For the remaining winter months this land would remain barren, or at least nearly so.  Stripped of it's everlasting pallet of joyous colors and lively bouquet of rose, pink, and various cream colored petals that would eventually cascade down, coating the dense, rich earth beneath them with a layer of exuberance.  It's fitting for all but him, and so the feeling of walking through the sleeping corpse of a forest was eerie as it always had been, but oddly comforting all the same, perhaps his sense of fear was lacking in his age.  Bones of the cherry blossoms and rich beautiful tree's starred down at him with such a gaze as he walked.  Slow and lazy steps falling one before the other as he suddenly stopped where he was, only to turn his golden gaze up to stare at the heavens above.  The light of the day, though dim and dreary, was fading quickly. The great behemoth's every movement was slow and deliberate.  His wide figure, thick and heavy was obviously so as it moved over the earth, as if drawn to the soil like a magnetized force he was unable to free himself of.  Though his concentration seemed to suddenly break and he ceased every movement upon his being just as quickly as he could.  Every fiber of his being turned to look at his left where the faint scent of prey lingered.  Dead? Perhaps, Rotting? No not yet.  The thoughts lingered in his mind, golden eyes bright and wide, one and a half auds swiveled forward upon his dial to tune carefully towards a large thicket that had lined his pathway for what seemed like ages. Unable to hold he hunger in any longer, a roar of energy burst forth from the throat of the obsidian beast, and he spit the noise into the air with such a force.  Echoing off the trees and nearby thickets the brute had slid forward from his sudden explosion of movement towards the cold, dead brush, ungraceful in his stop as his hinds seemed to slide to his side uncontrollably, though his eyes had landed upon a hare, white and bright as the moon at night it sparkled within his mind's eye like a shimmering target.   "Speech" Thoughts

She had been watching the same hare, and it wasn't hard for her to miss the dark male who stalked forward. Her purple eyes gleamed with mischief as she crouched lower in the bush that held her lightly coloured bodice. Ears laid flat down against her skull, muscles coiled as she prepared to spring. She waited until he got closer until she sprang, leaping on the rabbit and grabbing the still living creature in her jaws. Letting out a squeal she raced away, the hare kicking its powerful hind legs against her chest. She didn't care, she just wanted to steal the strangers meal. She had wandered away from her pack land looking for something to do, and knew that no one could pass up the juicy hare at this time of year. Letting out a wild giggle her elongated tail flew like a banner behind her as she weaved through the lands, biting a bit harder into the live rabbit to quell its attacks on her. With a whimper it stilled, as she pumped her long legs across the snow covered terrain. Glancing over her shoulder she smirked around the rabbit, her head pulling forward just in time to see the tree that magically appeared in front of her. Yelping she dodged to the side, but tripped over her paws, her high speed sending her skidding across the snow. She flinched, but managed to keep her grip on the rabbit. Puffing out a breath of air, she tried to pull herself up before the black dude caught up with her. Womanly curves folded in all sorts of direction, her usually pristine white fur coated in snow.

With eager anticipation the brute starred longingly at the prey prior to his ability to scatter it's mind into a million direction, and send in suddenly fleeing into the jaws of another. Momentary surprise and confusion overwhelmed the obsidian male, his wide, awkward stance remained so as he watched the flash of ivory come in and then leave his life just as quickly as the hard had fled. The flash of a potential foe left the massive brute in a state of stuttering puzzlement. His ads swiveled in every direction in an attempt to locate the wolf's direction, or at least... He assumed the assailant was another like himself, though vastly more stupid. With an angry curl of his heavy ebony lips the male let his muzzle wrinkle, and the saliva that oozed hungry from his lips was layered over the bull ring within his nose, allowing the liquid to drip from the golden trinket, reflecting the level of anger that was quickly rising within the brute's chest. His hackles arose from his thick, scarred withers and back, and with what seemed like great ease he chased abruptly after the assailant who had disappeared due East. Quickly he managed to track her path and within what seemed like moments, the red-eyed beast snarled and skid to a stop mere feet before the thief. Golden optics piercing through the ivory doe, and like thunder rolling above a snarl ensued from his curled jaws. Snow now coating them both. Calming himself enough to speak the male's deep voice that appeared to roll up from hell itself poured out from his throat, velvet smooth but as deep as the lowest part of the ocean, "You chose the wrong meal to take, thief." Though somewhat calm to the ear, the beast was anything but. "Speech" Thoughts

As Mercy shook herself and made it to her paws, she was too late. The black beast was upon her, his angry self coming to rest by her. And then she just stared, purple eyes taking all of him in. She was speechless, not by his anger, but hot damn he was fine. Mercy was over a year -- just -- and was starting to discover that men were nice to look at. And son of a bitch, he was a sight for sore eyes. Vibrant optics looked him up and down, taking in all his battle scars and thick muscles. She may be taller than him, no shock there, but he was thicker than her. Built for war, that she knew for a fact. She was so busy taking him all in that she nearly dropped the still living rabbit. Remembering that it was there, she bit down and snapped its neck, finally ending its poor life. He growled and called her a thief, and she chuckled and dropped the still warm creature at his paws. Licking her blood stained lips, she bared her teeth at him for a moment. "Ever heard of food on the run?" She purred, her slender shoulders rolling forward. She was all woman, her curves displaying her sleek body. She curled her taller form around him, fully appreciating his form. Mmm, she could look at this beast all day. The ring shimmered in his nose, and she blinked her long lashes at him. "And I am no theft, I didn't see your name on the hare," she said teasingly, kicking the rabbit at him. She didn't even want it, she was just looking for a bit of fun. Thankfully, the fates provided her with quite the fun kind of entertainment.

With a malicious stance the beast of a brute starred at the tall ivory doe with such intensity. Honestly, the reasons behind the beast's reaction to this situation were vaguely unknown, he wasn't one to react this way and appeared to have difficulty calming himself back to a normal level. Using his staggering breaths the brute seemed to slowly ease down just as the doe was doing, though hardly gaining any sort of amusement from it. He was a mature individual, capable of proper control but as of late his ability to do so was lacking, and to his understandings he had no idea why. With a heavy sigh the brute allowed one final, low growl to curl from his throat, words soon to follow as he licked his saliva ridden jaws dry. Mucus and drippings pulled away from his lips and obsidian nostrils. The golden ring suddenly shinier than before, flexing within his nose. Unaware of the doe's reaction to him he merely corrected his beastly posture to something a bit more un-hostile. A small snicker flying across his visage, "You think this funny?" He poured his thunderous vocals towards her, dripping with testosterone ridden syllables. Peeling his golden gaze over the doe for a moment he found her buttons, wanting to begin pushing them immediately though he knew better than to get mixed up with a vixen such as this. To him she was just an immature and naive young pup, though perhaps he was only an old fart in her eyes, at least that's what he thought. "Hm... You speak highly of yourself, THIEF." He accentuated the term against her, sort of hissing as his heavy, strong figure sunk forward towards the hare she had finally dropped. "Speech" Thoughts

The beast before her seemed to be calming, licking his chops free of the drool that had coated them. She just couldn't take her eyes off of his thick form, riddled with scars of all sorts of shape and sizes. It was clear that he had been in many battles, something that she inspired to be with as well. Mercy was taken aback by the male, stunned by his grace. Not all would find him attractive, but she could hardly take her purple eyes off of him. Clearing her throat when he posed a question to her, she simply giggled softly, long tail swaying behind her as she made a move to try and circle him. She greedily took in his form, scanning every little bit of him. "Well obviously not to you, but I was certainly having fun," her voice was a low whisper, her voice a soft purr. As he called her a thief again she paused, now back by his face. "Does a thief hand back the stolen goods, sir? I think not. I didn't try to run away or lie, so excuse me if that seems to be pride, something a warrior of your statue must have a lot of."

Mercy found that she couldn't sit still, her gaze constantly roaming his yummy body. She was unsure of what to do exactly, with these feelings she was having bubbling up within her. It was odd, but it felt really good that was for sure. Batting her long lashes, she brought her eyes to his face, a coy smile on her lips. "So mister hunky-beast, do I get the pleasure of knowing your name? Perhaps then I can tell you my own, and we can get over this whole 'thief' thing," she may be young, but she wasn't stupid. Pulling back her lips to show off her teeth, she stood on her toes as she muscles coiled beneath her thick coat, ready if he felt the need to prove his point with an attack. It would be an honour for her to fight someone like him, and had the sudden need to dig her teeth into his flesh, to graze and explore all those scars. A flush raced its way up to her face, and she made a mental note to ask Dione what all these feelings were. Even though she was mad at her, it would be less awkward than asking Valentine about it. Blinking, she drew herself out of her head to keep more alert, even feeling bold enough to wink and the lumbering brute.

Auds pinned back against his skull in a brief show of mild annoyance. This pup has no idea of the situation she could have put herself into. But maybe that was just the old brute being... well... old. Either way, he felt a ping of frustration enveloping his mind and body. Claws dug into the earth as a small, subconscious show of frustration leaking out of his physically. Hackles finally relaxed against his wide top-line, tired of these games this girl had somehow decided he needed to be a part of. He was far too old for this shit, but apparently seemed to get wrapped up in them occasionally as well. He refused to reply to her first initial comment, and instead he squinted his golden gaze, lifting his dial from the nearly half eaten hare that so limply laid at his feet, initially a poor prey for it lacked much needed fat and muscle development due to it's age and it being winter. With a heavy sigh his crimson stained jaws chewed at small bit of the kill, the gold in his nose layered partially in deep, deep red as his tongue flicked over it occasionally. "Pride? No... Regrets? Sure." He spoke slowly and minimally this time, far more interested in his meal than this tall, female trying to hold his attention true. Ads would twist and a small grimace crossed his visage at her mention of his risqué nickname. Hunky... beast? He thought to himself with a bit of a confused look upon his face. Flirting was difficult for him to do successfully, and this pup was not an interest of his. "You're name doesn't interest me, and mine should not interest you." Licking his jaws once more he rid his taste buds of the sweet crimson nectar quite unfulfilled by this meal that has caused him enough problems already. He did nothing but blink his golden gaze at the doe, unperturbed by her advances. "Speech" Thoughts

She pouted at the man, he was being quite a grump. She didn't know how to handle herself in this situation, it was all so confusing. Standing up, she shuffled from paw to paw awkwardly. He didn't seem interested in her little game, no matter how much she attempted to flirt. And then, with one last ditch effort the girl smiled slyly. Her elongated tail flickered her tail behind her, taking a few steps away from the lumbering hulk of a man. "Fine then, I suppose you won't require my help in taking down larger prey," she mumbled, strutting off a few steps. She turned around, looking at him from over her shoulder. Her purple eyes sparkled with mischief, a sly smile on her lips. With the two of their build, they could take down large prey without much struggle at all. She was quick on her paws, and with a hard bite as well. And this brutes huge, rippling muscles -- Mercy had to clear her throat to stop her from drooling. Ah hem...

Anyways...

Mercy tossed her head forward, starting to walk away from the large man. If he didn't want to hunt, so be it she would leave. But if he wanted a little fun... well who was she to turn it down? Mercy found herself not wanting to leave this hunky man's side, and the strange feelings that he brought up within her.

Pushing the problematic carcass aside he continued to lick his jaws clean of crimson stains, watching the doe as she approached him, he rigidly gathered his musculature into a stance of sorts, growing himself larger as if it were a silent warning to stay her distance.. He was still angry, and he was still sour. With a hearty sigh he licked away the last bit of blood gleaming on the bull ring in his moist nostrils. He blinked as she spoke, her words stinging his ears with as much truth as they did slight annoyance. Golden optics pierced heavily at the coy doe, observing her features as they played against the winds that stirred up against them both where they stood. Her velvet ivory figure seeming to feel as though she was ready to dance kicked up and her ego filled the air with it's own profuse aroma. With a light smirk the brute finally spoke out at her, "I wouldn't on a normal basis." He allowed his thunderous vocals to slip from his throat with a heaviness, but filled to the brim with truth. His optics and expression fell stoic and his gaze pierced the doe as his stomach seemed to turn and toss with an eternal hunger. She was right, it was difficult for him if that said prey was rather quick and uninjured in some way. But with this doe... Hmmm.. His mind began to twist and turn and he felt her idea pass through his thoughts. It took him a moment as she began to step away from him playfully before speaking out. "What did you have in mind, exactly?" His words were still quiet, deep and thunderous in tone. "Speech" Thoughts