Lilac wine, I feel unsteady, like my love

1st day of heat out of 5, open for Max. 2 other characters! Breeding is not a thing yet on the site so no puppies planned this time, just playing it out

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Every now and then Reiko would run off away from the group of Hotaru, Izumi and Julooke for the sake of widening her search for the missing Prince, food, and a safe, easy trail for them to follow. Today her little travel felt different than the rest. A feeling simmering in her body that almost felt alien, and yet she had felt it before. Had she been more aware, perhaps she would have remained with the group for her own sake - but this being only her second heat, it was still strange and not quite understood yet.

From here she could see their destination. The land of snow. The flapping of the colourful banner across the mountain top cut through the silence of the peak, catching her attention every once in a while as it was a strange, alien sound. Her breath could be seen here again, hitching excitedly in her throat at the thought of how close they were to their destination after all this time. Where they could call home, recover, settle, and soon head out again in a new, perhaps smaller group to search for the prince while Hotaru could remain somewhere safe.

After standing in awe for a moment, she turned her attention to the colourful things strewn across the peaks. Not knowing what they were, she took a moment to investigate it. Climbing a small rock to see if she could get a closer look at them... they didn't seem like flowers or vines she had ever seen, and they smelled majority of nothing... how odd.

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+1 Discovery Points

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Sundance. That was what she'd called him, but he knew it couldn't be his true name. He had felt no immediate connection upon hearing it from the maw of another, no celebratory fireworks like he'd anticipated, yet still it lingered at the forefront of his mind no matter how he tried to dismiss it as being misidentified.

To venture from Vanderfell had become a frequent thing for him, as the druid actively searched for new herbs and pretty things to better supply the pack. He felt guilt each time, naturally, considering they were so few in numbers, but they'd managed just fine together in those past months. Quicksilver, in all his uncertainty, doubted he would be much use in a real hostile situation anyway.

Discovering new flora distracted him from the never-ending buzz of anxiety he carried, but something else caught his attention that day. He first heard the sound of something catch the breeze further up the slopes and followed to investigate, curious, but it was something of greater note that vied for his attention. A scent hung in the crisp mountain air, faint but familiar, and Quicksilver veered from his path to venture toward the source.

On careful paws he stepped along a narrow trail, and when he saw her he felt his breath hitch in a strained whine. “Reiko,” the silverwhite greeted gently, both surprised and excited to see her again, and the latter showed in the sweep of his tail.


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What were these things, she kept pondering as she eyed the colourful banners, avoiding getting struck in the face by sniffing just out of their reach. Eventually she built up the bravery to reach out and try to grab one gingerly between her incisors, tugging at it softly but it wouldn't give other than a few red strands being pulled loose and wrapping around her teeth.

Yuck, disgusted she tried to spit it out and yet it lingered still on her teeth, tongue flickering trying to push it loose. A quick shake of her head and a few steps back as if to distance herself from the foul taste, it eventually fell loose after spitting a couple of more times. Even now as she looked at it on the ground, the bright red contrasting against the pale snow... it drew her in again just to sniff, it was so pretty despite how horrid it tasted.

"Reiko," Her name with a male's voice came to her attention, immediately stealing it away from the strange red strand as her eyes rested upon the young silver man. “Quicksilver!” A familiar face, she was so excited to see him she had utterly forgotten about the strange red thing and ran right past it to greet the silver Vanderfell lad. “Are we near Vanderfell here? I had not realized.” She smiled brightly, tail waving happily behind her.

Maybe it was the light at the top of this mountain, but he seemed to be more handsome than he was before. Not that he was ever hard on the eyes, Quicksilver was always a pretty young man... but here, unaware of her hormones, she couldn't help but gaze at him a little longer, eyes lingering longer than they normally would.

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+1 Discovery Points

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She turned to him, and Quicksilver could've sworn he felt the joy return to his soul. He clung so desperately to the memory of their last encounter, to the feelings she'd roused in him before, and as the snowflower turned to close the distance between them he did not hesitate to hasten their reunion. With a fond croon and a merrily wagging tail he loped her way, all the woes he'd carried there lost to the wind for a time.

“I'm so happy to see you again,” he admitted without consideration of being too forward, too eager, and as the pair drew closer to one another he reached to gently touch his nose to her own. With a deep inhale he drank deep the scent of her, one he'd held so dearly in his fragmented memory - lavender, and Winter's first snow - before withdrawing just enough to look down into her bright, smiling face.

Her question brought his silver ears forward. “Not too far,” he informed, knowing that he'd trailed a little farther than he'd wanted as he tried to piece together his uncertainty of both past and future. Still reeling that she remembered him and was excited to see him, the young druid was unwilling to allow this meeting to be soured by his personal dilemmas. “How have you been? Did you find your children?”


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She took his glee to seeing her as nothing but just familiarity between friends. It was natural to feel that way when seeing a friendly, familiar face after all. It was how she felt seeing him, wasn't it? Certainly there wasn't anything else influencing her at this time, influencing either of them.

Smiling as Quicksilver admitted to being happy to see her again, “I am too! It has been such a long trip...” With a sigh she felt herself grow a little lighter. How long had it been again? Three months since their first and last encounter over on Ira's mountain? They had met so many good wolves along the way, some less friendly than others and yet nothing truly terrible had happened either other than Hotaru's injury.

Not too far, wow! She would have never guessed without him being here and now. “Do you think we can see Ira's mountain from here?” Turning to see if she could spot Fate's Summit from here, cerulean eyes squinted as she attempted to do so. Unfortunately, she wasn't all that familiar with the mountain to even recognize it... or even be certain she was facing in the right direction of it either (bot said she is).  

“I have found my daughter, Haruki is still missing unfortunately.” Offering a downhearted smile, she was happy to have found one of them at least... but she still held on to hope that her son was still out there waiting to be found as well. “She is with the others, resting before we continue to move North, did you want to meet her?”

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+1 Formation Points

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She was just as lovely as before, and he was delighted to see that her travels had not been unkind to her. Quicksilver, unable to take his pale eyes off her as she beamed up at him, let his gaze linger fondly for that long beat of silence between them. You are glowing, was his silent observation, and he was not to know that his expression softened to something appreciative - the way a young groom might look upon his bride for the first time.

Her spell, and the trance it seemed to draw him into, was broken the moment that she spoke again. Blinking, struck dumb by whatever affect she seemed to have over him, the silverwhite blinked back to reality and snapped his gaze toward the direction Reiko had cast hers. Quicksilver stepped alongside her, ignorant to the string of colour that flapped in the bitter mountain breeze off to the side of him, and gazed out across the valley and up toward the distant mountains. Mist shrouded them that new morning, the range's proud peaks reaching high into the clouds, unrecognisable, and even he could not pick out which particular spire was where he made his home.

“It's somewhere over there,” was all he knew, and his face lit up once more at the announcement she made regarding finding one of her wayward brood. “That's great! I'm glad she is okay. I-I'd love to meet her, but...” it felt so awkward to reject the offering, and guilt fluttered in his gut as he shifted in place; all he really wanted, right now, was to spend some time with the dove who so enraptured him, “maybe later, when she is better rested? I would hate to intrude.”

+1 Discovery Points

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Perhaps if she was wiser to her hormones, to the re-awakening as a woman Reiko would have remained closer to the other women. To hide away and make sure that she was no where near any man during this time of the season. She had no husband to speak of, and a missing son to find. She simply had no time to grow another child within her and even now she was aware... only oblivious to the power she held over the other sex right now for the next few days.

No mother to tell her of such things, no older woman either to guide her - it was all trial and error and the first season that came was poor, confusing, and a lifetime ago, that the feeling was just as foreign as the first. 

And so she was blissfully unaware. 

She squinted at his interactions of where the mountain should be. It was still apparently too far away to be clearly seen, or shrouded in clouds and impossible to see through their veil. Quicksilver softly refusing to meet Hotaru right now didn't deflate the Empress, perhaps it was for the best for them to settle in their new home first anyway before bringing everyone to meet her children. Let Hotaru gather her strength and confidence once more as well before meeting strangers.
 
“I will keep you to that.” Playfully she bumped her shoulder against his. “How is Vanderfell since my last visit? Any new interesting faces?”

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There was a tremor of fear in him following his gentle refusal, and the timid smile that kissed his narrow face was quietly apologetic to accompany the anxious sweep of his white-tipped tail. He hoped he hadn't burned her mother's pride in doing so, hoped his words hadn't tarnished her opinion of him. She simply looked back at him and Quicksilver couldn't tell if there was a hint of sorrow on her eyes, or if she understood his respect for her family's privacy.

Worse yet, she might've seen right through him to look upon the selfishness that came over him when she stood close.

“They, uh...” he paused, collected himself, and moved to correct: “we are well. No others have joined our ranks, but we have new neighbours in the lowlands nearby. Ira wishes to maintain friendly terms with them.” Quicksilver thought back to his encounter with Valeska, follower of Elysium which had been the only thing to rouse some unknown recognition in him. The sterling she-wolf herself had been an interesting character, and despite his irrational uncertainty surrounding the title of her clan, he did hope to maintain good relations with them.


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The call of some kind of predatory bird caught her attention briefly. Ears flickering back to catch its call as it flew by hunting for its own food before ignoring its presence to focus on the young man at her side. Not once did she think ill of Quicksilver for wanting to meet the Princess at a later date. In fact, it would be nice to spend some time with friends for a little while.

Did that make her an awful mother? 

Did that make her selfish too?
 
“Neighbours? How exciting!” There were more and more packs from the looks of it that were popping up, one settling right in her wake as they left the mountain side too. How many were settling she wondered? Once she would return to the Tundra, would there already be neighbours or no lands left to claim? Hopefully there would be packs suitable for her family to join. 
 
“Anyone tickle your interest?” Like a nosey high school girl, she giggled and offered a cheeky grin -“Any pretty girls?”

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+1 Discovery Points

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Reiko stated that the prospect of having neighbours was exciting, but Quicksilver wasn't so sure. If anything, he worried that someone might overstep any boundaries that Ira may set - like hunting in Ullarcraig Run, for example. The High Queen had insisted that they hold such grounds exclusively. A peacekeeper by nature, the gentle silverwhite was made anxious at the suggestion of telling the locals off should he find them lurking there, which was one of his many reasons for straying from home so often.

“Uh,” he fumbled, unsure how to respond to the snowflower's probing for his thoughts of "pretty girls" who might've settled close to Vanderfell. Heat flooded his cheeks, burned crimson beneath the platinum and alabaster furs there, and shyly he looked away. His powder blue eyes settled on the string of flags then, vibrant with their primary hues, and while he did want to turn attention there and away from Reiko's question, he held absolutely no desire to ignore her. “No, I just...” a pause, as he dared to peek her away again, “I haven't been... looking? For anyone, that way, not since-”

His blood felt molten then, and he realised perhaps that he'd overstepped. It was a common mistake he made in his uncertainty, to speak without thought, so he shut that shit down before it could bloom out of control.


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With wide eyes, blinking slowly as she eyed him with great interest. The plush tail of hers wiggling at the tip with bated breath to hear what he had to say. He was handsome after all. Tall, lean, with a charming face, he was kind too - any lady would lucky to have his eye she was sure.

A part of her felt certain she was digging too deep, what she thought was just friendly talk to catch up with someone she had just met once not too long ago - and yet it felt invasive. Perhaps it was too soon to be talking about such a subject, maybe a little awkward to be talking about something so personal such as a love life. 

If he was uncomfortable, he would tell her yeah?
 
“Since??” And then he gave her a little something to hold on to, her tail swinging more liberally while she waited for the news. His words indicated that he had been looking before some kind of turn of events. “Oh do tell me about her!” Or them, him, she simply assumed at this point what he was interested in... old ways and all, it hadn't quite yet settled in with her knowledge that same genders can fall for one another as well.

That was a lesson for another time. 

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His heart, wild. It hammered hard in his chest, fought to free itself from ribs that caged it, and rose to take residence in his oesophagus. Quicksilver swallowed hard, gawking in disbelief as the snowflower continued to pry - how could she not know? His immediate infatuation for her had been subtle on the outside, while internally it's been tearing him apart. Every day since their paths had crossed, Reiko had invited herself into his thoughts. He tried to ignore her, but at the root of so many things he did, there she was - beautiful, magnificent, everything he thought he wanted.

In another life, as Sundance, he would fall hard and fast. Even as a youngster he actively sought connection that drove others away; he was a failure in many things, but all he'd really wanted was to love and be loved in return. He failed to remember that his feelings had never been reciprocated, obviously, as he teetered dangerously on the edge of wearing his heart at his sleeves.

“She's...” he dipped his muzzle to her, to shyly seek the vivid cerulean of her vibrant eyes for only a moment. In doing so was a silent and poor effort to communicate to her: you, you, it will always be you, but I cannot say it! “She is beautiful, and kind, and... she does not know.”

He inhaled deep, smiled sadly, for with Reiko's status as mother he continued to assume that she had already chosen someone to be her life partner. A confession of fondness for her would be nothing but selfish on his part, and even if she were to consider him romantically then he wasn't sure he could forgive himself in tearing a family apart with his own unhealthy obsession. No, he told himself firmly, I can't make her life more complicated than it already is.


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Still incredibly young and naive, the subtle hints that Quicksilver offered went straight over her head. Subtly was completely lost and wasted on the snowflower as never would she assume it was her. Even just last year her naivety had gotten her into so much trouble, causing so much grief to everyone affected. To everyone she knew and cared for.

Bright eyes glistening with interest as he spoke, dipping his head down just enough for them to see eye to eye. “She sounds beautiful~” And totally not herself. Had she been aware perhaps she'd be more shy, tentative and quiet on the matter. Instead, she was completely enveloped in his possible budding love life.
 
“You should tell her Quicksilver.” She nodded, speaking low as if when he drew near it was to tell her a secret. Tearing herself away from his closeness, she faced the mountains peaks and smelled their fresh cold breath fill her lungs. “When the timing is perfect and romantic, it would sweep her off her feet!” It was no secret that she was a romantic, idealistic and full of dreams. 

If only she knew of the internal turmoil within the young man's heart. Maybe then she would have chosen different words.

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Reiko did not take the bait, did not make assumptions that it was herself he spoke so fondly of, which was both disappointing and for the best. He let his eyes linger on her, this pale dove of his dreams, the bringer of light into his bleak life. Quicksilver had known from that first moment that he could love this she-wolf, but... was that real? The indescribable way she made him feel, of course, but he wondered in fleeting moments if he appreciated the idea of her. They barely knew one another, after all - not even friends, but mere acquaintances.

So his smile was solemn as the snowflower drew away from him, and something lingering in the air about her invited him to maintain their closeness. Not wanting to intrude on her space, however, despite a longing to let the silvers of his fur mingle with hers, Quicksilver steeled himself to respect her choice to place some distance between them. “I can't,” the young druid told her softly, a sadness to his tone as he turned his face away and stepped forward, inviting his companion to fall into stride alongside him. He felt as though he needed to move all of a sudden, so hoped a walk would ease such itch, “I think... she loves someone else.”


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Gazing out into the mountains with a plush pale tail swinging behind her happily in the breeze. The refreshing crisp air filling her lungs, it brought her so much energy just to stand here watching over the world below. This wasn't the highest of peaks she was certain, Fate's Summit and the other peak she had passed were certainly some of the tallest she had ever seen - but as she stood here with the flapping of colourful banners just behind, she could swear they were at the top of the world.

Her breath fluttered from ivory teeth, looking back over her shoulder to glance at Quicksilver, hoping that her words of encouragement would have brought him happiness, bravery to do just that! Instead, her smile faded as she turned back toward him while he walked off. Not away from her, but simply walking, and she took the invitation to walk near his side. A quick trot to catch up with the tall man and walk with her shoulder far below his.
 
The key word when he spoke, at least to her was that he thought she loved another. Meaning there was always a chance! “But if you are not certain, perhaps it is worth a try?” Ever so caught in her sense of false hope, she walked at his side while gazing up at the silver man, hoping he could see her words as a form of encouragement. “Perhaps the other is you as well.”

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+1 Discovery Points

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Stop, was his silent willing, mind buzzing with the potential of a headache to bloom between his eyes as he proceeded to be prodded, encouraged to be brave, please, just...

Stop.

But she would not. She could not see how it pained him to keep himself from leaning in closer, from pressing his nose to the silken white fur where her cheek met throat, fromtasting the sweetness of her hide beneath. There'd been something about her before that roused budding affection from her but this time she set his skin aflame. She smelled far more enticing than he remembered, which... frightened him.

It was a foreign, uncomfortable thing to be both afraid and aroused.

Poor, confused, virgin Quicksilver. He could barely even look at her as the penny dropped, and he acknowledged the stirring of his loins that he swore he'd never noticed before.

“I don't-” he stopped himself, too awkward to say too much, too ashamed of potentially embarrassing himself - or her! He sucked in a deep breath, which was a big mistake, as that sweet perfume of hers flooded his lungs and threatened to bring him to his knees. “Maybe some day,” he said, knowing he wouldn't - couldn't! - but in a desperate attempt to tentatively promise that he would try, if it meant she would stop pushing, “I just... I barely know her. She will think I'm crazy.”
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Had she known the torment she was putting him through, she would have leave him be. Away with the ordeal she put him through by simply being around. But he had come to her right? He wanted to spend some time with the snowy maiden, to talk, to spend some time one on one. So she thought nothing of it.

All the while Reiko simply thought she was encouraging him to be brave, to take the leap of faith instead of wallowing in the "maybes" that came with keeping such secrets to himself. She thought it was doing him a favour, by doing what a friend would do and hope for the best of them. Oh how little did she know.

Still he fought against the idea of sharing the truth with this "mysterious" woman of his; and Reiko would push no further. Even she knew where to draw the line before things went wildly out of control and far too uncomfortable. Turning to eye the silver man once more with a sneaky little glance of hers. “Perhaps getting to know her better will help that.” Well the obvious was stated. Sometimes that's all that was needed too. 

“Maybe that will build your confidence.”

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At last Reiko eased off, slackening the pressure to conclude with a far gentler suggestion: try getting to know her. Quicksilver flicked his tail in appreciation, grateful for that form of encouragement even though he doubted it could ever benefit him. She was obviously a mated wolf, after all, with cubs - a family.

Something he wished he could share with someone.

Sorrow weighed on his tender heart, but he did his best to put on a brave face. Going by their previous encounter, the silverwhite knew that this time they shared was fleeting. He wanted to make the most of it, not wallow in the ponderings of what if.

“Anyway,” he chirped, keen to move on from the topic of his non-existent love life and distract him from the weird sensation that Reiko's mere presence roused in his abdomen, Quicksilver asked: “you're still heading North, toward the snows?”


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Just like that the conversation moved on to its next topic - and she didn't mind at that all. “Yes.” She chirped happily at the thought. It felt like their travels were far too long and they were finally in the home stretch. “My home pack lived in snow as well, I would like to continue doing so with my own family now.” To continue their traditions, but changing a few specific things as to not let history repeat itself. 
 
“I also hope to find Aerasha there as well. She went missing during our travels when the weather got warmer, I hope she simply travelled North again where it was colder.” Remembering how the fluffy woman seemed to dislike heat very much so, it was their hope that she was out there just waiting for them to return. “She just vanished one day, I do hope she is alright.”

The once smile that painted her lips faded to concern. Aerasha was no child of hers, but still Reiko couldn't help but worry for her safety still.

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+1 Formation Points

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Reiko seemed to understand the strain her prying placed on him, and thus she played her own part in easing the conversation onto a new topic. The silverwhite tried to relax a little, a sterling ear fixed attentively to her as pastel eyes focused on the rugged terrain they picked their way across. He was disappointed that she still wished to settle herself in the land of never-ending snowfall, but the upward curve of his smile said otherwise. Quicksilver did want her to be happy, despite the ache he felt right at his core to think of the physical distance it would place between them.

He yearned to be close to her, and knew the obsession to be unhealthy. Toxic, perhaps. It was something he would have to work on, and learn to let go of.

“Ah, I, uh...” so caught up in his own uncertain pondering, Quicksilver barely heard what the snowflower had to say of her companion's disappearance, so he went with the safe option of: “I'm sorry, I... I'm sure she will be. I hope you find her there.”

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“I hope so too.” She sighed, trying not to worry about Aerasha was difficult, nigh impossible as what if they had accidentally left her behind somewhere? There was little to no trace of her anywhere by the time they realized she was gone, no trail to follow and be certain she wasn't juts wandering off somewhere. It was like she just vanished in thin air!

For a while they continued to talk, to catch up - until it was finally time for them to part ways. For Reiko to travel down the hillside and rejoin her companions so they may continue moving North. They were so close she could smell the snow in the air - even if it was perhaps just the snow from the peak she had just visited.

They left behind the colourful fluttering banners, and into the Northern reaches of this new world.

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