The night sky was more obscured here and yet Crux found himself lounging in one of the less dense parts of the forest, watching the fuzzy light of the moon. Another year and this time he was facing down his first birthday without his father or siblings. Crux would admit to it feeling bitter sweet. But it also raised a few questions in him. He and Triss had been sharing their hillside den since that first day together and Crux was more than happy to continue to do so but he also wasn't naive to the possibility the smaller wolf had other wishes. Wishes for more.

There were things he'd rather discuss before her next heat season. There was also the question of possibly making their relationship more official, more binding. But Crux had no desire to push Triss into anything.

Crux gently brushed a forepaw along the bracer, taking a deep breath and whispering to himself. "Birthdays without you never get any easier. I'm not with everyone this year, but I'm with someone very special to me. I think you'd have both gotten on well. I wish you could have met her." Crux let that thought linger. Okay maybe he was feeling more melancholic about being away from his family than he'd previously thought.

"Speech"

Art by MarkLix

Cryptis was out and about, ranging the Hellborn territory and learning the strange forest. She took note of any herbs she came across from Crux, and made a mental note to learn a little more about them herself. If they were going to be living together, she should understand his pursuits in life a little better.

When night time came, and Crux wasn’t home she went looking for him. His scent trail led her along the forest to a clearing, where the boy sat, looking up at the stars. She moved along until she was beside him, scooting closer and leaning against his long right foreleg. “Hey” she said gently, looking at the stars that held his attention. “What are you thinking about?” She asked gently. She had a few surprises to share with him for the evening, resting back in their den.


"Crux" & "Triss"

"Hey you." Crux smiled down at the smaller woman as she came to join him, leaning into him and he reached down to gently ruffle the top of her head with his muzzle. Her question remained unanswered for a moment as he lowered himself onto his stomach so he was closer to Triss. "Lots of things." Crux admitted, turning his attention back towards the sky. "It's my first birth season without father or siblings." Crux wasn't audibly sad, it was said more with an understanding that this was a truth, one he'd chosen for himself. "Thinking about my mom," that one was more solemn but he followed it up quickly, "and how I think she would have adored you." Crux turned back towards Triss, grinning at her.

"Which is good because I certainly do." Crux wound a foreleg around Triss to hug her affectionately. And speaking of: "What have you been up to beautiful?" Crux wasn't eager to dwell on the bittersweet thoughts. Triss just had such a way of chasing away his less optimistic thoughts.

"Crux" & "Triss"

Updated 04/30/23: Still on indefinite scarcity, please do not remind me of threads I am behind on right now.

Crux has a 6 inch long burn scar on his throat, most of his art does not reflect this.

When the larger wolf lowered himself down to her level, it teased a smile out of her. She shuffled a little, so her frame was leaning against his neck and head instead. She, too, kept her eyes on the stars. He spoke out loud what he was thinking and while she didn’t have either of those things (She still struggled to think of that later birth as siblings) she understood where he was coming from. He’d made a lot of big changes. He’d chosen to follow her here.

“I think I would have adored her, too. She made you after all” Triss said, and let out a little startled sound when Crux wound a foreleg around her and pulled her close. She returned the affection, and kissed one of his long teeth. “I've been preparing something.” She said mysteriously.

"Crux" & "Triss"

Crux couldn't help the way his stomach seemed to flutter at Triss' words about his mother. Something about the way she verbalized her affection made him feel like his bones were turning to jelly. In a good way. They hadn't known each other a super long time all things considered but he'd yet to get tired of the feelings Triss always seemed to summon. Crux hoped he never would.

"Oh?" Crux lifted his brows at Triss' mention of her own task. He leaned down to playfully plant kisses on whatever parts of her face he could reach, one after another, after another. "Do I get to know what you've got planned or not just yet?" His tone was playful, and when he finally pulled back he had a boyish grin on his face.

"Crux" & "Triss"

Updated 04/30/23: Still on indefinite scarcity, please do not remind me of threads I am behind on right now.

Crux has a 6 inch long burn scar on his throat, most of his art does not reflect this.

She leaned into his affections, letting her eyes flutter closed as she felt him plant kisses across her face. The feathery touch of his lips was almost enough to make her forget entirely what they were talking about. “Hmmm?” she said, voice distracted before her eyes fluttered open again. Oh, right. Crux’s birthday, her preparations. She also wanted to distract him from the way he was reminiscing about the past, clearly missing things he couldn’t have again.

He stretched up to his muzzle and kissed it lightly. “Maybe you’ll never know.” she said teasingly, but she really did want to show him. “Do you want to come back to the den, or did you want to stay under the stars a little longer?” She asked him sofly.


"Crux" & "Triss"

Crux was glad Triss seemed to enjoy him showering her with affection, because he wasn't sure he could stop. He smiled, lips brushing against her cheek as it seemed she had let herself get distracted and he was maybe a little bit pleased with himself. But she seemed to bring herself back to the present quickly and he leaned down to let her more easily reach his own muzzle. And what a question! Crux thought for a moment, looking at Triss as if she could discern what she had planned just by sight. But it was not obvious to him. Crux hmm'd himself, tilting his head slightly.

"We can go now, but I still want to stargaze with you later." Crux gave the smaller wolf a wink and slowly started to get himself up, stretching out his limbs, clearly in no rush. For as melancholic as his thoughts had been only moments before he was struck by how much he felt it was all still worth it. He could not imagine Triss not being in his life anymore, and he knew that awkward as things were he could still see his family. They weren't totally gone. And in Triss he saw the promise of his family expanding. He hadn't been lying to her mother when he'd said as much. "After you my dear." Crux smiled and gestured with his paw for Triss to take the lead.

"Crux" & "Triss"

Updated 04/30/23: Still on indefinite scarcity, please do not remind me of threads I am behind on right now.

Crux has a 6 inch long burn scar on his throat, most of his art does not reflect this.

She gave him a moment to think it over. She didn’t want to pull him away from his moment with the stars, but she was also very eager to show him what she had been planning. She could be an impatient little minx sometimes. She was glad when he agreed to come, and her tail picked up a little speed behind her. She kissed the muzzle he had lowered for her sake, and trotted a couple of steps away.

Waiting for him to stretch and pull his thoughts away from the stars and back to the present. She smiled, and set off in earnest when he indicated for her to take the lead. She led him back to their little den. It was still a work in progress, but it was there's and one day, she would look back at the changes and remember the moments they had worked on it together.

She slipped inside, to where a small meal was waiting. She had set a couple of wax candles safely in little rock holders. The light wavered with the movement of their presence. Laid out around the candles were some cuts of meat and fruit. A birthday feast. She settled down by the food, and looked at Crux, raising a paw for him to hold. Taking a breath.perhaps she could have waited at least a few more moments, but the words tumbled out of her, “Crux. Will you marry me?”

"Crux" & "Triss"

Crux was more than happy to follow behind the smaller woman, following her into their den, their shared home, and taking a moment to observe the setup. He smiled as he followed Triss to the food. Though he stopped when she held out a paw for him, he quirked an eyebrow and then accepted her invitation, gently resting one of his much bigger paws atop her own.

It took a moment for the words to really process though. Shock sometimes did that. His eyes had widdened and his heart had started hammering in his chest. Then all at once the meaning crashed into him and he stumbled towards her, aiming to fish a foreleg around behind her and gently push her over, keeping himself close but not putting his weight on her. "I don't think it's fair you had the advantage of my birthday being earlier." He said, a playful growl to his tone. "I was going to ask you on yours!" Carefully considered plans laid to waste, but he couldn't exactly say he was actually all that upset.

He grinned at Triss, a familiar fluttering in his stomach, now joined with something more primal, a desire to claim her. Let the world know she was his and he was hers. Maybe he was slightly more like a Fatalis man than he'd realized. "Cryptis Nightwing, it would be my honour to marry you."

"Crux" & "Triss"

Updated 04/30/23: Still on indefinite scarcity, please do not remind me of threads I am behind on right now.

Crux has a 6 inch long burn scar on his throat, most of his art does not reflect this.

Triss giggled at that, letting him tug her closer. She leaned into his chest and looked up at him. “Well, I’m impatient. You should probably know that about me.” She teased lightly, flicking him with her tail.

It would be my honour to marry you. “Is now good? I think we should get married right now.” Her eyes were filled with laughter. She had seen the shock on his face, and a part of her had wanted to tease him even further, to push at him. She was only mostly joking. Her mother would probably kill her if she got married without talking to her.


"Crux" & "Triss"