Rogue was not a happy camper by any stretch of the imagination. Where once he had been a proud prince of the most noble and regal pack in all the world, now it had all gone to ash. His usurper uncle had forsaken his title, abandoned their lands and disbanded Ashen. It had been a horrific and (in Rogue's humble opinion) treasonous move. How dare he destroy everything his mother had worked to put together! And now their whole family was fractured, Kleins scattered across every corner of Ardent like beggars and vagabonds! Rogue had wanted to kill Chimera in that moment the announcement was made, and maybe he still would. The thought of sinking his claws through the treacherous snake's throat brought him a deep primal glee as he imagined exacting vengeance for his family—for himself...

But Rogue had been a good boy and behaved during the dissolving of his home. He'd stayed by his parents' sides as they watched their world disappear. He stayed by them as they moved what remained of the Kleins across the continent to their allies in Elysium. Even when his sister had gone her own way, Rogue chose to stay for now, if for no other reason than he had no idea what the fuck to do otherwise. Feeling so helpless, so lost in this limbo state, it pissed him off. Chimera didn't deserve to wear the name Klein after his shameful display as a leader. Hopefully his illness would claim him this time, slowly and painfully. That would be sweet, sweet karmic justice...

While the rest of Ashen's remnants got settled in, Rogue chose to keep to himself, moody and brooding out by the outermost lake of the pack. Being away from the masses on the island allowed him to stew in his own misery. He was a prince in title no more, only in memory and name. Fuck it, there were still plenty in these lands that recognized the reverence of the name Klein. He'd still introduce himself as a prince. Maybe some ladies would want to mingle with his royal bloodline. Hell, with no more formal ties to a pack and no more expectations to behave or conduct himself, maybe he'd just go off and be a playboy like his father had done in his youth. The thoughts swam about in his muddied brain while the giant wolf lounged out by the lake, enjoying the autumnal sunset as it slowly drifted into the violets and blues of early twilight.

"Rogue Klein"

As Nimue walked beneath a twilight canopy of fading light, there is a soft, ember glow illuminating across the horizon. The sun is quickly falling in the west, creating a canvas of pastel hues, helping guide her way through the unfamiliar domain. In truth, this is the first time she’s really explored the territories of Elysium; she’d been out in the neutral areas, listening to that girl’s incessant lectures on resilience and shit. Bleh. Thinking back to how much time she’d wasted listening to her, made her want to gag; even if she learned a thing or two.

At least listening to the girl made her feel something - even if it was annoyance. The whole, Chimera falling ill and abandoning his pack thing? She didn’t know how to feel about that. It was a challenging situation, one she could have taken advantage of and slipped through the cracks, vanishing forever. But Nimue’s resolve was stronger than that. She wanted to earn her freedom, to show Chimera she was more than the scavenging girl he’d claimed at his borders. Oh yeah, Chimera. She still didn’t know him very well, and she’d heard a lot of rumors about the male. But regardless of whatever wolves whispered about him, he was sick. The realization brought on a wave of sadness, and also, a flicker of anger. She resented him for being so weak. And that anger continued to burn beneath the surface, adding to her frustration and indignation at the unfairness of it all. If he died, what was she supposed to do? How could she move forward from this unsurmountable obstacle?

She’s suppressed her emotions until now, but like most things, they’d bottled up and welled uncontrollably in her mind- all-consuming and paralyzing, as she considered how to navigate it all. Hell, she’d almost walked right past the lake, which was starting to glow with tiny flickers of luminesces, dotting the air like scattered stars. The flickering caught her attention, clearing her mind of thought as she stopped to look. She’d never seen anything like it before; an ethereal glow illuminating against the twilight background, pulsating in harmony and reflecting off the stillness of the lake.

Oh. She wasn’t the only one around either. Rogue. She hadn’t talked to him since their fight on the beach, but she’d seen him in passing during the move to Elysium. Damn, he looked pissed. There was a palpable tension resonating from him, a hardened expression contorting those playboy features. For a while, Nimue observed him from the underbrush; debating on whether she should approach, or leave him be. The sun had vanished below the horizon in the west, their main source of light being the tiny creatures dancing near the water’s edge, and the cosmic canvas of a clear, autumn night sky.

Ultimately, she decided to approach him. Maybe fucking with him could be fun.

She’d emerge from the underbrush, moving forward with calculated steps, using the sand to conceal the sound of her paw steps. Coming up beside him, she wants to surprise him with her sudden appearance, She looks over at him, her amethyst eyes gleaming in the dim lighting. He looked like he was brooding too. “What’s that look for?”  She says, cocking her head slightly as she peers at him, asking a rhetorical question for the hell of it. “I could wipe it off your face if you ask nicely.” Her tail flicks behind her, her chest puffing slightly as she takes on a slightly dominant stance. Nimue isn’t a feelsy type of girl; she wasn’t going to let this dude cry in the plush fur along her breasts while he complained about all of his issues. But if he wanted to clash some teeth and claw at each other, she could get down with that.  

"Nimue Vasanti"

Rogue had been intending to brood and sulk alone, hence why he had purposefully taken himself away from the rest of the group on the main island, but it seemed like even that wish would go unfulfilled for him. The familiar voice suddenly at his side catches him by surprise with a bit of a start, and as sunset amethyst eyes turned to spy his unexpected (and mostly unwanted) company, he was surprised to find Nimue there, the small girl's dark form almost entirely obscured in the dimming twilight. Fucking hell, where had she come from?! He scrutinizes her with a shocked stare for a moment, their almost matching eyes locked while the pair of wolves seemed to study one another. What was she doing here? Wasn't his day already going bad enough? Now fate wanted to throw a tiny homicidal psychopath at him? Who had he pissed on in a past life to deserve this?

Nimue asked what the look on his face was for—and then so graciously offered to smack it off for him. Rogue scoffed, the corner of his mouth curling up in a slightly amused smirk. "What, you feel like cutting up your paws again?" he remarked in sarcastic tones, shaking his head as he looked away from her back over the twilit lake as fireflies danced over its glossy surface in the autumnal evening. "Don't go pretending like you actually give a shit what's on my mind—or offering what you can't take." Last time had been a matter of self defense. Nimue had ambushed him on the beach and he was protecting himself. This time, Rogue was pissed and looking to lash out. If she wanted to make herself that outlet for his anger and frustration, he wouldn't be holding back. If he hurt her... well, she'd literally been asking for it.

And on that note... "Why are you still here anyway?" Rogue's brow furrowed as he turned an inquisitive look down at Nimue. "Ashen's gone, Chimera's pretty much dead, you could be free to go wherever the hell you want." So why was she choosing to stick around with them?

"Rogue Klein"

As expected, Rogue didn’t appreciate her intrusion of his brooding alone time. The look on his face was confirmation enough; the way he glared at her with those piercing amethyst eyes, his lips drawn into a tight line and the tension between them thick with unspoken emotion. She knew he was ready to lash out, she could feel it in the air; that thick, palpable tension that was mixed with frustration and disapproval, as he was undoubtedly upset about the loss of Ashen.

Of course, her intrusion wasn’t the only catalyst - Rogue had his reasons for brooding all alone next to the lake - but because he was scrutinizing her so openly, she took offense to it.

But he scoffed, outwardly amused by her suggestion, smirking at her and asking if she wanted to get cut again. Memories of his sharp quills pricking her paw came to mind, the bitter reminder of her loss bubbling up from her belly, leaving a nasty taste in her mouth. Someday soon, she would redeem herself against him, now that she was better prepared and knew what she was up against. Stay away from the quills and the claws.

“What, don’t feel like getting bit again?” She’d retort, pulling her lips back into a smirk that revealed her small, needle-like teeth. They gleamed in the low lighting, creating a mesmerizing yet eerie sight, as they were cast across a backdrop of dark, inky lips. “Maybe I do, maybe I don’t.” Another retort, but this time, there was a sharpness to her words, and it was meant to cut through the veil of civility between them. “Either way, I can take whatever you’ve got to throw at me.” She was clearly trying to provoke him, wanting to expose and explore the raw emotion and vulnerability festering inside of them both. Afterall, this was the only way she knew how to navigate foreign emotions.

All she knew was to fight.

And when he asked why she was still here, she’d ignore the question. For now anyway. Instead, she’d cock a brow at him, seeking to lock their gazes together as she issued him a silent challenge. Every glance stoked the flame building inside of her, the tension between them festering and growing until it imploded inside of Nimue.

In a single, decisive moment, she attempts to lunge forward, having been perpendicular to Rogue. A rush of cool air filled her lungs, her eyes locked on her target, as she attempted to grab him by the side of his neck, where his fur was bunched up and lacking quills. She knew better than to try and bite those.

And, whether she was able to grab a mouthful of skin, or if she failed and spoke into the air, didn’t matter. She’d still continue to taunt him, wanting to provoke and annoy so he’d unleash that pent-up frustration with her. "You wanna know? Beat it out of me then!" She said, ready to take whatever Rogue had to ‘offer’, as he said before. He may have been bigger. Stronger. More experienced in battle than her. But Nimue was a force to be reckoned with, a marvel of strength and agility packed into a diminutive frame.

"Nimue Vasanti"

Nimue vs Rogue for Brooding Brawl (Dominance)
Round 1/2
Age: >1 year
Size: Extra small
Build: Light
Skills: Expert Fighter & Master Intellectual
Specialty: Tactician

Nimue was an odd nutter, that was for sure. She was taciturn and cryptic, acting like she was always looking for a fight. Did she really not have anything better to do? She made a retort about getting bit again, but Rogue just shrugged it off with another scoff. She really was trying to push his buttons today, wasn't she? Nimue made a strange comment about maybe or maybe not wanting to cut herself on his quills again and that got the dire brute to raise a questioning brow at her. What the actual fuck was wrong with this chick? That creepy smile just painted her like a psychopath—which, maybe she actually was—and she challenged him back that she could take whatever he dished out at her. Okay, yeah, she was looking for a fight. She was trying to provoke a response out of him, trying to get him to engage her. And the worst part? It was working.

Rogue gave an irritated snort when she blatantly ignored his question of why she was still here. Of course she'd avoid answering even with snarkiness the one question that really mattered. Their amethyst eyes held, ferocity in both their gazes—and then Nimue was lunging for him. She moved so fast, honing in on him like a missile. Rogue had been wholly unprepared for the sudden attack and barely had enough time to get back to his paws before she was upon him with claws and jaws going for his neck. In the next instant, those tiny teeth like hypodermic needles were biting at the side of his neck, stinging at his skin. Rogue winced and growled in response to the pain, but the giant brute powered on through, now up on his paws and prepared to retaliate.

With Nimue hanging onto him as she goaded him on, he had the advantage of size and strength in close quarters. Rather than try to pull Nimue off of him, he instead sought to grasp her by the back of the neck with his sharp claws and large paw, seeking to hold her tight and keep her from pulling away as he surged forward into the lake, massive form leaping into the water. He was hoping to bring Nimue down with him so he'd land atop of her and pin her down beneath the water—not intending to drown her, but to definitely put the fear that he might into her.

Rogue vs Nimue for Brooding Brawl (Dominance)
Round 1/2
Age: 1+ years
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Balanced
Offensive Battle Accessory: Obsidian Dagger
Defensive Battle Accessory: Bracers
Companion 1: Sparrowhawk, Male - Perception
Companion 2: Jackal, Female - Battle
Mutation 1: Black diamond scruff quills - Defensive
Mutation 2: Black diamond retractable claws - Offensive
Skills: Novice Fighter & Advanced Intellectual

"Rogue Klein"

Of course, Rogue wasn’t going to sit there and take her assault; the moment she lunged, he scrambled to his paws, pulling himself away to avoid the brunt of her attack. But Nimue is swift and light on her paws, striking with practiced agility and hitting her mark. She grabs onto the side of his neck, sinking her needle-like teeth into his flesh, exerting pressure and drawing blood to the surface. A satisfied, primal growl bubbles from her throat, escaping through the corners of her lips as her mouth is full of his fur and skin. She welcomed the taste of his blood on her pallet, attempting to shake her head from side to side to worsen the wound.

But Rogue is using his larger size to his advantage, having found his footing and standing to his full height, which made Nimue dangle from his neck. The moment she felt her back paws leave the earth she pulled them into her abdomen, trying to claw at his shoulders to gain any amount of leverage she could. That’s when she felt his claws dig into the back of her neck, a shrieking yelp replacing her growl as a wince contorted her features. Those damn claws.  There was pressure behind his paw too, like he wanted to hold her in close. Was he trying to hug her? She scoffed, flexing her jaw tighter, trying to bring on another wave of stinging pain.

He certainly wasn’t trying to hug her. He was surging forward, holding her close but where he was going, she didn’t know. Not until she heard the splashing of water. He’d leaped into the lake, holding her against him and pinning her down beneath the water. A shockwave of alarm surged through her, the little voice in her head commanding her to let go of him or she would drown; but the devil on her shoulder said otherwise. And she often listened to it instead of her voice of reason. Rogue wanted to drown her? That was his way out of a fight? Fucking bastard.

Nimue was fueled by her relentless resolve, refusing to yield despite the odds stacking up against her. She screamed into his skin, bubbles leaving her maw and rising to the surface of the water. In a swift, decisive movement, she swipes her right paw out of the water and up at his face, trying to snag him with her claws. She’s aiming for his eyes, but she may fall short given she’s being pinned beneath the water. She shakes her head again too, trying to tear his skin more.

"Nimue Vasanti"

Nimue vs Rogue for Brooding Brawl (Dominance)
Round 2/2
Age: >1 year
Size: Extra small
Build: Light
Skills: Expert Fighter & Master Intellectual
Specialty: Tactician

Rogue found very little effort was needed to hoist Nimue off of her paws. Practically scruffing her like an angry pup was easy given how small and lightweight she was, but gods be damned those claws were wicked! The dire brute had to power through the little she-devil's kicking and scratching at his shoulders while he dragged her off into the cool water of the lake. He did have to admit, the cry he pulled out of her when his own unnaturally sharp claws found purchase in her back brought him a bit of sadistic delight, but really, she deserved it. She was always trying to pick a fight with him, so really she had been asking for it. That was his rationale at least as Rogue brought Nimue out into the water and threw her beneath the surface with his body atop of hers.

There was a loud splash, a rush of cool water across his body, and then an eerie stillness while Rogue lay there and held Nimue under the water. Of course she immediately began to kick and thrash underwater, but where Rogue had anticipated her giving in quickly to prevent herself from drowning, the crazed little bitch did nothing of the sort. Instead, she looked like she was screaming, but all Rogue saw from above the surface was a stream of bubbles foaming at the water just above her muzzle. Rogue's brow furrowed, looking down at Nimue like she was crazy—and then the water broke with another splash and sharp claws ripped across his snout just below his eye. "Ow! What the hell?!" exclaimed the fallen prince, recoiling just enough to get his head away from those flailing murder mittens. Was she trying to fucking blind him?!

Rogue can feel the sting left behind where her claws had cut his cheek open, could feel the warm blood running in thin rivulets down his face, but rather than yield, the pain just urged him to finish what he started. Amethyst eyes narrowing and lips peeling back from pearly teeth in a dominant growl, Rogue pushed his weight back down, attempting to slam Nimue down onto the lakebed and hold her down as deep underwater as he could. If he could keep her held down, maybe he could use their size difference to prevent her paws from reaching up to his face again. He could deal with a few bites and swipes to his broad, muscular shoulders far more easily than his vulnerable face and eyes could. It was a risky move, because if she didn't submit or succumb soon, then Rogue would still have those paws coming back for round two at his eyes. What the actual hell was wrong with this chick?!

Rogue vs Nimue for Brooding Brawl (Dominance)
Round 2/2
Age: 1+ years
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Balanced
Offensive Battle Accessory: Obsidian Dagger
Defensive Battle Accessory: Bracers
Companion 1: Sparrowhawk, Male - Perception
Companion 2: Jackal, Female - Battle
Mutation 1: Black diamond scruff quills - Defensive
Mutation 2: Black diamond retractable claws - Offensive
Skills: Novice Fighter & Advanced Intellectual

"Rogue Klein"

And the winner is...

NIMUE

ROGUE must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Nimue: Attack Roll: 42 Defense Roll: 42 Agility Roll: 60 Perception Roll: 59 Total: 203 Attack[42] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 42.00 Defense[42] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 42.00 Agility[60] + 15% Bonus[9.00]: 69.00 Perception[59] + 55% Bonus[32.45]: 91.45 Total[244.45] + 20% Bonus[48.89]: 293.34 Rogue: Attack Roll: 31 Defense Roll: 36 Agility Roll: 29 Perception Roll: 10 Total: 106 Attack[31] + 45% Bonus[13.95]: 44.95 Defense[36] + 20% Bonus[7.20]: 43.20 Agility[29] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 29.00 Perception[10] + 25% Bonus[2.50]: 12.50 Total[129.65] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 129.65

Beneath the water's surface, seconds felt stretched into an eternity. The soft glow of firefly light filtered in from above, illuminating Rogues shadowed frame, adding a blinding halo around him. Damn, she couldn’t see. The murky water was stinging her eyes, her chest was starting to burn, her lungs screaming for air. But even with her flailing, even with her smacking his face and clawing at him, he wouldn’t let her go. He was going to drown her. Another scream left her lips, vibrating against his skin as she pinched him tightly between her teeth, using these last moments to make him hurt. Her vision started to blur, she became lightheaded, and the aching in her chest amplified. She was going to pass out. Using her remaining strength, Nimue made one last effort to dislodge him- kicking her hind legs against his hind knees, to make them buckle.

And somehow, it worked. Rogue lost his balance and came crashing down on top of her, but Nimue was quick to worm her way out from under him, breaking the water’s surface with a loud gasp. Her lungs burned, her chest heaving as she inhaled quick breaths, twisting as she felt Rogue flailing in the water. In a fluid motion, she crawls on top of him, pushing him down into the water, with his back in the mud. He was so large that his head poked out in the shallows, the water level stopping at his shoulders, so he wasn’t completely submerged.

But now, the victor was clear.

With her paws planted firmly against his chest, Nimue sits her hind end down on him, her hips aligning with the lower part of his ribcage given their size difference. It was a rather… intimate position, if she cared to realize it. She’s still fighting to catch her breath, water trickling down her face as she stares down at him. She flexes her toes, gripping his chest. “You were going to drown me!” She sneers, raising a paw to bop him on the nose. “Losing Ashen made you that angry?” Her ears pinned back, her eyes narrowing. “So angry you were willing to kill me?” Her voice suddenly becomes softer, the weight of his actions accompanying her words. Sure, they weren’t friends or anything. Hell, all they did was fight each other- twice now. But she was offended. He really hated her, didn’t he?


"Nimue Vasanti"

The thrashing beneath the shallow water didn't let up, no matter how long Rogue held Nimue down for. Fucking hell, why wasn't she just giving up?! Rogue actually started to get nervous as the seconds dragged on towards minutes and her flailing paws and claws didn't subside. He wasn't going to let her up while she was in her manic state, but by the gods, did she have a death wish or something?! Eventually that struggling began to slow, Nimue's movements becoming more sluggish underneath his giant paws. Oh fuck. Realizing she was on the verge of passing out and still hadn't tapped out, Rogue began to release the pressure on her chest holding her under the water. That opening was all she needed, and the next thing the dire brute knew he felt her kick his hind legs out underneath him. With a grunt of surprise, Rogue went crashing down into the lake in a splash of cold water.

His paws slipped, allowing Nimue the freedom she needed to squirm out from under him like a trapped fish. Unable to regain his footing in the slippery mud of the lakebed, Rogue was easily pushed over when Nimue reversed their pin, the giant brute collapsing to his back in the lake while the much lighter weight of Nimue took her dominant position over top of him. Sunset amethyst eyes blinked in surprise, gazing up at the waterlogged fae now perched atop his chest like he were her throne. Being as large as he was, Rogue didn't wind up underwater like she had, but the shallows did come up halfway on his body, leaving him significantly drenched too. Nimue's paws pressed to his chest, the pressure she put on him doing little to actually keep him down, but those claws remaining a dangerous threat as she claimed her victory over him. Rogue did not resist; he knew when he was beaten.

Each of Rogue's heavy breaths raised and lowered Nimue's petite form on top of him, her hips moving up and down in time with his rising chest. She was both warm and cold at the same time, body heat and soaked fur pressing to his. He stared up into her matching amethyst eyes while she glared down at him, gripping the water matted fur of his broad chest and accusing him of trying to drown her. "What?! No, I-!" But she wasn't done yelling at him yet. She bopped his nose, leaving a tingle like a need to sneeze while he wrinkled and wriggled his snout to get rid of the unpleasant sensation. Had Ashen made him that angry that he wanted to kill her? "No, it's not like that! I didn't want to kill you! I just..." Rogue's voice trailed off, his chest tight while he grappled with his turbulent emotions. "...didn't want to hurt you again." The brute's voice broke on the last word. Hurt her again—like he had done last time unintentionally.

Rogue didn't want to talk about this. He wanted to bury the past and just be angry. But Nimue had asked, and now she would get her answer. "I didn't just lose Ashen! I lost everything!" The midnight sky brute's voice boomed around the lake as he shouted, letting out all his anger and frustration and pain at her because she was the only one who had cared to listen so far. "Everything I ever knew. Everything I ever was, was in Ashen! I don't have anything anymore. My family's gone, my home's gone, even my name means nothing anymore! And what did I do to deserve this?! Nothing!" Rogue glared back up at Nimue, but not glaring at her. She was seeing the raw, vulnerable emotions tearing Rogue apart. He was angry at something he couldn't lash out at. He was raging against fate and circumstance. She just happened to be the one who broke the mask enough to see inside him.

As his anger began to simmer away, Rogue's expression slowly softened, the gravity of what he had done (or almost done) weighing on his mind and his conscience. His head flopped back down to the water with a little splash, eyes closing while he tried to steady his pounding heart with a few measured breaths. "I'm sorry. I-" Rogue didn't have the words to express himself properly. How do you even apologize to someone you almost murdered? "I'm sorry..."

"Rogue Klein"

With each of Rogue’s heavy breaths, Nimue’s body rose and fell in sync- but her claws against his skin helped keep her upright. She’d mounted and rode far larger opponents before, like the damn Rhino who took her for a wild, dangerous ride. Oh, and the Elephant who hoisted her up with its trunk and flung her around like a doll. Not pleasant memories. In comparison, Rogue was nothing to gawk over, even if he was a handsome male around her age, and she was mounted over his abdomen like a bitch in heat. But that didn’t cross her mind. Instead, she was bopping him, yelling at him, accusing him of trying to drown her. She expected him to retort back, to defend himself against her and hell, maybe attack her. But the response he gave, was quite the opposite.

He didn’t want to kill her- at least, that’s what he kept repeating. And he didn’t want to hurt her again. She couldn’t help the derisive snort that slipped out of her nose, her head tilting back slightly as she glared down at him. Didn’t want to hurt her? Really? He wouldn’t have dragged her into the water, knowing she couldn’t fight him off! The disbelief etched into her features was palpable, her scoff steeped in skepticism. But there was something about his tone that led her to believe he was being sincere. “What, you think I can’t handle what you dish out?” She said, her tail flicking behind her tiny body, tapping against his abdomen. Accidentally brushing against tender areas. “News flash, Rogue. You aren’t hot shit. I can handle myself, even against you.” She straightens up a bit, reminding him that she was the victor in this battle, and she was sitting on his body like it was her damn throne.

She wasn’t sure if it was her taunting that set him off, or perhaps, his emotions were finally bubbling over. But suddenly, Rogue was a mess of emotion, shouting and releasing his anger and frustration into the darkness that surrounded them. He’d lost everything. His family. His home. Even his name held no meaning. Nimue’s expression flattened, lips pulling into a tight line. Of all the wolves to vent his frustration to, she wasn’t the best pick. Or perhaps, she was. Because, unknown to Rogue, Nimue knew exactly how it felt to lose everything.

Once he grew silent, his anger started to simmer away. Nimue lowered herself onto him, pressing her chest against his and bringing their faces close. The thumping of his heart vibrated against her chest, rhythmic and synchronous with her own. “Ironic, isn’t it.” She says, peering into those amethyst, sunset eyes. "Now, you are just like me.” She doesn’t delve into the meaning of it- she doesn’t have to. Rogue is smart enough to figure it out. She was an orphan, a nobody that Chimera picked up after he found her scavenging on his lands. But that wasn’t who she always was.

As Rogue flopped his head back, Nimue sat up again. His apology echoed into the silence of the lakeside, which earned a subtle shake of her head. "Stop." She said, leaping off of him to wade towards the shore. Pulling herself onto the sand, she stops and turns back to face him. “We don’t apologize.” She’s stern as she stares at him, a palpable weight accompanying her words. Saying sorry wasn’t their thing. It wasn’t her thing. This encounter was meant for them to release some pent-up tension. They’d done that, so in her mind, it was successful.

Turning away, Nimue shakes the water from her pelt, and starts to head back to the treeline. But suddenly, she stops. “You wanted to know why I followed Chimera.” She looks over her shoulder at him. “I don’t have a good answer.” She’s honest with him. "But something told me to stick around, to see how this ends. That maybe this will lead to new beginnings.” There is a hint of mischief in her last words, her eyes daring to look Rogue’s sopping wet body up and down. A spark of something flickers inside of her - what it is, she isn’t sure - but it makes her belly feel bubbly. "It won't be long now." She adds. "If you've got something to say to your Uncle, you should do it soon." Is what she finishes with.

And if he doesn’t try to stop her, Nimue turns and vanishes into the night.

"Nimue Vasanti"

Rogue had been expecting some derision from the abrasive Nimue in response to his outburst, but the sardonic scoff and almost offended remark about not thinking she could take what he could dish out caught the brute waaaaay off guard! Sunset eyes blinked open again and his brow furrowed in deep confusion. Wait... was she mad that he hadn't tried to kill her? Was she mad that he had held back on her and acted like she couldn't handle him? What the actual fuck?! Rogue lifted his head, eyes narrowed, mouth opening to retort—only to have a soft gasp of breath escape him when he felt the soft brush of her damp tail rub against some very sensitive parts of him down past his belly. Rogue's eyes went wide, but if Nimue had noticed what she was doing, she made no reaction to it. Nimue knocked him down another peg when she reminded him that he wasn't anything special, that she had handled herself against him, and that she was the winner in their tussle. The proof was right there straddled on his chest, her paws pressing down to him while she sat tall atop of him, a feral queen claiming her victory.

Nimue laid her lithe body down over his, really emphasizing the difference in their sizes. She fit so readily on top of him, able to drape her entire body down the length of his and barely cover him. She leaned in close, so close Rogue could feel every exhale of breath when she spoke against his muzzle. She found it ironic that he was just like her now. Confusion wrinkled the brute's brows again. Just like her...? What the hell did that mean? Had Nimue lost a home, a pack, a family too...? Questions he'd never thought to ask the wild little fae suddenly arose in his mind. Where had Nimue come from to begin with? Where had she been before Chimera found her?

Nimue demanded he stop his apologies, reminding him that they didn't apologize while she leapt back to shore. Rogue sat up enough to follow her movements with his gaze, listening while she spoke. Well, listening as well as he could when her sopping wet fur was clinging to every part of her body with each movement. She explained that she didn't know why she stuck around, but that maybe she'd find a new beginning. Then she was looking at him, her deep amethyst gaze roving over his form freely. From his position on his back, nothing was left hidden from her appraising eyes. It stirred something primal in the dire brute's belly. She made an indirect reference to Chimera's likely passing, suggesting he say whatever he needed to say while he could.

And then she was gone.

For a long moment after she had vanished into the darkening night forest, Rogue just stared after her, all sorts of conflicted feeling roiling about in his head and his heart like thunderstorms. With a frustrated groan, Rogue collapsed back to the water. Eventually he would get out to dry off and go to bed, but right now he just wanted to lie here and let his mind empty itself and try to ignore the ache Nimue had left him with deep in his core and between his legs. Fuck, it was going to be a long night...

"Rogue Klein"