There was no end to the responsibility lately. She was Reaper, which was something that she had worked hard for. Something that she wanted. Now she was leading the Armada while her father was away. That wasn't something that she wanted. Asla was still young. She wouldn't have chosen to accept so much responsibility, but in the end, someone had to do it. There were times though where even she had to get away and breathe. The night was one of the warmest they'd had so far this year and Aslatiel was taking full advantage. Most of the pack had bedded down for the evening and so she felt comfortable enough to take a little trip away to the plain by the sea. She lay upon the edge of the big stone slab, her paws hanging over the side, and stared out and the undulating grey waves. Up above the moon was bright. It illuminated the land, casting a silver glow upon the clinging snow. A thick sadness crept up within the young woman. She had never felt more alone. All of her brothers were gone. She had watched Indigo leave for the Hallows a few days prior. Their time together had been bittersweet. Her father was so wracked with grief that he was losing his mind. Her grandmother was slowly being eaten by a disease. Could things get any worse? Aslatiel, who had done her damndest to be strong through all of this, laid her head down on the edge of the stone slab... and cried. "Speech"

Despite the fact he had gotten into the habit of avoiding Asla he knew now more than ever had to make himself avalible to her. Winter was finally, slowly loosening it's grip and he had a mind to try and get an early start on making the ground he'd been given to cultivate workable again... but before that he had an obligation he couldn't ignore anymore.

Asla.

He'd left Hoa to sort through what was left of their stores and try to figure out what they had that could be used to try and plant and had set about seeking out the reaper by himself. He's paused every now and again to check in on the wolves who were turning in for the night. It had been odd at first, adjusting his schedule to be active during daylight hours, his clan had always been night dwellers and he'd been forced to be so as well while living in Ashen. But he'd adapted to it well enough and he enjoyed being out under the sun anyways. Asla's trail would lead him towards the ocean, the last place they'd talked properly. He searched the grass for her, finding her curled up on the edge of a stone slab. He adjusted his course to approach her, his steps faltering as he got closer and became aware something was wrong.

"Asla?" He asked, tone soft and concerned, he was standing pretty close, close enough that it probably wasn't polite but much as he suddenly wanted to scoop her up and curl himself around her the young man was too much a gentleman... he was well aware she was proud and the last thing he wanted was for her to shut down upon being discovered like this. If she so desired he would turn tail and pretend he'd never seen anything.

Speech

Art by Rivaah

"Aslatiel Fatalis" So engulfed was the young Fatalis in her grief that she didn't hear Mojito approach until his soft, concerned tones met her ears. Asla's initial reaction was to flinch. She was supposed to be strong. A leader couldn't be seen like this. Couldn't show such weakness to those that were supposed to look up to her for guidance. On top of her grief, Aslatiel was in her first heat and the hormones were making her emotions intense and unpredictable. When she turned and looked upon her friend, purple eyes swimming with tears, she simply couldn't help herself. She needed him. Mojito was so very close. Close enough to reach out and touch, which she did. Curling her body to the side, Asla pressed her forehead against the mans soft white chest. She trusted him to comfort her. He'd always been so caring and sweet towards her. Surely he wouldn't deny her. Tears flowed and her voice, unusually soft, quivered with grief. "Mojito, I..." The small woman sniffled and shook her head lightly, not able to finish her statement. What could she even say? Aslatiel needed to release all of the pent up negativity. She simply didn't know how. What would make her feel better? She couldn't even feel bad for pulling Mojito into her grief. Had it been anyone but him, she would have pushed them away and sucked it up. But Mo, he was so easy to be around. She didn't feel shame letting him see this emotion.

Mojito frowned as he watched her flinch away, he took a single slight step back, suddenly very aware of how much he was pushing into her space, but then her demeanor shifted and there would be no resistance as she pulled herself into him, her face burrowing into his chest. Mojito sighed, not resigned or angry just a realization, and settled himself onto his haunches, fishing a forelimb out to pull her into him, his head tipping down to nose at what little of her skull wasn't burried in his own fur. She spoke but seemed unable to finish her sentence and the young man leaned into her slightly.

"Take your time." He reassured her softly. "You know I'll be here." But did she? There was a guilt gnawing at him for how distant he'd been lately... and yet as he said it he knew he meant it. Maybe it was the high emotions, or the alluring scent she carried or both but despite himself and despite the walls he'd spent so long building to protect himself... protect his heart he found himself gently caressing the top of her head, showering her in tiny kisses.



Speech

Art by Rivaah

"Aslatiel Fatalis" Mojito accepted her touch, thankfully. He went so far as to scoop her against him and Asla willingly plastered herself against the long, soft fur of the man. He held her, placing soothing, comforting kisses across her crown as her tears wet the fur of his chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered once she was a little cried out. "It was the first time that I've been able to be alone and think. It all caught up to me." Eventually she peeled herself away from him enough so that swirling purple eyes, red rimmed and watery, could meet pale blue. "Thanks, Mo." Rising up, she placed a kiss upon his cheek before sliding her own scarred flesh against his pale fur. Her nose touched one of his lovely, floppy ears and a soft laugh escaped the woman. "I've always loved your ears, you know." In the onslaught of hormones and emotions, Asla's inhibitions were next to nil. She kissed one of his silken ears. "I find myself comparing other ears to yours." No one could really compare. Not even her beloved Indigo. Mojito, without a doubt, had the best, softest ears that she'd ever had the pleasure of seeing and touching. Sorrow was turning into something else. Emotions were running rampant and Asla was just along for the ride. Asla's own grey ears perked, her brows pulling together slightly. Breathily, she spoke, her words tinged with both hope and apprehension. "Could I kiss you, Mojito?" It felt right. And if it felt right, she was ready to go with it.

Asla appolgoized and Mojito couldn't help but chuckle softly and shake his head. "You don't need to appologize." He said between kisses. "I'd be more concerned if you didn't feel anything, besides crying can be how we processing things." She'd been served a poor hand afterall, as far as her father was concerned her mother and brother were dead and while Mojito couldn't identify the scraps of the remains positively he had to assume there was a reason the warlord thought so. It probably also didn't help that her father was clearly taking the loss hard, and his behaviour was concerning to say the least.

She pulled away slightly and he met her red, wet gaze, his own expression soft and clearly full of all the affection he'd been holding back for her. He couldn't hide it now. He didn't try to stop her as she placed a kiss on his cheek, his eyes just sliding closed and despite every part of him that knew he was letting himself slide back into something that wasn't sustainable he wasn't in a state to stop it. She was almost uniquely irresistible here and now. He chuckled again as she commented on his ears, pale blues just barely sliding open. "I used to hate them." He admitted, his tone soft, the pain from all the rejection he'd felt as a child was but a distant memory not even hinted at in his voice, it felt like a lifetime ago, though he still carried that word with him in the back of his mind. Dog. "My family were jerks and anything that made me different was wrong in their eyes, but you helped me to realize that they were wrong." It was in the end this fact that had made him so infatuated with her in the first place.

The next thing she did would have laid him out flat just under a year ago, but now he felt his stomach twist, distinctly different from the nervous fluttering he once would have expected this question to generate in him... and yet, holding her like this, with her scent so deep in his nostrils he knew that no matter how bad of an idea it was... he would not be able to deny her. But neither could he say the words, they seemed to catch in his throat. He simply nodded, eyes sliding closed again and he squeezed her against him, finally allowing himself the thing he'd been doing his best to deny himself since he'd come to the Armada.



Speech

Art by Rivaah

"Aslatiel Fatalis" As Mo spoke of his family making him feel like less because of his ears, Asla wrinkled her nose. How dare they? Mojito was perfection. His ears were perfection. To emphasize this, she gave them another gentle caress. She didn't really feel anything for the Kleins. No sense of loyalty like her father felt. They'd done nothing to make her feel loyal to them. Hell, she didn't feel much loyalty to anyone. She did feel a sense of loyalty to the monochromatic man before her though. In her own way, anyway. Had anyone bad mouthed him in front of her, she'd have fought them straight out. It didn't matter who they were. Her request to kiss him seemed to strike the man mute. He merely nodded and pulled her more tightly against him. Asla took the green light and ran with it. The young fae brushed her lips across his, gently at first as thought she might break him. Perhaps she was still giving him the opportunity to run from her. He'd been trying so hard to distance himself from her that she almost felt bad to reel him back in. They were adults though. They could do these things as often as they wished now. He may have wanted something different, but she still wanted him. Asla released a shaky, breathy sigh before giving him one final kiss, this one longer, deeper, one paw raised to rest upon a white furred cheek. Things clenched low in her body and the cream and grey fae pulled back slightly. "I want you, Mojito," she practically purred, though there was vulnerability in her tones. There was a very good chance that he would reject her and she didn't know if she was ready for that. "If you don't want me...take your chance and run." Eyes that had formerly been filled with sadness now teemed with liquid hot lust. "If you do want me...then don't hold back."

This post is rated M for adult activities!

Mojito had already decided to surrender himself to her, allowing himself to drown in his desire. It was in a sense, he knew unhealthy but gods he wanted her. Wanted her so much. He wasn't aware of himself so much anymore, his instincts taking over as she kissed him, practically melting into her each time. It was over all to quickly and without thinking he tensed the forelimb wrapped around her keeping her pressed close to him, a soft half whine half growl the only sound out of his lips before she spoke again.

It was ludicrous to think he didn't want her. He dipped his head slightly, seeking to rest the crown of his skull on her own. His voice barely above a whisper, the most he could muster under the intoxicating mixture of her affection and her scent. "I've always wanted you." It was true, it had always been true even when he'd been avoiding her.

He would push against her slightly, testing to see if she'd allow him to direct her, knowing full well if she wanted he'd become putty in her paws if she so wished. He was aware that she was probably more experienced than himself but in that moment it didn't bring with it the usual feeling of jealousy, just something that seemed more like fact.

-fade-


Speech

Art by Rivaah

"Aslatiel Fatalis" The moment that their lips touched, Mojito seemed to change. The formerly docile and good natured man stepped up and showed a little forcefulness. Gods, did she like it! He refused to release her and even released a low growl mixed with a whine. Aslatiel smiled through a soft laugh. Who was this man? Their foreheads touched and Asla close her eyes. Here, with Mojito like this, she could almost be happy. Almost be content. It was different with him. The floppy eared man was her oldest friend. She loved him, in a way. Even if this was their last time together, she would always hold him in the highest esteem. Aslatiel wrapped her forelegs about his neck and held him just as closely as he held her. His soft words brought pain, like a fist around her heart but the lust surging within her powered through. "I've always wanted you. From the very first moment that I saw those ears." She remembered how small they'd once been. He'd told her that she was pretty and she had been smitten from that day forward. At his prompting, Aslatiel moved her body, allowing him to position her however he wished. Tonight, she belonged to him. Though she was prepared and willing to make love to Mojito all night, there was a feeling hanging over them. A feeling as though this was also a final goodbye. Later... she would worry about that later. For now... She called out his name. -Fade-