Aoto wanted to prove to Tallulah that she was everything to him. He even worked into his own mind that she would be his number one over his work since well there wasn't much for him to do in terms of being a traveling medic after all but still his services could be used anywhere but Tallulah would be the forefront of his attention. The brute stood still looking over the land waiting to see if Tallulah was keeping up. He didn't want to lose her, especially out here where there was barely anything to look at. His mind wandered slightly thinking about having pups of his own to raise and take care of with Tallulah and the thought now didn't scare him but instead was welcome. There was a smile that crossed his maw as he turned around to make sure the love of his life was right behind him.



The brute was concerned about her, this place didn't seem very friendly and certainly someplace he wouldn't want to raise pups in. The orchard was a very beautiful place and seemed slightly more ideal than here but perhaps there was somewhere with greener pastures for them to be. His voice peeked up from his between his inky lips "Tallulah, my love, where exactly do you want to go? I'll follow you to the ends of world and back to show you that I love you and care about you" He was trying his best to show Tallulah that he did care about her. However he couldn't know exactly what Tallulah was thinking or how she would react to his words but all he could hope for was that she would believe him.

The warm sand brought back memories of when she was alone as a year old wolf. The desert was warm and inviting, but, since it was close to being night time, the cold will start to slowly sink in, and they would need to find shelter quickly. Tallulah would hear her mate's smooth steps as the sand started to move from underneath his paws, his tail swaying from side to side just like hers. Her topaz optics scanned the area for anything suspicious, but nothing out of the ordinary could be seen, or heard. Aoto would ask her where she would like to go, but, she was not really sure since she was still new to the land that many call Alacritia.

"I am not so sure, love, but I am only happy being with you," she would speak in a calm and collected tone. She would move over beside him, giving him a gentle nudge to the shoulder as they walked. Something in the air soon turned dark as she looked behind her, eyes widening. A sandstorm had formed, and they had not seen shelter in miles!

The sand whistled it's warning and Tallulah ran as fast as she could muster, but still, the sandstorm picked up speed and began to hurl itself right at them.

Aoto heard it as well as he felt his mate nudge his shoulder. They had to move quickly and find a place to hide out. He started to move as quickly as he could however he knew that he couldn't outrun a sandstorm once it really picked up in speed. Aoto did everything he could to make sure that Tallulah was in front of him but he kept his eye open for anywhere they could take cover. There it was, a very slim chance of them making it out of this alive but it was a chance nonetheless when he spotted a stray boulder just large enough to give them both a snug fit.



The brute was starting to lose his breath quickly, he wasn't built for running like this especially running from a sandstorm of all things. Aoto moved to nudge Tallulah just a little towards where he spotted the boulder "My love, we need to take cover behind it until this storm passes, I'm not taking chances of losing you if we try to outrun what we can't outrun, we'll continue on after this passes" He barked out trying to take the lead over the predicament that laid itself before them. He was keeping to Tallulah's speed as best he could but he knew that he wasn't going to be able to keep this up forever. Talluah's health and safety was his top concern at the moment and he was hoping that she would see the boulder to which they could use for temporary shelter from this storm.



Aoto was worried however, what if Tallulah was injured because of this, what if she died because of a possible error in his judgement. He was truly scared that he could lose someone who he grew to love, the sandstorm, it was had the ability to take everything from him if there was even the slightest of errors in his judgement call for a temporary hiding spot. The dusty brown brute wasn't about to let this storm take his mate from him as he attempted to make a break for the boulder's back side away from the sandstorm but was hoping that Tallulah would get there before he did.

Tallulah would continue to hear the wind from the sandstorm echo in her lobes. They stayed erect as she sometimes turned her head, trying to make it to the boulder. Her paws were killing her as she soon felt pain shoot throughout her paw. She continued to run but only on three legs for it looked like her right front paw was sprained from the continuous running. She winced but continued onward. Her tail bounded up and down from her rapid sprints toward the boulder, and soon, she made it to the stone structure and turned her body behind her, her face looking at the stone structure as she wanted to not swallow or breathe in the sand.

She stuck her tongue out and panted, feeling the heat that the storm was starting to give off. Curling her form, the dame closed her eyes and placed her head upon her paws, praying that the storm would evade and pass over them quickly.

Aoto noticed that Tallulah was making her move towards the boulder and then down behind it. He was terrified of this storm, for he never had any experience like this before. Aoto shifted his body quickly and panted as he laid next to Tallulah trying to provide as much cover as he could for his beloved mate. However when he seen Tallulah sprint before getting behind the rock, he noticed something was wrong, was it a sprain he wondered but for now he couldn't do what he had to for it as the sandstorm raged on. Hoping that the thick sand would pass soon so he could take a closer look at her paw.



Gently he brushed his muzzle against her neck to let her know that he was there trying to bring a little bit of comfort to his mate as they waited out this storm together. He lovingly rested his own head upon his own paws but with his cheek against his mate's. Aoto hoped that at least his touch helped his mate a little before he closed his eyes and only drew in what air he could breathe before releasing again. Slow but steady breathing was going to prove useful for this instance.

Tallulah would notice that her mate had lied down beside her. His comforting touch helped her in this stressful situation. The wind echoed amongst her ears as she let out loud, raspy coughs, trying to clear her throat of what amounts of sand had somehow went down her throat. The grainy earth was unpleasant tasting, and listening to her mate's steady, slow breaths helped keep her calm and vigilant. She rested her cranium upon her forepaws, the wind hitting against her ears, causing the wind sound to make her eardrums wing and she closed her eyes at the unpleasant sensation.

The orange and cr?me dame would feel her love placing his head upon her neck, a smile slowly forming on her maw. Without any arguing, she closed her eyes and waited out this storm. Her paw was slightly bleeding, probably from the hot sun causing the pads of her feet to crack and open up. Crimson dripped onto the sand as she licked her paws. The grainy sand stuck to them like a magnet as if to get her away from her paws so the sand could stay there. The grainy substance was unappealing to her, but she continued to lick the blood from her paw.

Aoto could feel his mate moving and his eyes snapped open to see her licking her bloodied paw. The sight worried him as he gently tried to nudge her head away from licking her paw. He didn't mind if he were to lick her paw but he wanted her to just focus on breathing calmly and letting him do the licking, he didn't want her to worry about it. He made few words as he tried to avoid getting sand in his own maw but however as all things that was going to be rather unavoidable. The lips to the dusty brown brute parted "You breath and focus on me, let me do that for you my love" he spoke quickly as he attempted to lick Tallulah's bloodied paw.



Aoto wanted her to let him do this for her, it was the least he could do for his mate. However because of where they were at, water was not a option as to cleaning the cracked paw pads. Even though it wasn't major it was still something that bothered him because after all she was his dearly beloved. Once more his lips parted in voice "I love you" he couldn't help but say that once again no matter how many times he said it, he felt it would always hold meaning.

Tallulah would soon stop licking the blood that stained her paw and the sandy landscape below her body. The sandstorm soon died down, but the moon soon rose and the temperature died down juristically. The knowing that their could either die from heat of the sun, or the cold from the night sky really bothered her. She was used to warmer climates due to her thin pelt, but, she at least had someone to help her along the way.

She stood upward, shaking the pelt of access sand that had gotten stuck in her fur. She yipped when she placed her bloody paw down. Her paw pads stung as if she had gotten stung by a bee. Her topaz eyes shifted from side to side, looking for a good place where water could be accessible. But to no prevail, they looked to be a farther distance away from the liquid. Cacti had water, but, if they were to touch it they would be hurt even more with the spiky thorns that protruded from it. She would hear him say he loved her. She smiled and licked his cheek, a happy smile coming across her maw.

"Thank you. We need to find shelter from the cold, and also the left over sand from this sandstorm," she spoke, lifting her injured paw and began to walk on only three legs to help her paw pad heal and to keep herself from giving away their position when she yipped.

The sounds of coyotes echoed from behind them as she could see a mother and father coyote. Two pups stuck beside them as they were playing with each other. A den was occupied by them. Tallulah smiled at the scene, but she also wished that they would be able to find a den as well, but soon, it would seem other than the den the coyotes shared, there would not be a den for them. The dame lied down and curled into a ball, keeping heat locked inside. She closed her eyes but kept her ears erect to listen for any dangers. She would sometimes look over to Aoto to make sure he was fairing well.

The sandstorm had finally died down but not his worry for his mate. Even though Tallulah's cracked paw pads were of minor injury, it would prove to be bothersome for both him and Tallulah if they couldn't get it cleaned at least with water. Cacti water would work but it was going to be slightly difficult without getting stuck but his mate's safety and health was of his top concern above even his own safety and health. However his worry was beginning to take its toll him leaving him somewhat shaken. Aoto had a mate but if he made a single mistake it would've been over. The brute watched the fae move on just three of her four legs as he considered where they may find shelter.



Aoto watched where Tallulah seemed to be looking and noticed the coyotes and that they had a den. However he didn't want to risk possibly being injured and even more so Tallulah being injured if he tried to take over the den. However the fact there were pups amongst the two adult coyotes brought about the idea of his own future pups assuming nothing else in life tried to kill them before then. He had to start thinking more about what he was going to have to do for them to survive as he watched his love curl up. Aoto proceeded to move to his mate's side and attempt to curl around her as much as he could. He was going to be cold but he hoped that his own body heat may help keep his beloved warm.



He was thinking of Tallulah and only of Tallulah at the moment. He smiled a little as his lips parted "Well my love, we made it through the sandstorm and I'm glad we're still here, together... I hope I'm helping you stay warm, if only there was some sort of open water source nearby so we could clean your beautiful paw, my love, for now we'll have to rely on our saliva to keep it clean which means I should get to work" Aoto chuckled as he gently licked what he could of Tallulah's paw pads.

Tallulah would hear her mate speak. A smile coming across her maw as topaz optics focused on his own. The smell of the burnt and grainy sand was all she could smell as the cold began to surround them. The warm sun was now in sleep mode, and the moon and the cold temperatures were beginning to take its own toll on the two wolves. The cold helped her paw, but when the wind hit it she would wince out in pain and whimper. Blood still dripped from the cracks. Her eyes would then shift upon Aoto, a small smile on her face still when he said he would look after the paw and clean it himself for now.

She would feel his wet, saliva filled tongue glide across the wound, his tongue starting to turn a darker pink from the crimson blood that connected with it. His comforting and soothing strokes of his tongue helped the wound, but she was still hurt. Her head was placed upon her forepaws. The sound of owls and buzzards were seen, and even the call of the coyote family could be heard from afar.

"Thank you, Aoto. Tomorrow, we should continue to try and get out of this desert and also look for a water supply." She would exclaim. The heat had caused them to become dehydrated. The cold would help them but it wouldn't last long. Finding water was their best bet, and their second priority would be getting out of the desert together,

Aoto knew full well they had to get out of the desert if they were to have any chance of surviving without complications like what happened with the sandstorm that rolled past them a little earlier. He nodded to her after he finished licking her paw making sure he was very careful about doing so. Aoto flashed a smile to Tallulah and gently touching his nose to her own before resting his head down. He was exhausted from not only the running he had to do but from all his worries. There was a time when he had all the energy in the world to only worry about the simple things in life and expend it only on himself but now, he had Tallulah to think about.



He had to know what Tallulah really thought of him, to know if he really was making her happy, making her feel safe, he had to know. He lifted his head again and looked at her before letting his voice come out as nothing more but a whisper for her to hear "Tallulah, I need to know, but I also don't want to know... I'm just scared, with that sandstorm I realized that I have so much more to lose now than I did when I was alone... I love you and just thinking of losing you... I need to know, have I been a good mate for you so far... am I giving you what I can for us to be together..." Aoto didn't know before just how scared he was with the sandstorm happening but now that he was given time to think he realized just how scared he truly was.

Tallulah would hear the sand whistle past her lobes. The sounds echoed throughout her as she could hear the buzzards close by, circling them as if to see if they could catch any easy meal. Her paw had stopped bleeding thankfully, but, now she had to think about finding water and food for them if they were to survive out here in this desert wasteland. Her salmon tongue glided across her muzzle when she thought about a meal. Her eyes looked around, placing her nose upward. Luckily, she could smell a carcass not too far from there, hopefully no buzzard had begun to pick it off. Her topaz optics shifted over to Aoto. He was wondering if he was being a good mate to her. A smile came across her maw and she gave him a gentle lick across the cheek.

"Aoto, you are everything I ever wanted. Even if by some chance we never have pups, you are all I ever wanted in life. Someone who cares about me for me, not for my looks or how I act, and I thank you for that." She smiled and soon began to lead the way to the carcass.

A deer had wandered into the land, and when she approached buzzards began to snap and flap their wings at her. She snarled angrily and began to bite at them, but she too received large gashes from their claws on her form. Her legs were scratched and a deep tear in both ears had been made. She finally had enough and howled as loudly as she could muster, and the birds soon left the carcass as she began to tear into the dry and hard flesh.

Aoto followed his mate to the carcass however what transpired just yet again caused the dusty brown brute more worry as he growled when he seen his mate receive injuries. That was when he knew that Tallulah was a tough wolf and he smiled but stopped when she howled before eating the remains of deer. Aoto waited until she had her fill, for now he would stand guard to make sure she was safe while eating. The fae was his top concern before he would be concerned about himself despite his own stomach grumbling in anger when he refused to eat, waiting for Tallulah to finish.



He moved to Tallulah's side and gently licked her ears trying to use his saliva once again to help clean those wounds. He would get at her other wounds when she had her fill. Aoto was going to be very thorough with making sure he looked after her wounds when he had more access to resources to help heal them. Aoto let out a sigh before speaking "I'm glad that I'm a good mate for you, I'm going to wait until you have had your fill my love, you need it more than me and I will stand watch to make sure we're not disturbed, you're not disturbed" Aoto chuckled a little as his stomach grumbled again.

Tallulah would soon have her fill and move away from the carcass. her muzzle stained red from dried blood. Her topaz optics shifted around the area, eyes focused on anything that would come and try to devour the rest of the carcass before her mate had any chance of having some. When it was safe, she moved away and lied down, placing her head on her paws as she kept guard this time.

"Thank you, my love," she would smile and lick his cheek, eyes focused on him and watching him eat the one of the most relaxing things she had done in a while. The new wounds she had received would take a while to heal, while her torn ears may never heal. The pain was something she was used to, but she would never get over it.

Aoto quickly devoured his fill before turning his attention to his mate. Her injuries were to be his focus now as he laid next to her and began to lick her legs and ears, making sure to not miss a spot before licking Tallulah's muzzle. She was going to be his number one priority and his own life was to be second. With what they were going through now, he knew that Tallulah would be a good mother for when and if they are able to have pups of their own. He was going to make sure now that they would have a home soon as well however even if Tallulah didn't agree with having a home in the avian estuary, Aoto believed that they could live anywhere so long as he was with her.



Aoto seen his mate finish eating her fill of the carcass and could feel her loving lick which got him to smile. He would begin to tear into what was left of it his dusty brown fur becoming blotted with blood which didn't bother him. Aoto felt a little better knowing that they had at least a little bit of food but it wasn't going to be something to last them long. They had to move, perhaps they could go to the Avian Estuary, the place where he had met Ashtoreth and Vaishya. There was water and a source of food there sure mostly birds but they wouldn't have to starve out here in a desert though. He wanted to make it official that they would be mates for life, Aoto wanted to take her someplace there in the avian estuary, somewhere that could be a sanctuary for them to live. He had to ask her "Would you mind if we went to the Avian Estuary, my love, there is something there I want to show you?" he smiled as he licked her muzzle again.

Tallulah would gently lick her mate's muzzle, cleaning it of the blood that had blotted his coat and made it unappealing. The air was warmer and a slight breeze blew upon their pelts, a smile coming across the dame's maw as she nodded her head kindly to the brute whom she loved dearly. Her topaz optics met his as she could hear the sounds of the buzzards up ahead that were waiting for them to move on so that they could pick off the scraps of the carcass. The stench of blood wafted through her nose as she looked to Aoto.

"I don't mind where we go, as long as I am with you, I'm complete," she smiled and licked his cheek, eyes staying calm and focused until another scent hit her nose. Her eyes stayed focused as she could hear the sounds of whimpering, but, was it a wolf?

She walked over to the sound of the whimpering and found that of a young pup hiding underneath a limb of a cactus for shade. Her eyes widened in shock. She approached the young pup, eyes showing sadness for the young one. Where was it's mother, and why was it alone out here?

Aoto listened to his mate's words intently as his eyes focused on her. The sound of whimpering was heard which snagged his attention, he didn't care what it was, he had to find out where it was coming from and if where the sound of whimpering was coming from needed his help. Standing up from where he laid he moved swiftly towards the sound to see what it was. Upon drawing near he seen the pup, which drew his worry out even more than before "a pup out here, in these barren lands, Tallulah make sure the pup is ok, I'll keep the carcass clear of unwanted scavangers" He made sure his attention wasn't going to be divided between the carcass and the pup.



The brute shown a gentle smile towards the pup "I won't harm you, I swear on my honor you will be safe with us" He spoke quickly as he turned to face the carcass moving near it once more to ward off the buzzards as best he can. Hopefully the pup would be ok with letting them take care of it. Aoto would do his best to make sure it was going to be ok, however he didn't like the fact that they were already in the need for a steady supply of food and out here certainly wasn't the best place. The sooner they got to the avian estuary, the better off they would be.

The pup was so hot. And then he was so cold. Light accompanied the heat; darkness accompanied the cold. Both hurt him, a never ending cycle of days. He didn't know why he lived, and his mother didn't. His mother had been weak, yes... But she should have lived. Instead she died, and he lived because he feasted off her corpse... Much to his disgust. But she begged him to... At the end, when everything and all light was fading from her eyes.

Shaking his head, feeling the heat beating into his pelt, he crawled forward, seeing something dark. As he collapsed onto the darkness, he realized it was a shadow - a shadow of a cactus. He crawled further, pressing again the spines. They pricked him sharply, but he didn't care. The sand underneath was cool.

As he rested, drifting between sleep and awareness, the hours flew by. He was aware of nothing. He felt, heard, saw nothing. All he knew was that when he awoke it was dark, and something - he wasn't sure what - woke him. Perhaps it was the cold. Trahearne could feel it through his pelt, icy and frigid. The pup looked around, but saw nothing - there was nowhere where he could become warm. He couldn't smell anything, either; his nose felt like it was clogged with sand.

Letting out a piteous whine, he curled up with his legs tucked beneath him. He felt less cold that way, huddled in a ball. Easier to think, at the very least. His thoughts weren't exactly warm either. they consisted of his guilt; the question of wh-

And then his thoughts were interrupted when the scent hit him like a wall. then the wolf appeared, and he shrunk against the cactus, ignoring the the sharp prick of the thorns. The whining shifted into a low, weak growl. His ears flattened against his head and he bared teeth at the female. "Stay away from me!" his voice was rough, gravelly from dehydration, and she still approached, and he scrambled further away. His tongue licked a sandy and dry nose. He was so thirsty... he shook himeself, and he moved further back. "Get away!"

He didn't want them near him, not that female nor the male. The male swore upon his honor - but what's the worth of that? His mother swore they'd be alright.For all he knew, they could kill him. It was just a trap. The boy huddled in the sand, teeth baring again. He never noticed the food, or he might just have reacted differently.

Tallulah would sense the feeling of tenses inside the male. She felt sad for him, for she knew that losing someone was a hard thing to go through, especially if it was someone close to you. The creme and orange colored dame walked over to the dead deer carcass and tore the leg off, even though it was tough to do so. But, food was food. The woman trotted back over to the pup and placed it down in front of the male pup, pushing it over to him. She did not wish for the male to die just like how his mother did. "Please, eat young one, you'll be okay, you will not and never will be harmed by me," she reassured and began to look for water.

A small storm began to appear, Tallulah was relieved as she ushered the young male to go outside and lap at the rain water as it was beginning to pour down heavily. A smile appeared on the female's face, wishing for the young male pup to do so, so that he didn't become worse when dehydration hit once more. Since you were in the desert, it was very bad to not stay hydrated for it would be more of a chance for you to die.

Aoto heard the pup telling them particularly his mate to stay away from him and to get away. Something had to be done but just when he started to think about it, he watched his mate tearing a leg off of the carcass and bringing it to the pup. Hopefully he'd respond a little kinder to her now that she was trying to help him. Aoto had to keep his guard up though in case something were to come and attack them or try to pick the carcass clean before the pup could eat more if he desired to have more that was. His more serious side decided to kick in though now more than ever, something that he didn't do for awhile besides be cheerful and freaking out about Tallulah's safety.

He decided to move towards the pup and a little before stopping and letting his inky lips part for his voice "Look here young one, we're not just simply going to go away, I know I won't because I couldn't bring myself to let you just die out here in this desert or anywhere else for that matter but please for now give us a chance and I'm sure my mate here would say the same but I cannot speak for her as she is my beloved and has a mind of her own" Aoto turned his head so his muzzle could gently brush against his mate's cheek. The dusty brown brute moved back to the carcass to watch over it to make sure the scavengers remained at bay.

Aoto did hope the pup would at least give them a chance to show him that they weren't there to hurt him or at least he might come out from where he hid. Either way Aoto did what he could but chose for the most part to remain in silence and to keep himself a little bit further from the pup. Where was this pup's mother and where was the father two red flags that popped up in his mind as he came to draw his own conclusions. One thing was for certain, they had to find water and if he had to Aoto was willing to stick his face into a cactus to tear it open for the water inside.

Without a second thought he was about to put his own face against a cactus to get at the water when it began to downpour. What a wonderous moment this was but it would more than likely be short lived for this was a desert after all. Once more he spoke again "Look, I apologize if I sound aggressive or rude, I just can't bear to see you out here alone so please give us a chance, we all have a better chance of getting out of this barren place together than on our own surely even though you're young can see the truth to my words" Aoto spoke in his serious tone of voice once more.