~*~ It was black as pitch both inside and outside the pack cave. Winter had come, and with it the clouds of great northern storms, just waiting to break and pour out their snow and ice onto a world already saturated with white. Of course, it didn't look white by night, it looked more like a mound of black feathers against the shale of forests. The mountains and sky melded together, too dark to be seen save by night visions outlines seen only by keen eyed wolves. Across this land, nothing seemed to move, and with the snow on sky and land, sound was terribly muffled. There was a form moving against the deeper blackness, a towering, silent form, who's brush of paws against stone made an echo in the great pack cave, yet it was so quiet that it was covered over by the breathing of all the other wolves, blissfully unaware and wrapped in sleep. It was to one of these forms in particularly that the great shadow moved. A small, fluffy creature, surrounded by a trio of little dreaming darlings. Pitch black night, nigh on total silence, a sleeping fae lying prone, a monstrous lupine shade. In another tale, in another version, this wouldn't have ended well. But this wanderer in the night, was Gargoyle, and the one he moved towards was Ocena, his darling mate. Rather than danger, it was a lover who draped his nose down and brushed it tenderly over the fae's ear. She was so lovely like this, it was almost against his heart to wake her. Another night, he would've been more than happy to lay down and curl his giant frame round her like a safety blanket. But this night he had plans. So, after a loving lick on the top of her ebonine skull, he murmured in as soft a voice as he could manage, "Ocena..." Another lick. "Ocena, wake up, darling." His rumble came out in a tone far more soft and gentle than any other pack mate had a right to here. "I have something I want to show you." In the dark, his face was nearly impossible to see, but they'd been mated long enough, if anyone could detect the hint of excitement and wonder in his usually monotone voice, it'd be her. ~*~

When sleep had finally claimed her pups, Ocena curled up and dozed off as well, letting her worries and stresses float away on a sea of dreams. She put away all of that and let sleep claim her. Tension melted from her tiny frame as she dozed off, and began to dream. In her dream, Gargoyle came to her, picking his way past their pups and nudging her gently. "Ocena, wake up, darling." His comforting voice rumbled through her thoughts, but as the nudging continued Ocena found herself crawling towards wakefullness. Only to be thoroughly confused as she processed what was happening. Gargoyle really was trying to wake her up, it seemed. A massive yawn escaped the female as she got carefully to her paws, picking her way over the sleeping forms of her children. Another yawn escaped the female and then she turned mismatched eyes on the bulky form of Gargoyle. "Yes, love?" Ocena managed to form the words around the yawn, pricking her ears in his direction as she examined him. In the darkness, it was almost impossible to tell, but unless she was far off the mark, he was excited about something. It had to be pretty interesting for him to be willing to drag her away from her children in the middle of the night, she was sure. With that in mind, Ocena nuzzled herself against the bulky form of Gargoyle, inhaling his scent with a bliss filled sigh. Whatever it was, it would be worth it. She had wanted some time just for them for a while now, and here it seemed to have arrived. God, she loved him. Speech

~*~ As his mate rose, Gargoyle sound the touch of her cheek with his nose. He wanted to draw her close to share the air she breathed and positively refused to face the night beyond until his Ocena was at his side. Perhaps, perceiving this, the she-wolf had not taken but a step from her children before she was pressing against him in the blackness. At the first interplay of their fur, Gargoyle was taken by the same tingle, the same spark, that he had felt nigh a hundred times before ? during their chance meetings in old Glaciem, during the long migration when he had guarded her, and at the camp at Sparse Pines where he?d first admitted his feelings?. even on down to the day he?d asked her to be his mate. But wolves were fools if they thought that the romance ended there. Gargoyle had known his parents only in their twilight years, but for them the adventure and the bond had never stopped. By the powers ? his father had gone mad at one point and forgotten all, but his mother, with the pups still nursing at her side, had once more won his heart and returned his mind. They?d traveled together for years and been lifemates who?d raised huge litters and an adopted niece on the side. Gargoyle had come to believe that his and Ocena?s could be a love just as lasting. He would not have asked her to bear his pups had he not thought so in the first place, and yet, what a change he was even now. He?d thought he knew what it was to love, but now, now that he was both mate and father, the word took upon itself a far greater depth. Perhaps their own love had taken a greater depth. Gargoyle knew that they were not the only ones awake at this hour of the night. He had spoken with Crusade before, and even now could see the slightest glimmer of movement from the ivory fae where she rested with Cifer and their large family. She would keep an eye upon the pups while the parents had their fun. But, not wanting to wake another soul, Gargoyle led the way across the cave floor and out into the dark snowfolds beyond. The winds were changing, rearranging places, back and forth, first from the south, then from the north in a battle to see which would lay siege to the land on the following day. But in the midst of their bellows, the sky above was beginning to clear. First one glimmer star, and then another peaked out from behind the shreds of cloud too dark to be seen against the inky sky. Gargoyle sniffed the winds, mentally nodding off that the timing was right. With a turn of his head he began climbing the side of the mountain, coming about on stoney, snowy trails up over the pack lair and on through the pines. Now that they were out of the echoing cave, the Chief made free to say: ?As of late, my dearest, we have not had enough time to simply be ourselves together.? His giant?s nose sought to plant another wolf kiss above her nearest eye ? seemed he just couldn?t keep away from her ? but he kept speaking as he did so, ?Well tonight I wish to fix this. I look out for so many wolves, Ocena, but I cannot bear to think that you might begin to feel...? he searched for the word, his ears pinning ?-well- left out! Or some other such nonsense.? The brute was matching his step to hers, in order that their sides might never part. Funny, he could be such a one-track soldier and captain when he wished, but when the mood for his mate?s eyes took him, he did not want to be even a hair?s breadth from her. ?Ah, I know, I am being silly perhaps, but you must know that, even when I am on my long patrols and hunts, my mind turns constantly to you and the pups. Every hour I am away seems a day.? The male let fall a sigh. It was rare for him to be so open as this. There were probably a few even in his pack that would hear their jaws hit the floor to see such proof of emotion from their stoic, stoney leader. But Ocena was his mate, she alone had glimpse into every part of him. Into his soul. ~*~

In the silence, perfection could be found. Well, it was perfection to Ocena at least. Maybe this wouldn't have meant the same thing to some wolves, and who was Ocena to judge? But this, right here, their bodies pressed together, breaths intermingling, was heaven, to Ocena. If they never moved, if they never remembered the pups that slept on peacefully beneath the watchful gaze of Crusade, then that was all right with her. She could stay like this forever. It was something she'd missed, as the pups began to dominate her life. Just sitting like this, with Gargoyle at her side and love in their hearts. Their movements were soft and careful, a silent escape to another realm, one of ice and snow and stark beauty and harsh contrasts. Even in the darkness, even with one blind eye, Ocena felt absolutely safe. Gargoyle would not allow anything to happen to her, and she knew that she would fight her best to make sure that nothing happened to him. She trusted him, trusted his strength and surety as they climbed upwards, making their careful and silent way up the side of the mountain, climbing towards a place that only Gargoyle knew. Trusting him implicitly, however, meant that Ocena was content to follow, each pawstep careful and ginger as they made their way along. Gargoyle's words were strangely loud in the silence of their icy realm, but they were beautiful all the same. As he pressed a kiss against her eye, Ocena butted her head against his, inhaling his scent and feeling a moment's sheer bliss as he continued to speak. "Gargoyle," The name rolled off her tongue with a loving note to it, "I know that you're busy. And I don't blame you for that," She nudged her shoulder against his bulk lightly, playfully, "And believe me, I don't feel left out. Your children are quite the pawful." The teasing note in her voice faded as she continued, becoming more serious. "When you are away, I miss you, of course. It's like a part of me is missing. But I understand the necessity of it, and I love you." There was something nice about saying something like that out loud. To admit that she missed him, sometimes, when he was away on his bear hunts and accepting wolves and all of that. They were necessary duties for a pack leader, but she missed him while he was doing them. Dainty paws carried Ocena a little closer to the massive male, a difficult feat considering they were already touching, and a sigh escaped her. This, right here, was heaven. "I love you." Ocena repeated it again, tilting her head back to smile at Gargoyle. She could still remember their first meeting, how he had been so shocked that she was willing to attempt to join a pack of which she knew nothing. She could remember, in the aftermath of the volcanic eruption, the way that Gargoyle had protected the half blind female, guiding her away from the rubble and leading her to safety. The memories began to blur together after that, but he had always been there for her. She had loved him for what felt like her entire life. Maybe her life hadn't begun until she met him. Speech

~*~ (ooc: as per Gargoyle?s usual method, there?s a bit of cute powerplay in here ;3 just lemme know if you want anything changed) She nudged his shoulder playfully, she teased him about ?his? children; she was so understanding. But why was he surprised? He knew he?d chosen an angel for a mate. Every so often the thought struck him like a stone. He?d wonder how in the world he, in all his coarseness, had ever been able to love. Not to mention how she had ever learned to love him back. Life was full of mysteries, wasn?t it? And this was a happy one. Gargoyle didn?t care if he never found out the answer, so long as he had the proof. As Ocena?s tone grew sincere and serious, he perked ears . They were so close now that it was hard to make out her expressions ? he was just too tall! Sometimes all he saw were her cute little ears with the white fluff coming out of them. She had to tip up her chin in order for him to see those lovely eyes. But the thing was, they were really a truly a couple. So much came by instinct now. Gargoyle could read her heart from the tone of her voice, and she, well her words were proof that she didn?t even have to hear his voice to know that he loved her and was thinking of her. Lifemates. It was that simple. He was starting to fawn over her again, nosing her ear tips (which some wolves probably would?ve just found annoying), pressing his fur close against his. If they were any closer they?d be one wolf. It was a rare treat for them to have this sort of quality time alone, and it was bringing out the lover in the northern Chief. The warmth between the two could've easily melted the snow neath their paws if they'd staid in one spot. Good thing they kept moving, striding through the evergreens towards the clear ridges of mountain stone above. But in all honesty, Gargoyle had started to loose track of where they were going. The destination became less important, the longer he walked with Ocena. Intoxicating wasn't the right word; it implied a haze of mind or judgement. Gargoyle knew exactly what he was doing, and what he wanted. He wanted to love his mate. But this wasn?t Ocena?s season of heat. Spring was the time for families and pups, not winter. Besides, there were plenty of other ways to show intimacy. Such as this: Gargoyle, with a playful, chuffing growl, suddenly ducked down, his belly brushing and sliding along the snow as he snaked a head and foreleg under Ocena. When he straightened up, his mate was on his back, her torso resting upon his hulking shoulders. He?d carried far larger wolves than her for plenty of miles, little Ocena was nothing to him. He shrugged and wriggled to make sure she was comfortable. And then, looking over his shoulder, he let his eyes beam out his smile. ?I love you too,? he rumbled quietly. Then he picked up the pace, carrying his bundle along through the last of the pine boughs and out onto one of the edges of the mountain. The clouds had rolled back and the stars shone out as bright as diamonds. There were places where distant billions of them gathering together forming roads across the sky. The Milky Way, or the "Wolf's Road" as some Native American tribes had dubbed it. Fitting. But even the grandour of that black canvas, wasn't what Garogyle had brought Ocena out for. "Just a moment more..." murmured Gargoyle. It was hours past nightfall, he could've figure out why they weren't showing yet. And then came the blaze of color! Greens, blues, golds, lavenders, they all danced across the sky in a twirling, churning ribbon. It was like the miracle of lightning slowed down and enlarged, waving up above them with the color of angel's wings. It lit up the sky, it painted the snow. What was a few minutes ago pitch black, was now aglow with heavenly color. It made every flake upon the pine trees shimmer, it made the snow gleam, sending out ripples of soft, iridescent light like ripples. "This is what I wanted to show you," murmured Gargoyle, his breath sending out a puff of cloud. ~*~