Whirlwind

The trail had led her into the steep recess of a valley, sheer rock splashed with vivid alpine meadows. A cold wind tugged at her fur, and she saw frost clinging to reddened leaves. This was a land of rich summers and icy winters.

For a brief moment, she was reminded of home. But it could not be, for her home had been flattened long ago, and Merel had grown too sharp and too wise to believe that anything else could be more than an illusion.

So she kept to the woods, where her darkly-mottled pelt would blend in among the dappled light. The fur on her neck prickled. These lands practically reeked of wolves. If it weren’t for her sister, she would have turned back long ago. If it weren’t for her scent, muted and hidden among the others…

More than once, Merel had doubted herself. Now more than ever. Did she even remember what her sisters smelled like? Would she even recognize her? Did she even want to be found?

There was one more fear. One more doubt. One that Merel refused to name, refused to give a face to, because otherwise she would topple. All that she had done, all the time she had spent gluing herself back together–it would shatter like thin ice on a pond if it was true. Yet when she heard footsteps, that fear made her hesitate. Not fear of whoever that wolf might be, but fear of the truth they might impart on her.

She could not turn back now. If there was even the slightest chance that Periane still needed her, she would be there. And if they had so much as plucked a hair from her sister’s back, she would rip out the throat of every single wolf in this valley.

Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that.

When she emerged from the undergrowth to greet the stranger, it was with a pleasant smile on her face. She moved with careful, delicate steps.

“Hello,” she said. “Do you live here? I believe I may be lost.”

---

for @Faust! Let me know if I should edit anything!

the staff team luvs u

Faust been on the outskirts of the undergrowth, scouting, watching the borders today. That was his duty for the afternoon. After his...encounter with @Tove, there had been an awkwardness that made him avoid the heart of the Vale for a day now. A day where he was marred by the image of her snarling teeth combined with the swipes of her tongue. It plagued him, brought him to a minuet need to drop to his knees.

But he wouldn't. Faust was a man that stood by his word, even if it wasn't what the other wished to hear. Tove needed to heal from her trauma one way or another, and he couldn't be her crutch. Couldn't be what she depended on. For all she knew, he could disappear tomorrow. And then what? She would crumble again. He knew the feeling all too well when he saw his own sister's life vanish from her eyes. There had been so many things that he wanted to say to her, but he waited for the own vice of his ego.

He got a second chance. He won't waste it.

A voice called out from in front of him. A woman stood— toned, light in her build. She was striking, and her voice had been even more polite and satisfying to his ears. Faust stopped in his steps, facing her with his tall, regal stance. He looked at her with narrowed eyes. While she may be beautiful, she was still an intruder.

"Lost?" He echoed, not answering her first question. How different would she treat him if he didn't claim his ownership of the land?

"What're you looking for?"

the staff team luvs u

The stranger did not answer her question. He was powerfully built and handsome, yet none of the warmth of his sun-dappled coat extended to his gaze. He was suspicious of her.

Merel tilted her head to the side, her own expression carefully guarded. Based on the way he carried himself, he either belonged to this place, or believed every place belonged to him. The former was fair; any wolf should be cautious of trespassers. But the latter…

Merel had met men who thought they owned everything and everyone. For the moment, she could not judge whether this man was merely a wary protector. She had to be careful. It was not herself she feared for, however.

“Someone to talk to,” she answered, still holding a mysterious smile on her face. Her tail waved slowly behind her. “If you don’t mind, that is.”

She tilted her head again, not hiding the fact that she was sizing him up. Let him take that how he would.

“May I know your name?”

the staff team luvs u

Faust chuffed at her question, her prodding hope. The permission that she requested from him. Faust would answer her questions, sure, but at the forefront of his mind was protecting the Roost that he forged from nothing. He turned this barren, fertile land into something that was his by the blood, sweat, and tears he put into it.

Her head would lurch, looking him up and down. Faust remained unmoving beneath her eyes— he had nothing to hide, nothing to showcase for her pleasure. He was here and that was enough as is. If it wasn't, then he would chase her out of his territory himself. But he wouldn't reveal himself yet, not now that is.

"Faust," the titan would reply, his voice cold and eyes pondering the nature of her appearance. She didn't appear to do any harm, but the way she carried herself had an edge of confidence. As clear as day. Her presence was...adjacent to refreshing.

"Yours?" He would offer the question up in return.

---

protecting / warden

the staff team luvs u

She would’ve expected a typical man to at least smile at her. Admire her, even if only secretly. This wolf expressed about as much emotion as a wall of ice. He either was very good at hiding his thoughts, or he preferred men. (The possibility that someone might simply not think she was pretty entered her head briefly, and was quickly dispelled. They were wrong.)

At least he was willing to answer one question. And she could not say he struggled to get to the point. In some ways, that was better than dealing with someone who spoke in flowery circles. Merel had become an expert at navigating verbal traps, and took some pleasure in it. But not by choice.

“Merel,” she answered, matching him in length if not in tone. She paused. “Merel the Blackbird.”

The Blackbird suspected her songs would be of little use here.

“I apologize for disturbing you, Faust,” she said diplomatically, and took a step back. “I can find someone else to speak to.”

This was not the card she had wanted to play. Merel feared he would not allow her to leave, and she hated to surrender control–even for a moment. But she was not doing this for herself. She could comply. She could allow herself to be subjugated, temporarily. For her sisters, and her sisters only. Subtly, she clenched her jaw.

the staff team luvs u

The woman who adorned a dark, pleasing coat's name was Merel, then. The blackbird. Interesting— he had heard a name similar...familiar enough to him that it was within the past few months.

Faust would watch as she took a step back. Was the little bird afraid of him? Afraid of what he could do? Faust shook his head, giving her the slight optimism that she looked for. "It's alright," He would assure her, his voice breaking with a sprinkle of emotion. Comfort, if you were to call it that. "You are not disturbing me, blackbird."

He guessed that his attitude may have been off-putting. His resolve had remained neutral up until now, where he spoke softly to her. Maybe all she had needed was a kind voice to allure her into telling him what she sought for. These were his lands, after all, and he couldn't just have a stranger walking around without a clue in the world of what she was doing here.

"Ask away, I don't bite."

the staff team luvs u

So it seemed the icicle man could thaw. A little. Merel was surprised, but not unpleasantly so. If she was going to be frogmarched off to some unknown destination, she preferred to do it in style. And ideally, it would be towards wherever her sister was.

“But you have to bite sometimes, no?” Merel couldn’t help but quip. “Can’t eat your dinner without your teeth.”

She was smiling again—maybe a little warmer than before.

“I imagine you bite your prey. Are you a good hunter, Faust?” Her tone was light and friendly; it was an invitation, not an accusation. Inviting a lone wolf on a hunt in what she suspected were packlands was a risky choice—but Merel also suspected by now that he may well belong to this place. She could be wrong, of course. It was a gamble.

What his standing might be among these wolves remained to be seen—but that did not matter, for now.

the staff team luvs u

She was witty, he'll give her that. He shrugged his shoulders, a quip of his own lolling from his lips. "Would you like to find out?"

She was smiling. Suddenly it felt like the sun was peeking down at them through the thick clouds overhead. Faust felt his body warm with a feeling kindred to a bolt of lightning that awoke the blood that sat languidly in his veins. She was an interesting beauty, that was certain. He did not doubt such graceful elegance and banter, but he only could question her motives. What was she doing here?

"I can survive," he would say. Tamir and Raenar had always been forces of nature. But he always came out on top with them. Faust preferred the hunt, the chase. It was what he was good at. Raenar took charge on the battlefield, Tamir to the shadows, and Faust on the hunt. Their specialties. So it was not a lie when he said that he could survive.

Faust looked around as if he were examining the area for any...lone wolves. If he was going to keep playing the part as a lone wolf, too, then he couldn't quit now. And besides, he was having fun, shamelessly. "I could eat."

the staff team luvs u

A humble response, Merel thought, unless he was being humorous. She decided she wanted to find out which. He still seemed cautious—but at the very least, something had warmed up in him. A little glimpse of light she hadn’t seen before.

Merel could not help but be drawn to what she saw.

The more she considered it, the more he surprised her—that he even saw her as someone not to take lightly. In some way, it was actually refreshing. That thought, and Faust’s acceptance of her offer, made her smile a little wider. More genuine and open.

Even if it was making her mission a tad more complicated.

She moved forward to stand adjacent to him. She noticed him looking around—keeping an eye out for other wolves, she supposed. As his packmates, she wondered, or as a trespasser himself? Perhaps the latter option was more likely than she thought.

“Then let’s find ourselves a meal,” she said, her tail swishing again. Was it strange that she so often sought to share meals with strangers? Merel didn’t think so. There was a sort of beauty in sharing something so universal and basic. Every wolf needed to eat, old or young, big or small. She was no herbalist. Not a soldier, nor a poet. But she had always been good at catching game for her sisters. As long as she could offer that bit of kindness, she would.

“I saw elk grazing in the lowlands. Deer-scent’s all over the woods. Or if you feel like being daring…I spotted one of last spring’s kids separated from its mother, on the cliffs.”

The young goats were becoming larger and more adventurous. That made them easier targets, but hunting on the cliffs in general was a bit of a gamble. She was curious to see what Faust would think.

the staff team luvs u

Merel joined Faust at his side. He looked at her, his head pulling away from the expanse of the valley, then to the minimal space shared between them. It was only a moment where his gaze lingered there, between her and the ground, and he pulled away. No, he'd curse in his mind. He couldn't let himself linger there. There— as if the little bird herself wasn't standing just beside him. Her scent sweet, drenched with the refreshment of rain, intoxicating.

When he looked away from her, he was still listening. His ears were perked, flicked in her direction, and his brows quirked upwards at the mention of the cliffsides. His immediate thought was to ask her about her paws. The rough terrain would surely cut her thin skinned paws. But that was something she would have to learn on her own, a challenge that she would have to take.

If she wanted to test the conditions of his home, he would not stop her. She seemed like she could hold her own, based on the confidence that reeked from her fur. But it didn't make him sick. No. It only had his interest piquing further. To step into the territory of fresh air, the titan of the Roost could feel himself being able to breathe clearly once more. The recent weeks of turmoil with the Kallista of Velaris had him sinking. Maybe she was a lifeboat.

"Your preference," he'd measure her competitive side. If she had one. "But I hear the mountains are particularly dangerous."

But Faust didn't say it in a way to deter her. No. He had the gall to look towards her with a half-mouthed smirk, his eyes hooded with the delight of a welcomed challenge. What will you pick, blackbird?

the staff team luvs u

He seemed unwilling to look at her for long. Was he…shy? Perhaps she’d been mistaken in believing he saw no beauty in her, too. It was rather endearing. Enough so that it brought a prickle of warmth to her cheeks.

Ha! The Blackbird, blushing. It had been a long time since that had happened last, and those memories were tainted. This was something new. Not yet tarnished by betrayal.

She would try not to focus on it for the time being, however. In hindsight, maybe she should have expected the answer he gave.

“Oh? Do you like danger?” Merel asked, her eyes glittering with mischief. As much as she tried to be wise, even she had her weaknesses. “Shall we take our chances, then?”

She started to trot uphill, towards the cliffs—keeping pace with Faust. Would he take the lead, or rely on her to guide him?

the staff team luvs u

Merel took the bait. She had been one to take that leap of faith into the unknown, then, with a stranger such as himself. She didn't even know who he was to these lands and yet she wished to prowl the mountainside for some game. There was nothing else for Faust to assume except that he was interested. In her.

Before he could really respond, Merel had left the warmth of his side and already headed towards the peaks of the mountains. He'd scale the peak, briefly, assessing exactly which one they would be tackling. For him, it was child's play. But for her and her soft feet, he had a feeling that he was sending her to a place of momentary pain and a medic's den. Maybe that was the plan. A plan to have her stay for a little while longer. But she could always leave— Faust wouldn't keep a bird such as herself caged.

"Lead the way." Is all he would say to encourage her as his feet fell in line with her own. He caught up to her. The urge to nudge her side with his nose was instinctual, but he refrained from such an action. He was beginning to see that this woman may have been a dangerous creature for him to get to know. Rebellious, perhaps careless for authority, and competitive should be all things that act as warning signs. But he'd ignore them.

Let the red flags turn green for today. He deserved a break for the shit week he's had. And if Tove can meet up with strange men at the borders, then he can have a little bit of fun too. In comparison to Merel's size, he would be her shadow, a figure that would be merely to...support her endeavors. And maybe he finally understood why Tamir enjoyed the shadows so much. Because oh, what fun it was to be the creature in the dark.

the staff team luvs u

So she would go first. Merel flashed him a grin, and kept moving.

Merel should have been more cautious. An intoxicating sort of energy flooded her, however—the thrill of the hunt, and maybe another kind of thrill. She glanced back at the wolf who shadowed her from time to time—mostly just to watch him. He was surefooted, with his own sort of grace. Hardly a clumsy brute, despite his stature. A part of her also wanted to make sure that he hadn’t slipped away.

In the back of her mind, she felt a guilty pang as she thought of Periane. This was all just part of the game, Merel told herself. To some extent, that was still true.

Soon, however, she found all her thoughts displacing themselves in favor of keeping her own footing. They were creeping along a steep ledge now, one side pressed to the cliff. Her claws scrabbled on the stone from time to time, but for the moment Merel ignored the jagged rocks poking at her. Not far ahead, a lone young goat was munching on a shrub.

A small, stable trail of gravel lead up from where it was grazing. She would have to approach it from there to stop it from escaping that way.

“I’ll try to scare it from above,” Merel whispered, glancing behind herself. “You keep it from falling off the mountain.”

If Faust agreed, she would loop back around him to climb up higher. She’d make her way to the top, biting back a growl as her foot scraped on something.

---

feel free to PP Merel in your next post if needed! She’ll try to scare it so it falls off the ledge (and slip and hurt herself in the process)

the staff team luvs u

Faust would say nothing as he followed the brunette up the rocky ledge. The sharp terrain had no effect on his paws, but he didn't know about her. So as thy took their venture skyward, his eyes would glance from the path ahead, to the pads of her feet. Waiting for the smell of iron, the streak of blood against the rock to halt this...outing. But it didn't come. He was only met with Merel's gaze as she looked over her shoulder, maybe wondering if he was still there.

He was. And he wasn't going anywhere.

When they met the trail of gravel, she swiveled around to face him, her voice soothing to his ears. While she explained her plan, he looked up to the steep ledge above where the kid was meandering, calling out for its mother. But it wasn't the calls of desperation that had his ears pinned against his head. No, it was the thin barrier of sharp, textured rocks that halted any trespasser. He never noticed the detail of the Vale until he was face to face with it, contemplating what would happen if she made a misstep. But the blackbird carried herself with such confidence that even Faust was convinced of it.

With but only a curt nod of his head, he'd shift around Merel, his shoulder brushing her own. Her fur was warm. He positioned himself against the base of the mountain face, looking over his shoulder. Waiting. Staring. Ogling at her before she decided to move. And when she did, Faust would only utter a soft warning to her, "Careful, little bird."

He wasn't sure if she heard him or not. Regardless, she kept going. But what didn't move was his gaze. Faust's eyes, radiant green and blue, locked onto her lithe, toned body. She eats well. The observation was noticeable. A proficient hunter is what that meant. His brows raised as he made the connection, impressed. It's different when you're out there alone, alone as far as he could tell. She didn't smell of any marks. Good, the purr of his subconscious came. But it left fast.

When she was in position, Faust would look up to her, eyes narrowed with anticipation. His blood tingled with excitement. Adrenaline. And he would wait until she made the final move.

the staff team luvs u

She only just heard his warning, soft as a whisper on the wind. A slight shiver went down her spine—not quite fear and not quite anything else.

Merel could feel a slight scratch on the underside of her foot, but it wasn’t anything to worry about for now. It didn’t impede her movements as she crept towards the kid, using the steep, jagged rocks to disguise her approach. The dark-coloured stone blended well with her pelt.

By the time the goat noticed her, it was too late. Merel jumped, purposefully landing short of the animal. The kid panicked and sprang straight off the cliff, falling to the ledge where Faust was waiting below…

…But the gravel was sharp and loose, and Merel slipped too.

She yelped in momentary terror as she felt the ground beneath her feet disappear. Then she was rolling, scrabbling at the cliff side herself, and hit the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of her lungs.

Carefully, she got up; she was relieved that nothing important was smarting. Her paws stung horribly, however—and she lifted one to examine it. The paw pads were scraped bloody and raw.

She set her foot down, trying to hide her wincing as she looked to see if Faust had succeeded.

the staff team luvs u

The titan's golden stare didn't leave the blackbird. Utterly entranced by her graceful steps against the sharp cliffside, he swore even his mouth fell ajar for a split second. A second too long, really, given that he was supposed to be on a keen watch for when she startled the kid. But then why did he have the urge to devour her instead?

There was a thump. A jagged sound of splitting rock and he heard the cry of despair from above. A plume of white fur and budding horns tumbled down the mountainside. Faust's attention split away from Merel then, only letting his threatening eyes follow the body of the babe. He sidestepped, angling where it would fall, and it was practically dead before it hit the ground. With a fall like that, there was no way it would've survived.

But Faust threw his weight atop the kid regardless, letting his teeth sink into its thick neck. With a 'snap' he knew it was dead and he didn't let himself feel any remorse of the dead baby in his mouth. His hunger over powered any sentiment of morality when it came to hunting.

He'd lift himself then, the goat dangling from his maw with a clean line of blood dripping down and onto the gravel at his feet. Not a clean site, but Faust never intended to be so...hygienic when it came to hunting. The faster it got done, the less he had to think about the act itself. It was a way that he could grapple onto his grounding aspects of solidarity.

But there was no morality on his mind. No. Only the blackbird was. Where was she? His eyes scanned around fervently, the goat's dead weight flinging around with the turns of his head. He found her covered in dust, the scent of iron lingering in the air. But it wasn't the kids. Fuck.

Faust bounded over to her, urgency in his step. He dropped the kid at his side, letting it fall limp out of sight around them. He closed the space between him and Merel, a look of concern etched onto his hard face. A crack in his shell as he looked down at her— only a slight one. "Let me see."

He gestured to her injury. Surface level, she looked fine. They always do. But he knew better. He'd wait for her, the heat of her body melding with his own, his breath fanning against her cheek. But he didn't care how close they were. He wanted to see what happened.

the staff team luvs u

She was relieved he’d at least gotten the goat. So her efforts hadn’t come to nothing. At the same time, though, her fur prickled with hot shame each time she tried to put her foot down.

She wouldn’t be able to run like this. She couldn’t catch anything like this. A silent panic filled her. All this for what? A stupid goat?

To impress a man?

“I’ll be fine,” she said. Part of her wanted to growl and snap at him. She knew perfectly well this was her own fault, though. She’d let him goad her into it. Besides, he couldn’t have known this would happen, could he?

Maybe that was why she didn’t back away when Faust came closer to her. Instead she relented, albeit grudgingly, lifting one foot to allow him to look at her bloody paw pads. He was so close, she realized. So close that she could feel his breath on her cheek. He’d thawed a little before. But now she saw a momentary warmth in his eyes. She stared up at him, not breaking her gaze. Suddenly, she thought of how that sun-dipped fur might feel against her chin. How warm his side would be against her own.

He was lovely when he chose to wear kindness.

Stop it, she snarled at herself.

“It’ll heal,” she insisted. And winced as soon as she put her paw back down.

the staff team luvs u

It was worse than he thought. He thought it wouldn't cut the skin entirely, only a place for a scab, scare her into fleeing these mountains. But it did the opposite. Faust couldn't let her leave without receiving care. His mind drifted to Tove— how frustrated she'd be if he came sauntering back with a woman at his side. He knew how he'd feel...but this was the process. The process of letting go, breathing in fresh air that surrounded him.

And that's exactly what he did. Faust took a deep breath in. Merel's scent soothed him internally, but a sigh came tumbling out after. The small gashes on her feet that bled were not just things that would heal on their own, rendering infection a practical guarantee. She could lose a paw, even die from something as severe. "Shit." The curse was hushed, coiled with a gruff.

'It'll heal.'

A coarse chuff and a shake of his head was his response. She tore her foot back to the ground. He didn't realize how close he had gotten until he looked into her eyes, such marvelous depths that stared back at him. Something that he wanted to explore.

"Can you walk?" he didn't give her that much room to respond. He pulled himself away from her warmth, instead focusing on the valley below. Tove would be there. He was sure of it. "Come with me."

Faust didn't think she would.

"Please."

The titan didn't say please often.

the staff team luvs u

It was bad. Not the worst pain she’d suffered, but she was going to be helpless for a little time.

She stared at him as he moved away, finally. Once again, she was possessed by the urge to snap. For a moment, it was not Faust’s face she saw. She remembered a face she’d spent far too long trying to forget.

But that image faded, as day into night. The concern on Faust’s face was real. She could see that.

“Alright,” she agreed through gritted teeth. Carefully, slowly, she limped after him.

No, she was not helpless. She could be reckless, but she wasn’t an innocent girl anymore. She was not the whelp who once had been tricked into thinking she was loved. And she might be weakened at the moment, but she’d come back from worse. She just had to bide her time.

She would keep going, for Periane. And maybe for Faust—if only because she wanted to see that face of kindness again. She wanted to know that she hadn’t imagined it.

the staff team luvs u