it would be Azzie. She didn't know much about the other girl's own problems in her personal life, just that they pertained to her family or lack thereof as well. Still, those wounds were raw, and the wolf-dog barely had the courage of heart to keep going on a good day, let alone venting it all out. No no, back into the corners of her mind they went, where they would remain ignored like they didn't exist.

Azzie commiserated with her words, repeating her choice of phrase as she described her life as "up and down". But all in all, she was doing better now, and Tira was happy to hear that. At least one of them was on the road to recovery. At her gesture, Satira followed Azzie's gaze out toward her den and the remnants of her earlier kill. So the other young woman had been roughing it on her own for a bit, huh? Testing her hunting skills out amongst the snow-covered prairie. Tira was impressed, especially given that the winter season wasn't the most ideal choice of hunting weather to begin with, but the monochrome fae seemed to be well-fed and cared for, so she must have been doing decently well for herself. It made the little hybrid wonder if she'd ever manage to be on her own as successfully as Azzurra was. Maybe if she was more confident in her abilities to care for herself, she wouldn't feel quite so trapped by her own circumstances. She could just strike out on her own. Then again, that would mean having any skills to fend for herself to begin with. As it was, Tira was just a half-baked fighter with some rudimentary healing knowledge given to her by an overworked mother and an absent father. Not exactly the greatest foundation to start a solo life on...

"Yeah, that's an understatement..." muttered the tawny wolf-dog when Azzie mentioned home being weird. She tried not to think about her mother pregnant again with her uncle's child, or how they were building their own little perfect family while she was left holding the pieces of what remained of hers. Still, she couldn't keep her folded ears from drooping as the images passed through her mind. But that lingering darkness was banished when Azzie offered to put her up for a bit, even offering her some of the food she'd hunted for herself. Tira's pale blue eyes widened, glancing up to the kind woman with shock yet enthusiastic delight. "R-Really? I mean... yeah, I'd like that." Even though she tried to play it cool, the little smile on her lips and the wag in her curled tail betrayed Tira's delight. That meant she wouldn't have to rush to return home right away. Motioning for her host to take the lead, Satira followed Azzie back to her den, the rumble in her stomach reminding her that she hadn't eaten breakfast before leaving the Hallows that day.

"Satira"

When Tira agreed to her offer, Azzurra's grin widened and her little tail wiggled happily with excitement, happy to have someone so eager to spend time with her. She didn't often feel like she had that sort of companionship now that Balthier was gone so it was a very welcome change. She nodded to Tira's motion for her to take the lead and she started walking across the stretch of prairie with the smaller girl beside her, excited and a little nervous, but not in a bad way. It was mostly just anxious energy from getting to spend time with Tira again after so long and wanting to be a good friend and host for however long Tira decided to hang around. She really hadn't even set any firm plans for how long she was going to stay out here or what she was going to do besides test out her hunting skills, but she'd happily stay another night if she needed to if it meant hanging out with her.

When they reached the den she picked up the little hunting knife she had packed with her and used it to cut free a piece of meat from the pronghorn carcass and brought it into the den with them. It was still too cold and snowy to lay out on the ground outside comfortably and she only brought the one fur to sleep on so they'd have to stay inside to be comfortable. She passed the meat over to Tira so she could eat if she liked as they got settled on the plush fur, her shortened tail wagging happily again. "I'm glad we ran into each other again," she said with a little, shy grin, glancing down at her gray and white paws. "I've been wondering about you for a while... Plus it's just nice to have some company." She didn't necessarily want to be alone, she just wanted to prove she could be if she needed to be and she had accomplished that goal already. Now she was happy to have the welcomed company rather than the company of a certain wolf she was trying to distance herself from.

"Azzurra"

Satira didn't waste any time following Azzie back toward her den. Really, the adolescent wolf-dog didn't have any sort of plans, expectations, or ulterior motives for hanging out with the gray and white girl again. She just really, really did not want to be going back home at the moment. Any distraction would be a welcome one, and a distraction with someone she knew and had a good time hanging out with before was just an added benefit. It wasn't more than a couple minutes' walk through the snow to get to the den, but even that little bit of travel had Tira grateful to be within the warm, cozy confines of Azzurra's den. While Azzie got to welcoming her in with food, the hybrid girl made herself comfortable on the only fur bedding in the homey burrow. She looked around, studying the space while Azzie carved her up some food. It was definitely a case of function over fashion, but she supposed that made sense since Azzie was just using this as shelter for her time out here and not a permanent home.

She thanked her host as she was served her food, eating gratefully from the fresh meat. While she ate and the two women warmed up from the frosty chill outside, Azzurra struck up a conversation for them. Tira, being too busy stuffing her face to respond politely, simply gave an emphatic nod and a muffled "Mhm!" while she continued to eat. The wagging of her curled tail behind her betrayed just how happy she was to be in Azzie's company again, as well as eating. The tiny wolf-dog did have an appreciation for good food, after all. Azzie mentioned how she'd hoped to run into Tira again after their last meeting and that she'd been wondering about her. A touch of warmth lit up under the half-breed's cheeks, a half smile on her lips while pallid blue eyes looked over to the wolf at her side. "Yeah? You think about me often? I must've left a hell of an impression then, huh?" she teased her friend gently, adding a playful swat of her tail to Azzie's hip for good measure. "I thought about you too, y'know. Every time I did, it made me want to run away and come find you, just so I could..." Pretend I had somewhere I belonged. Feel like I was wanted. Not be alone. "...know you were doing okay still."

Satira cast Azzie a small, rueful smirk before going back to finishing her food. Once her meal was scarfed down, Tira licked her lips and paws clean, grooming herself meticulously while she let her food digest. "Thank you for the food. I'd say your hunting skills are thoroughly tested and proven." She gave an airy giggle, then settled in to focus her attention on catching up with Azzie. "So... do you wanna talk about what's going on at home, or forget about it?" Tira raised a curious brow, wondering what Azzie would prefer to do. If she wanted to vent and lament about her life, Tira would be here to join her on it. If she wanted to forget... well, the budding young healer had a plant or two in her satchel that would help them both do just that.

"Satira"

Azzurra's face flushed with warmth at the teasing that Tira gave her as she admitted that she had thought about her often since their last meeting, a grin on her lips as she chuckled and glanced up at Satira when she felt her curled tail swat her hip. "It was definitely a very good impression," she agreed with a giggle, her thoughts wandering back to the time they spent together and the kisses they shared yet again. She had felt so close to Tira so fast and it was easy to feel comfortable around her. Still, even though she had felt like Tira had enjoyed their time together too, she was still kind of surprised to hear that Tira had thought about her too and had wanted to come make sure she was doing okay. That made the butterflies flutter in her stomach again and she grinned happily, enjoying the thought of having someone wanting to see her like that. "Hopefully we'll get to see each other more often after this," she said hopefully, her shortened tail wagging at her hips. Maybe she was simply feeling empowered to travel more now that she had managed a night or two on her own, but while she was riding this high she felt like she could go anywhere and do anything—including traveling through Boreas to visit Tira.

She let Satira finish her food and she grinned happily with a nod as her friend thanked her and mentioned how her skills had been tested and proven. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." Being able to provide for her friend was even better than just being able to provide for herself and she was just glad that more of the pronghorn she had hunted would be getting used. Then, as they settled in together with Tira's meal eaten, the smaller woman at her side asked if she wanted to talk about what was going on at home or not. Her white-dipped ear flicked uncertainly at that and she glanced down at her mismatched paws for a moment. At first she felt like the easy response would be to just say that she wanted to forget about it and mostly she did, but she knew that she couldn't avoid it forever. Eventually she hoped to have Tira come to visit and if she did that she wouldn't be able to forever. Eventually Tira would see that this brother she had talked about was gone and that she was living by herself. Maybe it would be easier to come clean now and perhaps get some advice at the same time.

"It's... nothing that big," she said after a moment of hesitation, shrugging as she tried to down play what was going on and how it had felt as she gave Tira a little smile. "Um... My brother... He doesn't live with me in Fenmyre any more. He left." Her ears flicked again and she looked down at her paws as she fiddled with the fur that was under them and gave her friend another shrug. "So... It's just been me for a while now." She didn't want to bring down the mood through and she quickly tried to brush it off as she looked up to Tira again with a little smile. "I've made a new friend in Fenmyre through and I've gotten to know the alpha there better than I did before so it's not all bad." All in all she was doing well all things considered, but it was still a hard blow to adjust to.

"Azzurra"

Satira loved the sound of Azzurra's laugh, that little giggle and happy grin on her face making the wolf-dog feel flushes of warmth fill her belly. She liked making other people feel good, liked being liked by others and having their attention on her. It was one of the few times when she actually felt wanted and not like a burden or an afterthought. Azzie was feeding her those feelings in spades and she was relishing in the attention! The gray-hued fae mentioned how she hoped they'd get to see each other more often and Tira gave a sarcastic raspberry followed by a determined smirk. "Of course we're gonna see each other after this!" she remarked with a wave of her paw. "My family's only staying with this northern pack through the winter. Once the snows thaw, we'll be traveling again, and I can basically go wherever I want! So of course I'm gonna come see you, silly!" It was an easy promise to make. The one major benefit her family's nomadic life granted her was her lack of commitments to any one place at any time. Satira could go wherever her heart desired whenever she wanted to. She was a total free spirit following her whims and wishes. How many other wolves could say the same?

Then the good mood deflated when she asked Azzie about what was going on in her home life that troubled her. She saw the conflict in her friend's face, the debate on whether she wanted to talk about it or not in her stunning sapphire eyes. Satira was just about to make the call herself and tell Azzie that they could forget about it when the other girl began to speak her mind. Azzurra's brother had left the pack she was in—left her behind on her own. Tira's pale blue eyes blinked wide with shock at the news, mouth falling open in a silent gasp while Azzie explained how she'd been alone for a while. How long was a while? Where did her brother go? Why did he leave her? There were a million questions buzzing around in the wolf-dog's head. Azzurra, for all her credit, still tried to put on a brave face and smile like nothing was wrong, assuring her that she was fine and that she'd made a new friend in the pack and got to know the alpha better in the process too. Still, Tira knew how close her own brother was to her. To think about Arc just spontaneously deciding to leave her behind one day...

With an angry huff, Satira focused narrowed eyes on Azzie and placed a dainty speckled paw atop her friend's white one closest to her. "Fuck him!" she declared with venom in her words directed to the nameless and faceless brother she'd likely never meet now. "No, for real, fuck him. If he wants to be a dick and run off without you, then you shouldn't waste another minute sulking over him. If he really cared about you like a brother should, he'd stay with you through thick and thin, no matter what. That's what siblings are supposed to do." With her little tirade helping to vent some of her frustration on behalf of Azzie, Tira's feminine features began to soften on her face again, but the blue fire in her eyes never died out. "I dunno who he is to think he can just do something so hurtful to you, but that's not okay, Azzie. He sounds toxic, and I think you'll be better off without him." Satira didn't pretend to know the nuances of someone else's relationships, but this seemed like a pretty basic equation to her. Brother or not, he had disrespected her, hurt her, and abandoned her. Yeah, Azzie should've kicked his ass to the curb if he hadn't already left on his own.

"Satira"

Azzurra had glanced down at her paws after she tried to present the positives that had come from Balthier's departure and was surprised when she saw Satira's speckled paw settle over her own. She blinked with surprise and glanced back up to Tira again, seeing the anger that was etched in the smaller girl's features and her sapphire eyes widened a bit at the declaration to 'fuck him'. One thing about Tira that she enjoyed from the feisty, younger woman was that she never really knew what to expect from her and her spirit was so unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She had expected some kind of sympathy, maybe some questions over why he left or what happened, but instead Tira met the news with anger over what he had done to her, putting her and the impact it had on her first in the whole situation—which Azzurra was so bad at doing for herself. As she listened to Tira's venting about how Balthier should have stuck by her if he cared about her like a brother should and how she was better off without him, a little smile crept over her lips and eventually she was focusing less on the situation and Tira's reaction to it and more on the floppy eared girl herself.

She loved Tira's confidence and the way she seemed to be ready to just fight the world if she needed to. It was something she appreciated and admired in her that she felt like she could ever have in herself. She turned her white paw that was still resting under Tira's so that she could hold the smaller, speckled paw, giving it a grateful squeeze. Slowly she was starting to realize that the loneliness and isolation she had felt toward the end of her time living with Balthier had been entirely self imposed. She did have wolves that cared about her and wanted to see her doing well, she just had to look for them. Satira, Erys, Chimera... There were wolves that she knew she could trust and it took stepping away from Balthier and standing on her own to be able to realize that. "Fuck him," she repeated back with a little, daring grin, giggling softly while her short, fluffy tail wiggled happily from the moment of support she shared with her friend.

"Azzurra"

Satira didn't know how Azzie would take to her being so brash and aggressive towards her toxic brother's behavior. It was a bold move that would either pay off or blow up in her face. But really, what else was she supposed to say? This asshole had done awful things to her friend and she wasn't going to just stand around and hem and haw like there was anything worth considering! Fuck him! The shock on Azzurra's face did worry her a bit that maybe she'd been too direct in her declaration, but as the gradual smile began to grow on the taller fae's lips, Tira felt that surge of confidence that she'd made the right call. Azzie's paw squeezed her own little speckled one and Tira's fluffy tail started to wag along with her friend's fluffy pom of a tail. Then Azzie proudly declared the same curses she'd said and the wolf-dog gave an internal fist pump of victory. Yes, she hadn't ruined her friendship AND she'd made Azzie smile! Double win!

Tira's beaming smile and bright eyes lit up with enthusiasm for Azzie, hoping to hype up her friend even more and build more of that self-confidence she had been lacking thanks to the sabotage of her brother. "Yeah, that's the spirit! Fuck him! He doesn't have any right to treat you like that! You're worth so much more and you shouldn't let anyone make you feel any less!" Tira was really proud of how much Azzie seemed to have brightened up just from their little bit of girl power banter. She didn't really see herself as any sort of motivational presence, given her own issues with self-worth and self-esteem, but she could damn well empower others where she lacked those traits herself. "Well, it sounds like you've got a lot of freedom on your paws now," said the little hybrid, flashing a grin to her friend. "What're you gonna do with all this free time, Azzie? What's something you've really wanted to do but couldn't because he was holding you back?" Satira was eager to hear what the gray-toned girl would want to do for herself first. Pick up some new hobbies? Take a vacation somewhere far away? Throw wild parties and let loose? What was Azzurra most interested in?

"Satira"

Azzurra wondered if Satira really understood just how much her motivation and reassurances meant to her. Being able to grin and talk about the things that had felt so daunting and insurmountable before, feeling like she had an ally in this whole mess of betrayal and heartbreak... It meant more to her than she'd ever really be able to describe. She was beginning to realize that this was what having a friend was like. She had only ever really had Balthier until she met Erys and even the pale, color-streaked male was more of a source of comfort than friendship. Or maybe he was a friend, just in a different way. She had certainly never had another girl to be friends with at the very least and Tira was showing her what she had been missing all this time. Her cheeks hurt from smiling as Satira reiterated how her brother didn't have a right to treat her like that and how much more she was worth than he had made her feel. It was things that she had struggled to realize on her own and it made her wonder if she would have realized the situation she was in sooner if she had someone like Tira to help encourage her and make her see the truth. There was no going back and changing things now so she didn't like to wish and ponder over what could have been, but it did make her wish that she had sought out friendship in someone other than Balthier sooner than she did.

She chuckled and nodded as Tira pointed out that she had a lot of freedom now that she didn't have before, but when Tira asked what she would do with all this new free time Azzie wasn't really sure what to say. There were so many things that she had wanted to do that she felt like she hadn't been able to do until recently. Some of those things she had already accomplished in making this trip out here on her own and sharing the intimate moments she had with Erys. She was enjoying living for herself and letting life lead her to new and exciting things and as she was pondering what she might want to do next she glanced down to where their paws were entwined between them and that familiar dance and flutter of butterflies in her stomach told her what she wanted. Her cheeks flushed at the thought as she brought her sapphire gaze back up to Tira's brighter blue gaze, a shy grin tugging at her lips.

"Well... I don't know exactly what I'm going to do with my time in the future other than just... continuing to figure out who I am without him, but... I at least know what I want to be doing right now." She shifted a little closer to Tira as she spoke and as soon as her sentence ended she punctuated it by leaning forward, tapping into this wild streak of confidence that Tira inspired in her as she pressed her lips to the smaller girl's. Immediately it felt like she was picking back up from where they had left off on the mountain cliffs with that easy attraction and playful lust flaring back to life as if they never parted. In the brief seconds before she gave into that desire to kiss the pretty girl she wondered if she was moving too fast or pressing too hard, but as soon as she felt Tira's soft lips against hers she didn't hold that worry any longer. This was exactly what she wanted right now and the longer she kissed Tira the more she felt herself sinking into the feeling of her. She started to press a little deeper into that kiss as she shifted closer again, her side brushing Tira's while her eyes drifted closed, a soft, excited whine escaping her.

"Azzurra"

Her question of Azzie's next plans for her time were met with an unexpected bit of shyness and embarrassment from the full blooded wolf. Satira raised a curious brow and cocked her head at a slight angle while she studied her friend's peculiar expression. Had she asked something wrong? Did she do something to make Azzie uncomfortable all of a sudden? The wolf-dog had been about to ask just that when she noticed her friend looking down at where they were still holding paws, Tira's bewildered gaze following hers down to their interlocked paws. Something about their paws had made her uncomfortable? Tira was still so befuddled—until Azzurra looked back up, held her gaze with those deep blue eyes of hers, and explained with a small grin how she knew what she wanted to be doing right now.

The next thing Satira knew, Azzie was leaning in to lock their lips together out of the blue, their muzzles connected in a heated kiss. Soft mewling murrs of surprise were elicited from the smaller girl, her pale blue eyes growing wide with shock despite her fluffy tail wagging and beating the furs so hard it filled the den with a muted thumping. Satira hadn't been expecting the sudden burst of passion from her friend, but now that Azzie had slid closer and swept her away, it was easy for her to relax and melt in against the fae's side with a quiet moan. All at once, Tira felt like she did back at the end of their first day together in the fjord. Those kisses then had been her first: shy, clumsy, but eager. These ones felt much more choreographed, both ladies more intimately familiar with the carnal side of life and it showed in their actions for one another.

Satira moaned softly once more against Azzurra's lips while pale eyes rolled behind fluttering eyelids until darkness claimed her vision, giving herself up to Azzie and losing herself in these incredible sensations once more! The heat she had felt in her belly when she'd been kissing Cináed had returned, burning her up from the inside out. It shocked and confused Tira; why was she feeling the same sort of ways she'd felt about Ciná for Azzie? All her life, the little tawny wolf-dog had just thought of herself as straight, interested in only boys. But now... now that she was older, more knowledgeable and mature, Satira began to wonder if she was more like her mother than she realized. Ultimately, Tira decided not to question a good thing. She didn't resist or hold back from what she wanted. She melted into Azzie's side, pressing her slender form right up into the curves of Azzie's form while she worked her mouth back against her friend-turned-lover's.

Tira felt Azzie press deeper still into their kiss, making that heat inside her flare until her heart started skipping beats. The tiny girl gave a needy cry back in response to the fae's excited whines, one speckled paw lifting to stroke and caress Azzie's cheek while also making sure she didn't try to pull back too soon. She wanted to keep Azzie here until her lungs burned for air. She wanted to press even deeper with her and lose herself in Azzurra. And so that's exactly what Satira did. Recalling on her hazy night with Ciná, Tira tilted her head to lock her lips with Azzie's, then slipped her tongue into the other fae's maw with a gentle yet insistent pressure. The sweet taste of Azzie that greeted her made her head swim with the heady, intoxicating desire she felt rushing through her bloodstream. Tira whined back with Azzie, wanting more of what the wolf was giving her and making her feel.

"Satira"

When her lips found Satira's and she felt the smaller girl easily starting to melt into her and return that kiss just as enthusiastically it made any last lingering doubts that she was making the wrong move fall away. The soft thumps of Tira's tail on the furs nearly made her laugh and the moans and cries Tira gave in quiet, muffled reply to her own whines made the already burning flames in her core roar up to an inferno. She could tell from how Tira responded to the kiss and how her lips felt more sure against her own that they were both more experienced than they had been back then, though being intimate like this with another fae was still an unusual experience. It never really crossed her mind that she should only feel this way for brutes or anything like that. She just followed what her body and heart were craving and that led her to this so she didn't feel like she had any reason to question it. This felt right and that was all that really mattered in her eyes.

Tira's paw on her cheek sent light tingles across her skin and she was pleasantly surprised when she felt Tira's muzzle tilt slightly and lock their lips together before she felt and tasted her tongue as it slipped past her lips. Her heart skipped and pattered wildly in her chest and moan escaped her from the spike of desire that rushed through her while her own tongue entwined by with Tira's, deepening their kiss even further. Even though she wasn't entirely sure where to go from here, her instincts had gotten her this far so she was more than happy just continuing to follow that and give into all the things that she would have been far too uncertain and shy to do once upon a time. Her forelegs gently slipped around Tira as she shifted even closer, turning onto her side and pulling Tira into her so that their chests and stomachs were pressed together, making it even easier to kiss and make out with the smaller wolf-dog and causing a whole new wave of tingling, electric sensations to spark across her nerves wherever they touched.

Eventually she was forced to pull away by her aching lungs, her lips breaking apart from Tira's with a soft gasp as her sapphire eyes blinked open to find the brighter, lighter blue of her new lover's. Her cheeks flushed a bit and she grinned as soft giggles bubbled up from her chest, her forelegs around Tira's sides hugging her closer. She had never been with anyone like this that was smaller than her before and it added a whole different feeling to being so entwined with her friend. She had never felt like the dominant one with Balthier or Erys and even now she didn't necessarily know if dominant would describe how she felt, but she at least felt more like the initiator in this if nothing else. Her curious paws started to wander, trailing over Tira's back and combing through her soft, fluffy, slightly curly fur as she traced down her back to her hips, feeling the feminine curves of her body for the first time. Azzurra only took a few moments for them to catch their breath before she was drawn to her lips again, kissing Tira just as passionately as before. Her hold around Tira's waist tightened with a soft whine of need and desire, the longer they made out the more she wanted the pretty little fae in her embrace.

"Azzurra"

Just as Azzurra was doing, Satira was also following what instinct and biology guided her to do, just as she had done with Cináed. Her mother had told her when she'd come of age that when the time came to be sexually involved, her body would know what to do naturally, and the more she experienced those urges and desires, the more she began to realize how true that statement was. She didn't need to know the finer mechanics of how everything worked. She just knew what she wanted and what made her feel good. And so, it seemed, did Azzie, as the larger girl moaned for her and pressed her own tongue back into Tira's mouth to entwine their tongues together in heated passion. Tira gave another keening moan in response, her whole body feeling squirmy and wriggly with that restless feeling she'd felt back with Ciná. It was as if she wanted to be closer to Azzie, but no amount of closeness of their bodies touching seemed to be enough to satisfy her. As Azzie's paws and forelegs wrapped around her, Tira shifted and lifted a hind leg to hook it around the bigger fae's waist, pulling herself taut to her new lover and slowly grinding her hips into Azzie's in leisurely experimental gyrations.

Azzurra shifted them both to lie on their sides, their chest and bellies pressing together until Tira felt the soft fluff of Azzie's underside brushing and mingling with her own fluffy coat. Satira didn't realize how long she had been making out with her friend-turned-lover until Azzie's lips broke away from hers and her lungs screamed with relief from that first deep gasp of fresh air. Pale blue eyes blinked open rapidly, slightly glazed over while she gazed up into the monochrome wolf's rich sapphire jewels. Tira's floppy ears had folded back to her head, bouncing with every heavy breath she drew in. Her face burned hot and flushed with color, but despite her blush, she didn't feel embarrassment or regret. She just felt hot all over—a heat she was gradually becoming familiar with. Azzie's smile and giggle brought about a grin and giggle from the wolf-dog as well, her brain still reeling and trying to catch up to where her body was at. Azzie squeezed her tighter and Satira responded by flexing her leg around Azzie's waist, pulling herself even tighter to the larger woman. She could have no idea that this was the first time Azzurra had ever been with someone smaller than her, or her first time taking charge, but Tira would feed into that naturally. To her, her friend had just obtained her liberation, and if she wanted to enjoy that by taking charge and loving her, then she'd gladly give herself over to Azzie's every whim and wish and let her explore this new dominant side of herself.

While they held each other's gazes, Satira felt curious paws begin to wander and roam over her body. Each touch Azzie graced her skin and fur with left fiery tingles in its wake, nearly making the wolf-dog girl squirm and whine again. Tiny speckled paws pulled at the fur on Azzie's chest, her feline claws combing through the thick plush coat. She watched with rapt delight while the other woman leaned in for another kiss, and Satira pushed her muzzle up to meet Azzie halfway, feeling their mouths lock again with a needy whine while they kissed just as passionately as they had been, slipping seamlessly into making out as if they'd never stopped. Tira's fluffy tail wagged with abandon, beating the furs beneath them without care until one of Azzie's paws slipped down lower to tighter around her waist, drawing a whimpering moan from the little hybrid and causing her tail to flag on reflex the lower that paw went, a silent plea in her body language for what she wanted from Azzurra. She didn't want the wolf to stop doing what she was doing to her. The attention, the affection, the lust... it was oh so addictive and Tira wanted more!

"Satira"