Walk | Talk | Think   Winter had slipped in quietly, almost undetectable, within that first month. With the pack finally starting to get its paws underneath it and a good portion of his attention needed to ensure that those who wished to step up were actually doing so, Rune had been rather preoccupied with duty and responsibility. Even the children he felt he was neglecting in his need to keep everything functioning smoothly, but he felt even worse when considering Alamea. She was always the smiling face that was right beside him, a small yet sturdy support for him to lean against and build around. Maybe, he hoped, when the new duties were all settled among their respective leaders, he would have more time for her too.  But special time had to be taken for her now. They shared a den so it was impossible for him not to know, but winter brought with it other spectacular things aside from snow and ice. The both of them were a year older, a year wiser, and a year further on with their lives. Their children were nearing on their second birthdays, close to being full fledged adults themselves, and in its own way it made him feel older than his age. Two-year-olds. His children were almost two! It hardly felt possible that he was only four, just barely twice their age, and it made him wonder how his little mate was taking it...and whether her thoughts were starting to run parallel to his own.  He sought her out quietly, silently, no call or question given. She had to be around here somewhere, he assumed, as he scoped out the thick forests surrounding the pack's densite, not only looking through the trees but up among their boughs as well. If he could find Elliot he would be liable to find Alamea as well. But neither were here presently, and the snowy white wolf with the spring pink eyes was still nowhere to be found. Determined, puzzling over in his mind, Rune changed course and set off for the densite proper, intending to try and track her scent from their den to wherever she happened to be now.

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Winter struck like a sudden storm, just as it always did. But maybe that was just her. To the rest of the world it had started mild and unassuming but for Alamea she was suddenly confronted with yet another year of her life gone by and the usual attack of her heat. When once it had made her anxious and want to hide herself away now it brought with it a sort of bliss she couldn’t describe. She was a year older, and her children were nearly adults in their own rights. Her body was screaming at her to submit to her baser urge. She wanted more children yes, but she knew better than to ask. Rune was so busy, and she too had duties she had to provide to the pack that it seemed almost selfish to ask, children would only take them further away from where they were needed right now and so she’d keep her need under close wraps. Humming contentedly to herself, the huddled golden form of her friend nestled in his usual spot between her shoulder blades. She didn’t often take to wandering the deep part of the forest here, but something about how she was feeling today made her want to wander. Slowly winding its way towards her was the scent of her mate, carried by a lazy winter wind and it set her whole body on fire. The snowy woman stopped, turning suddenly to face the direction of Rune’s scent, a crooked grin upon her face. She held herself with a sort of playful ease that normally didn’t grace her small figure and yet her heat did funny things to her. Elliot sensing the change in her took to the air, flapping lazily off to find a place to sleep for while without disrupting the pair.     Talk like this

Walk | Talk | Think   She was ahead of him, but rather than her scent be drawn to him it was the other way around. Unbeknownst to him, she was prepared for his arrival, awaiting the moment he would come upon her, and oblivious Rune continued to pad about with his frosty blue eyes scanning both around him and skyward on the off chance Elliot happened to be nearby. Only once did he think he saw a glimpse of the bat as it artfully maneuvered through the thick canopy of the Gulley's trees, but it was quickly ignored as the one he sought finally materialized before him.  The white of her coat contrasted with the heavy colors of the forest, though the brightness of her pink eyes appeared perfectly at home. Immediately at the sight of her, Rune smiled, a rare show happiness for the stoic man, and the whole of him seemed to focus his attention upon her. There was no point in pretending to keep a cover as he was sure her gaze had already spotted him too, and so he only hurried his pace, weaving between tree and shrub at a lope until he was practically upon her.  Quickly he stopped at her side, wrapping his neck around her own as much to show affection as it was to make sure he did not barrel her over with his exuberance. His nose pressed eagerly into the soft fur there, his eyes closing in a moment of indulgence. The scent that so often assaulted him within the confines of their den felt strangely more intense now, which he thought funny considering they were in the open but at the same time it hardly mattered. Rune sighed heavily into her fur, still grinning an uncharacteristically bright grin. "I found you," he stated unnecessarily, lifting his head enough to lick across the back of one of her ears. "I'm glad I did too. I had something to ask you."

His form appeared from the forest, her grin only growing bigger as he too smiled. Her mate picked up his pace weaving between obstacles till he was pounding towards her side. She leaned into his embrace, head tucking to his chest and her nose burring within his fur. For a brief moment they both stayed silent, each closing eyes and drinking in the other’s scent and presence. Briefly she wondered if he was as electrified as she felt, the smells clinging to his fur feeling like they were stronger than ever before and setting the whole of her body on fire. He pulled back ever so slightly, speaking and breaking the silence. His tongue lashed between her ears. He spoke of a question and she giggled briefly a thrill of excitement rushing through her. What was it that had gotten her big strong brute so excited? “And what would that be?” She asked, a playful tone weaving into her voice.      Talk like this

Walk | Talk | Think   It always surprised him how magnetic his little mate was, how easily she could draw him to her, draw him out, make the hard Guardian's exterior that he wore slip away so that he could simply be himself and bask in her warmth, her understanding, her acceptance. She was sweet, soft, soothing: everything that he was not. And though it was in a way a danger, something so fragile and delicate that he felt the need to protect her constantly from harm, he could not imagine his life without her and what she brought to it. And maybe, if her own eager presses back into him where any indication, they would be able to bring more to their lives soon.  There was a general sense of play, of fun, between them presently, and while he enjoyed the feel of it, something that he so rarely got to partake in and actually feel comfortable about it, he understood what he wished to ask was rather serious. His tone, when he spoke, reflected it, quieting, sobering, though he continued to stay pressed to Alamea, nuzzling his muzzle affectionately against hers. "I've been giving it some thought," he stated, "and wanted to ask if I could take your last name."  His frosty blue eyes searched her face, desperate to gauge her reaction and whether the thought had ever crossed her mind before. It had never lingered overmuch on his until their children had started growing older, identifying with it more, and he being the only one of their family who lacked it. He had never been given one in his lifetime, had never really cared, until now. And with thoughts of more pups on the way...he wanted their family to be as united as possible.  "Each of the kids have it. You have it," he explained, trying to hurriedly back up his request before she would speak. "I'm the only one who doesn't. And...if there's more," he added, hinting then about the future, about more children if she was ready to entertain the thought, "I think we should all share it." It was not how he had intended to ask, bombarding her with both requests at once, but the timing felt right. All of it felt right. Their pack was steady, even if small, the kids were currently on their way to being fully fledged adults, and her season was here. He just hoped he was reading her right, and not simply speaking from his own wants.

((This post is rated M for Alamea's suggestive internal monologues and dialogue.))

A part of her wanted to hold her breath, to give into the idea that her mate’s question might be bad. But the logical less emotional side of her was wining out. What could he possibly have to ask her that would be bad? Not that something couldn’t have come up but she knew him and despite the solemn look he had adopted his own previous affection was enough to calm her nerves. Her last name? It wasn’t that it hadn’t occurred to her, after all the kids had all taken her name but a part of her had just assumed there was a reason for him not to… Which was alright with her since it had never been discussed anyways. Despite that she fixed him with a happy stare. He would offer reasoning and she giggled shaking her head. “You asking was all the reason I needed.” She teased. “Yes… Yes!” She pushed into her mate, her husband, again. For a moment allowing the news to sink in, they were mates, had already dedicated their lives to each other and their growing family. But this? This felt like something more, even if it was just a confirmation that they belonged to each other. Pulling back she gazed up at him with heavily lidded eyes. “Since we are now officially married, tradition states we consummate.” She couldn’t remember ever wanting him so badly. -Fade to black- Talk like this

Walk | Talk | Think Her answer was almost immediate, following his question with a giggle. And he could hardly believe that she had given it. Yes. He was officially going to carry the name the rest of his family carried. He was going to officially be a Kaname now, just like his children. Just like his mate. She pressed strongly against him, and for a second all he could do was stare dumbstruck, not quite believing his luck, before he grinned outright and pressed his face down into her neck. Their relationship was all the more official now, and he could not have been happier. His grin only grew as Alamea boldly made a suggestion for them, something that he should have seen coming but was still not altogether surprised over. "I do believe you're right," he answered in agreement, kissing her cheek, her neck, her shoulder, as he moved alongside her, over her. "Let's not break from tradition." -Fade-