Howl-n-Run [Sanct] [M]

[Zero]

[PM or DM me with a character and an idea!]

There was nothing quite like waking up in a bed of soft, loose dirt and leaves. It made him feel peaceful and content. Howland was in no rush to get up from his primitive bed. Instead he simply basked in the soft morning light as it filtered through the trees, enjoying the rich, earthy scents that filled his nose. A fur-covered ear twitched as he appreciated the sounds of birdsong. He could make out some jays, magpies, crows, and far in the distance the distinct rappa-tap-tap of a woodpecker. Deep in the Draconi Forest he felt at home, where it was wild and free and pure.

This was where a wolf belonged. It was where he felt most at home. His needs were simple and unbiased.

Well at least half of him. The human side was another creature entirely – complicated and savage in ways a wolf could never contemplate. When you mixed the two together you could find harmony or absolute chaos. It was a delicate balancing act between his conflicting natures.

After several days roaming uninhibited through the remote, unsettled parts of the forest his beast felt satisfied and fulfilled. He had feasted on fresh blood and flesh, reveled in the thrill of the hunt, ran for no other reason than the wind felt good whipping through his thick fur, and lazed about to his heart's content because there was no one to tell him to do otherwise. It was the simplest, purest way to live and he loved it.

On the other side, a week of complete solitude with no one to talk to had made him start to itch in an unpleasant way. Both wolves and humans were social creatures. He had started to grow lonely. It was time for him to slink back into the life of a man.

Howland rolled to his feet, his paws were large and heavy, and they made the dirt shift beneath him as his toes sank and wiggled in the foamy soil. He stretched and yawned in an unhurried way. It was a rare occasion where a wolf ever felt the need to rush. Time was inconsequential to him, beyond where the sun hung in the sky. Humans worried about such abstract concepts as hours and minutes, not wolves.

The hollowed out log where he had left his human belongings was easy to find. It was just within the tree line outside a small town he planned to stay in for as long as the humans could keep him entertained and happy.

He had managed to change his shape back into a man and retrieve his clothing, but not to actually pull them back on, before a pair of women came upon him. One was a bit older, in her forties, and the other looked to be her daughter, late teens, possibly twenty. They were carrying baskets and if Howland had to guess they were on their way to forage edible mushrooms, it was that time of year.

A human would have thought of things like decency and modesty. If he were just a man he would have tried to cover himself with his bundle of clothing instead of simply letting everything continue to just hang out, but he wasn't just a man and definitely wasn't modest. A predatory, wolfish grin crossed his features as he took the shocked women in, they weren't hard on the eyes at all, and it had been over a week since he'd last laid eyes on the female form.

"Well hello ladies."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Howland would have sworn he had no idea how he got into these sorts of situations! It wasn't his fault that mother and daughter had been into it and into him. Well technically he supposed he had been in them, but that seemed irrelevant. It also wasn't his fault their husband/father had come home earlier than expected. Or that the man had been carrying a hatchet.

Truth be told he probably had not set a personal best on time when he'd jumped from the bedroom window and took off running down the road. It would have been nice if he'd stopped long enough to grab his clothes before bolting.

How long had he been running? Was he far enough away? The angry, screaming man had been a human so Howland figured he was probably pretty safe on distance by now. He could have killed him, but that would have made the women upset and then they would have screamed and he would be called a murderer. Changing back into a wolf would have gotten him farther faster, but that added the risk of being seen which would just start up an all-out werewolf hunt and that was all just more headache than it was worth.

At least it was a very nice day.

[SanctifiedSavage]

 Not every group of people are created equal. She could hear her older brothers world echo about in her mind while she was staying in a small inn, in a tiny town. One of the reasons he hadn't wanted her to leave in the first place. With a low opinion of strangers and an even lower opinion of humans - no matter the culture - Theun was fully expecting his dear sister to go out in the world and either become assaulted by all manner of undesirables or simply find the vast majority of them either repulsive or upsetting.

Thus far, some of it had been true. But there were terrible people in all creeds, cultures, and races. Their own included. She was not naive or innocent enough to think that just because her family happened to be sweet on one another that such a thing extended to the whole of the Starstriders, and thus only they could be capable of good and the rest of the world be damned. If anything, she found the nuances of terrible-ness quite interesting and looked at it with a detached, sort of clinical fascination. It was with that mindset that she had observed the village's response to her and her Izotz Katua when she arrived.

Niusha knew she was quite foreign. Pearlescent skin that looked like fresh snow, long, stark white hair braided back, and a large cat that reached waist height while on all fours and they had made everyone quite nervous. Even if Thaljia was harnessed, collared, and muzzled. It wasn't like Niusha, for all her slender height, looked like she could hold the animal back if Thaljia wanted to really rampage about the town. Which was one of the very important reasons that the Izotz had to have accepted not only Niusha as part of her family, but had been exposed and used to people long before this. Not that the elf could explain the intricacies of Katua breeding to the people as they scurried away and murmured from behind closed doors and shooed children out of the streets. Nor could she really blame them. The Katua was as tall as some of the shortest of them.

Thankfully, the tavern and innkeep had, though warily, accepted the coin for the room and Niusha had tucked her Thaljia up in the room. The Izotz wouldn't like the confinement, and she couldn't readily keep her there for days at a time, but it would do for the afternoon while she walked around the city and allowed the people to get a little more accustomed to the sight of her. What really helped, though, was that Niusha sounded quite friendly and, to some, very lovely. Her mastery of the trade tongue wasn't as spot on as she'd liked, but she could fiddle her way through it and sing her way through the rest of it. At least by now she could get her message across and, so long as she didn't smile and expose sharp, white teeth, the people of the village proper weren't so frightened of the tall elf in their midst.

It was a simple place she'd come to. Tucked in the woods with personal gardens and no proper roads that ran to it. Niusha liked such private places because it reminded her so much of the towns she'd been taken to growing up, minus all the snow. Quaint little shops, few and far between, served the needs of the town and caught her interest as a child might a new toy. Everything new was a chance to learn and, because the owners were tethered to their shops, were subject to her questions. When they realized Niusha was naught but curious, the tension left their shoulders and they answered readily enough. Rudimentary things like plows and how to hitch to an ox, the various seeds they had stored and how to plant them, what each of the furs were hanging and what they'd come from... All of it was a delight to her that she would have to catalogue later.

It was as she made her way along the outskirts of the town, one of her thick sketchbooks in hand, that commotion caught her attention. Someone causing a fuss in the town. She only happened to notice because the place was generally so quiet, with the play of insects, song-birds, and the whisper of leafs and grass as background. Having someone shouting was certainly out of place. Her lavender and pale sea green gaze tracked the farmer who had been shouting. He seemed to have lost something he was quite mad at and was screaming obscurities to the tall, field grass and lightly forested area nearby. She wasn't too well versed in such things, and he was a fair distance away, so she didn't really know what he was saying.

Curiosity fulfilled, Niusha turned her attention back to the flowers she'd been idly sketching. Field flowers were lovely and grew in all manner of places. Just outside the village, far enough away she no longer drew any manner of attention, she'd knelt near some to sketch some after she'd made some notes about the things she'd found in the general store she'd visited earlier. Given how warm it was, she'd dressed down in one of her cloth shirts that left her arms exposed and a pair of simple, soft leather breeches. Her long white hair had been lazily braided, leaving some of the long strands free to do as they pleased. It kept most of the hair out of her way while she was on such exploring escapades, but she hadn't anticipated needing to do anything of real import, so the braid was loose. Her book, stabilized on her lap, was nearly finished.

She'd need to pick up another soon.

[Zero]

One moment Howland was jogging along at an easy pace without much care in the world, despite his naked flight, and the next his whole world turned upside down. It felt like some invisible force had punched him in the gut. The sensation robbed him of breath for several seconds, but when he was able to drag a deep breath back through his nose all hell broke loose. He was powerless to control the change has his body contorted, twisting and reshaping itself until a towering beast, neither human or wolf, stood in the man's place.

Shudders ripped through him as he raised clawed hands to clutch his now furry head, but his control hung by a tenuous thread. In this form the scent had only grown more overpowering. Howland fought to describe it. If he had to put the smell into words it was the scent of a sweet North wind and fresh powdered snow. Neither smell had particularly moved him until that moment, but now it was all he could think about or want.

Oh how he wanted it.

No, this was not a want. This was an overwhelming need.

In all his years finding his mate was not something Howland had ever put much thought into. The event was always viewed as some far of eventuality that would happen, but that he never really considered that important before that moment. Now that it had happened the werewolf wasn't sure how he had ever lived without the owner of that lovely scent by his side.

MINE!

No other word could push through the haze that clouded his mind. His mate was so very close. Howland needed to be with her. He needed to claim her and protect her. Nothing could have prepared him for this moment, but pure instinct was enough to carry him through.

Only a few moments had passed from the time he had caught the scent of his mate and when his paws began tearing up dirt as he bolted towards her. It didn't matter that he had never met her, had no idea what she looked like, and wasn't aware of where exactly she was. All Howland had to do was follow his nose, and with his werewolf speed it did not take long at all for him to break through the forest to where Niusha was sitting with a book in her lap.

They were too close to civilization for the wolf's liking. The thought of their mating being interrupted was absolutely intolerable. Howland needed his mate all to himself, somewhere far away from others where she would be safe and he could shelter her.

It was surprising he could think that far in his frenzied state, but honestly it was barely what could be considered active thinking. This was something far more primal and instinctual. Not that it mattered at the moment. Howland could barely even take stock of his mate as he barreled towards her. They had a very unique appearance, definitely not human, but it hardly mattered to him. She was perfect and meant for him, he knew it deep within his soul.

Howland reached out for Niusha, lifting her easily and throwing her over his shoulder before fleeing into the forest with his prize.

[SanctifiedSavage]

There was a reason that Niusha traveled with a giant leopard. Her situational awareness faded when she was focused on her own sort of thing, allowing the world around her to sort of drift into the background while she sketched and took notes in her large journal. Just because she could become so focused though, didn't mean her Thaljia could.

Except Thaljia wasn't there.

This left Niusha quite oblivious to the impending danger – the large werewolf that burst from the tree line – until it was quite far too late for her to do anything about it. Her brother would have been embarrassed and furious with her if he'd known just how caught off guard she'd been. Her time in the small, quaint village had been so peaceful and quiet that, up until the very moment she was snatched up, Niusha didn't think that anything bad could really happen to her.

So, when it did, it was more shock than fear. More surprise and confusion than the likely more appropriate concern for her life. She at least, for her, had the presence of mind to grab at the book that had been spilled from her lap. The sketch pencil was lost to the field as she was quickly carried off.

It was only after a moment, a breath, as reality filtered in that Niusha processed what was happening. Someone – because she didn't attribute the large wolf-creature beneath her as a something – had kidnapped her? Was that what was really happening? Just like that? In the middle of a nice, sunny day? Just... plucked her out of the field, like one might a strawberry off a vine. Without anyone noticing or a care in the world.

The incredulousness of the entire affair kept her from screaming for help. Honestly, Niusha couldn't believe she was actually being taken. It seemed so preposterous, so outlandishly odd, that surely there must be a logical, reasonable explanation why someone – who was a giant, furred person – would run out into the field she'd been and just... snatch her up. There had to be.

Because otherwise this was all bad and she had no idea what to do. Which wasn't something she wanted to think about unless that was where her mind had to absolutely go to.

So she did her best to brace herself somewhat and not flop around like a sack of potatoes might, but she was otherwise at the mercy of her.... newfound friend... until they stopped and decided to tell her what the rush was.

[Zero]

Safe and mine.

Three simple words that echoed over and over inside his head, they filled his chest with each beat of his heart, with every breath that panted out of his elongated muzzle.  Nothing else mattered to the werewolf. If he could think clearly that might have terrified him slightly. Howland had never sought out his mate, but he knew he couldn't deny the immediate bond either. His free-spirited nature had made him leery of this moment, but now that it had come he was filled with a type of euphoria he would never have been able to imagine until the moment her scent had first caught him.

That was disturbingly true. She had captured him, even though she hadn't been trying or meant to. It would not matter soon enough. His mate would come to understand that this was how it was supposed to be.

Speaking of supposed to be, the trees had grown denser around them the further into the forest Howland ran. The wolf knew these woods well. He had tread through these lands for weeks. There was a small cave that he took shelter in sometimes, when the weather turned and he was living as a beast in the wild. It seemed a fitting den to retreat to with his precious cargo.

The wolf's long gait slowed as they reached their destination, albeit one of them not knowing this was their destination or why.

Howland stopped at the rocky outcropping next to a short waterfall, a pleasant brook ran near the mouth of the cavern. It truly was an ideal location for a creature of the wild. Of course he doubted it was within his mate's standard of ideal home, but this was only a temporary respite for him to claim her and convince her that she belonged with him. Given his apparent abduction that might prove somewhat challenging, but his mate had been surprisingly calm during their flight.

With the urgency to make his mate safe lessening, he was finally able to regain enough rational to calm his beast – if only slightly. Being very gentle, Howland set Niusha back on her feet at last. His stormy blue-grey eyes looked down at her face eagerly, drinking in the sight of his mate now that he could properly appreciate her.

There was quite a lot to notice.

She was very tall for a female, and didn't seem to have any breasts. That was enough to make him pause a moment and tilt his head. Was his mate a male? It was not unheard of and he did not care overly much about the gender. His mate was his mate and Howland's wolf would love them desperately no matter what. Not being able to have pups would be somewhat disappointing, but that was not enough to dampen the wolf's enthusiasm.

"Mine."

A single guttural declaration forced through a mouth never intended to issue human speak, it was more a primitive growl than true word.

[SanctifiedSavage]

Niusha wasn't the best at keeping track of the passage of time outside of where she'd grown up, but she felt like she'd been slung over the shoulder for... well, for days. It was certainly not her preferred method of traveling. More than that, though, it made trying to keep track of where she was going quite difficult. Growing up amongst a family of hunters on a frozen prairie meant it was quite difficult for her to become lost in the wilderness, but all this greenery tended to look the same to her.

Stick her out in the vast sea of frozen ground and scrub brush, Niusha was quite comfortable. But the forest was almost claustrophobic by comparison. So many trees that all looked quite similar from far away... Not that she was one to panic, and she was learning how to navigate such places.

Being hauled off so quickly and at such a drastic angle, though, didn't make it easy for her.

Having specific landmarks, such as the waterfall, heartened her. And a cave. Err. A cave they were going in.

Once Niusha was set on her feet, she took a couple of steps back reflexively. Both to ground herself, literally and figuratively, and look at just who had scooped her up. Niusha didn't think it was just an animal. Animals didn't just run off with people, and there'd been a sense of purpose to it all. Out of habit, she fussed with her long hair while she took a moment to figure out what she should say.

He? He beat her to the punch. Mine. Mine? Had she heard that right? What did that even mean? Niusha understood the base word, but she didn't understand why he was saying it to her. If she'd even heard correctly.

Nervously, a smile quirked at the corner of her pale lips and she took another step back. As ridiculous as this all was, she actually said, "You must have me confused with someone else." Her sweet siren voice filled the cave as her eyes darted around, not-too-subtly looking for a way around the giant wolf-person. Niusha was not much of a fighter – tall and slender as she was – but she could run, when the moment called for it.

And it seemed like that moment was quickly approaching. At least he didn't seem... hostile...

[Zero]

A shiver ran through Howland as that lovely, melodic voice reached his sensitive ears. The fur along his spine actually stood on end, which probably made him look even more intimidating than usual, but he could not help it. Her voice, it was angelic, the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. In that moment the wolf knew that he could listen to his mate speak forever and never tire of hearing the sound, it did not even matter that much what was being said.

Of course if his mate was saying something different that would have been better.  Confused? No, no. That was impossible. The Moon Goddess did not make mistakes. Howland could never be mistaken about this. The great beast shook his head and took a step closer to his mate.

"Mine." Howland repeated earnestly, the growl in his voice rumbling even louder.

Was she frightened? She did not seem at ease. The wolf struggled to understand that he was the cause of his mate's alarm. How could his mate be frightened of him? A more rational part of his mind knew that his poor mate did not understand what was going on. She was not a wolf. How could she know what to expect? That did not change the fact that she was his and he had to claim her. He just wished that he did not cause her to look ready to try to flee.

That would be...unwise.

[SanctifiedSavage]

Alright. So, the wolf-person seemed pretty certain that they had who they wanted. As much as Niusha thought that was odd in and of itself, her only other thought was that he was still confused. Had confused her with someone else. Because she had no other explanation for what was happening. In an effort to clear up said confusion in that end, she tapped her own chest gently and said, "My name is Niusha." There was no way he would know her name, because they didn't know one another. Surely that meant he would let her go.

When that didn't cut it, Niusha went to her fall back plan.

Run.

He was fast and he was close. There wasn't a lot of space to get around him. Honestly, Niusha had to rely on surprise to get around him. Likely he would be quick enough to snatch her up otherwise.

Her surprise was short lived – because she was desperate to get away – so she didn't celebrate the minor victory of actually getting past him, getting out of the cave. Niusha knew she was quick. Her tall stature and long, slender legs helped with that.

She only hoped it would be enough to outrun a wolf-person.

Niusha's goal was to get back to town, back to her room, where her giant Thaljia would be able to help defend and protect her.

[Zero]

Niusha.

The wolf closed his eyes and perked his ears forward, basking in that sweet voice, and rolling her name around in his mind. It was beautiful. She was perfect, everything he could want. His stormy eyes popped back open as he heard the subtle shifts in her body as she looked frantically for an escape. She was going to make a run for it, and a shudder of anticipation went through him.

It was not a wise choice for her, but Howland wanted very badly for her to run. His wolf was itching to chase down and claim their mate properly. It was his mate's right to test him. He should prove to her how strong, fast, and agile he was. How else was she to know that he was a good hunter and would be an excellent protector and provider for her and their pups? No, this was the absolute right thing for her to do. It was what he desperately wanted.

Howland did not try to grab her when his tall, sleek mate darted past him out of the cave. He turned and watched her run from him, body practically vibrating in excitement. She was not a wolf, however, and giving her a head start was only fair.

Not that he could stand waiting for too long. A hundred yards, two hundred, his eyes followed her with a lustful hunger. When he couldn't bear to stand still any longer he dropped to all fours and howled out his warning that he was coming for her; as the note died in his throat his limbs started moving, a jog at first, then an all-out sprint.

Even a long-limbed elf with a head start couldn't hope to outrun a wolf.

It did not take long, maybe a few minutes, for him to come up off to her side, falling into pace several yards from her. A growl rumbled out of him, making sure she knew he was there, but for now he was content to run with her. She would eventually tire, but he would capture her before she got anywhere close to a town.

...surely she would tire.

...

...any minute now...

Howland was impressed by his mate's stamina. He didn't know many people that could run at this speed for that long. Of course wolves could run for days, so he wasn't winded by the extended chase, but he had become impatient and restless. His body ached to claim his mate, so as fun as this had been...playtime was over.

A swift readjustment placed him behind his mate, and two strides later he pounced. For as fast and strong as the werewolf was, the takedown was remarkably gentle. His furred arms had come protectively around Niusha as they hit the ground and rolled until coming to a stop with Howland pinning his mate to the ground triumphantly. It was impossible for him to resist throwing back his head and giving a victory howl at capturing her.

He lowered his head over hers and growled out his possessive claim once again.

"Mine!"

[SanctifiedSavage]

Niusha couldn't process her surprise, not right away, that she'd actually made it out of the cave. It didn't really make sense, but she wasn't about to question her luck.

So she ran. In the direction of the town, or the direction she believed the town to be. The howl behind her sent a chill down her spine, encouraging her to go fast.

As quick as she could be. The logical part of her that suggested she shouldn't have made it out of the cave to begin with also wanted to point out that it was incredibly unlikely that she'd be able to outrun the wolf. The giant wolf person. Whose stride was likely double hers, at least.

Who eventually did catch up to her. Pacing her. If the wolf thought she was going to tire from running though...

Niusha almost wished he'd maintain that ignorance until she was within shouting distance of the town.

He didn't.

Niusha's cry of surprise was cut off when she hit the ground with him. She'd braced for it, and while it was still a tumble, it wasn't nearly as painful or bruising as it should have been all things considering. It didn't occur to her that he'd been the reason for it.

Panting, she pushed up against the creature over her. Trying, in vain, to move him. Niusha could run for a long time, but she couldn't move the wolf.

The howl made her a little more desperate, gritting her teeth and pushing again. Digging her palms in the soft dirt beneath her. When that didn't seem to work, she tried to crawl away. Right up until there was that word again. Mine.

"You. Have. The. Wrong. Person," she snapped, each word punctuated by more struggling and some hissing between her sharp teeth.

[Zero]

His mate couldn't possibly escape him. She tried anyway. Howland kept her firmly pinned to the ground as the beautiful elf hissed and struggled beneath him. Honestly all the squirming against his abdomen was absolutely not going to help her; it only made him that much more excited. The chase had already thoroughly riled him. He was more than ready to stake his claim, breath hot and panting as he growled at her biting accusation that he had the wrong person.

Those words actually hurt him, causing a pang in his heart, but he knew that she just didn't know yet what she really meant to him. Howland wished he could explain to her how very special and important she was. The Moon Goddess had chosen her just for him, and that was more sacred to his people than anything else in the world.

How he wished that he could speak properly so that he could tell her not to be afraid, could tell her that he loved her dearly even though they had met so strangely (to her).

Howland couldn't do that though. The mating pull had gripped him too strongly now. If he didn't mate her soon he might go insane. He gave a snarl of annoyance at the clothes that were between him and his precious mate. Those had to go. Now.

His claws were like razors, the fabric of her garments didn't stand a chance, but as sharp and dangerous as those talons were, they didn't touch that delicate pale skin. Even in his lust-induced frenzy, Howland was careful not to scratch his beloved, even if she struggled against him angrily. He could apologize for the clothes and replace them later.

The fur on his fingers was surprisingly soft as he slid them along her body. He had been right, no breasts, or even nipples. How strange. It didn't matter. She was perfect. His hands continued down as he peeled the torn clothes off her body, admiring her as he ran his tongue down her back. Addicting and sweet and all his. His cold nose dragged down her spine, over the curve of her delicious backside, then down to take in the sweet scent of her slit.

Howland was too absorbed with his task to notice much. His grip on her hips was firm but not bruising, she couldn't get away from him as his tongue swiped along her folds, tasting and testing with abandon. He wanted her so much it hurt, but he couldn't mount her if she wasn't slick and ready to receive him.

He had discovered a very interesting extra appendage on his mate. That was definitely not something he ever expected, but his tongue paused its dipping into his mate's folds long enough to run along that part too – he didn't want to neglect any part of his mate, after all. Even as badly as he wanted her, trying to please her was very rewarding to him.

Still, he could only stand his cock throbbing painfully for so long and when he couldn't bear it any longer he slowly slid his chest up his mate's back, carefully positioning himself despite the urge to plunge in frantically. Niusha would feel his jaws gently clamp around their left shoulder, near the neck. Blood wasn't drawn, not yet, for now he just wanted to hold her in place as he found her opening with his leaking tip.

This was the hardest part for him. Howland would have been sweating with the strain if he'd been in human form. It was torturous, sliding himself into the warmth of his mate's body so agonizingly slowly.

At the same time it was...absolute bliss. He had shamefully been with many women – and men for that matter – but nothing could begin to compare to what he felt as he slowly sank himself to the hilt, sheathing himself fully inside her body. He closed his eyes as he tried not to move immediately, partly to savor the sensations and partly to make sure he didn't harm his much smaller mate but doing too much too quickly.

That resolve didn't take long to start melting. The wolf huffed and panted over his mate as he started driving into her earnestly. Somehow he managed not to do so too roughly, but he wished he could be gentler. Later, he promised himself. Next time he would have control and he could be as tender and gentle as his mate wanted. Right now his instincts drove him to claim, and to do that...

Howland felt his hips jerk almost painfully as he tried to pull out, but he couldn't pull back that far any longer. Instead he ground forward, burying himself as deeply as he could. The gentle hold of his teeth clamped down suddenly as his hips jerk again. Her blood was impossibly sweet on his tongue as he felt himself throb and explode inside her, pumping stream after stream of seed into his mate. No male could ever mistake her as unclaimed now. His mouth pulled away from the bite he had caused and he howled with triumph once again.

[SanctifiedSavage]

He wasn't getting it. Niusha didn't know what to do at that point, and feared that he was going to do some serious damage to her because this was just all wrong. The entire situation. The chasing. How she was trapped between him and the ground. How she couldn't even move away from him.

Her mind switched quickly from I'm going to get eaten to cold confusion when her clothes were ripped. It wasn't the tearing of fabric to get at soft muscle and tissue. No, this felt deliberate. Pointedly because she actually wasn't hurt. Touched plenty, with the cold kiss of air hitting her exposed skin, but no.

Not hurt.

Niusha was about to protest this entire thing when she felt something warm and wet run down her back. His tongue? Her protest died in a whimper and she clawed at the dirt more so. It was pointless, she knew, but that didn't stop her from trying. What else was there to do?

Apparently he did not intend to eat her. Rather, the wolf had something else entirely on his mind and the words mine became quite clear, now. So, maybe he didn't have her confused with anyone else and he was quite intent on what he wanted from her. Which only confused Niusha all the more. It wasn't like the wolf was going to misplace another's scent for hers... that seemed highly unlikely.

She just... didn't understand... why her...?

Niusha couldn't help but squeal when he lapped at her. It wasn't like she'd been touched by another there. Or messed around with anyone! Then, to have the wolf's tongue so thoroughly exploring her suddenly set her nerves on fire in electric ways, making her twitch and shiver. It was just a lot to try and take in, let alone process what she should do – what she could do!

She had no concept of how much time he tormented her in such a way, or the sounds that he wrought from her.

Niusha was panting by the time he slid up her back. Her legs felt weak but he held her in place. It wasn't until something – until something quite hard – was pressing into her that she became sharply aware.

He was going to fuck her. Like that. As a wolf. Some stranger was going to...

Niusha would've been inclined to struggle more so, but the teeth on her shoulder kept her tense and still. He still wasn't tearing into her, as someone who wanted to hurt her might, but tears still pricked the corner of her eyes. A soft cry escaped her mouth when he pushed further into her.

No, no, no, no.

How was this happening?! Why?

The thoughts were scattered rapidly when the wolf started moving over her, in her. Thrusting into her body and stretching her in a way she'd not been before. It hurt, certainly, and soft cries she tried to stifle were pushed from her throat.

Niusha had never imagined... Had never thought... She hung her head and braced herself, unwilling to be shoved into the dirt. It was bad enough this was happening...

For however long...

The rough rhythm was broken when the teeth at her shoulder buried in her flesh and the ache between her legs spiked to pain as he drove into her as deep as he could. Niusha actually screamed at the bite but was too scattered, mentally, to try and get away when he was... on her... like that.

The howl made her shiver, the sound eerily... comforting?... despite it all. It didn't bother her, or scare her, as it had the first time. Rather, she'd always liked the sound of wolves howling and this particular one wasn't so bad. All things considering. Were this another place, another time, and in different circumstances she'd have thought it sounded lovely.

Now... well, now she just wanted to get away. Clean herself up. Try to sort out what to do with herself now, the bite... the wolf in general... Her voice was a little shaky as she murmured, "P-please... g-get off of me..." Niusha didn't really expect him to comply, but trying to force him wasn't going to work either.

[Zero]

The single-minded drive to claim his mate drained fairly rapidly now that his mark rested on his mate's flesh. Of course it was replaced with a deeply satiated exhaustion. Howland had never felt so completely fulfilled or had ever climaxed so hard in his life. He felt completely spent. Of course the wolf had been hoping to breed their mate, so that would definitely explain it.

His fuzzy, post-orgasmic bliss was pierced by the sound of his mate's voice beneath him, pleading for him to get off. A stab of pain struck his heart and he let out a soft whine. How did he tell her that it wasn't quite that simple?

Howland couldn't have pulled out of her if he wanted to, but he could at least relieve her of the burden of his weight hovering over her. His arms wrapped around her protectively; pulling her with him as he carefully rolled to his right side. He did his best to cradle her against the warm, soft fur of his chest. She deserved a much more comfortable bed, but for now it was the best he could do.

The scent of her blood was both distressing and euphoric. He lavished the wound with his tongue, cleaning it diligently for her. It would scar. That was the whole intention, but he would never leave another permanent mark on his mate's lovely pale skin.

He wished that he didn't have to bring her any pain at all. Now that his wits were returning he could remember her cry of pain as his jaws had latched onto her.  It pained him to remember.

"Sorry." It was another growled word as he hugged her even closer, feeling remorseful for causing her any distress.

[SanctifiedSavage]

The sounds he made shouldn't have soothed her as much as they did. Niusha chalked it up to being a creature of sound herself. His whine did sound legitimately apologetic, even if she didn't understand why any of this had happened to begin with.

She almost thought he was going to do as she asked, to move away from her.... But no. Niusha was pulled back against a warm, soft chest and rolled to her side. He was still uncomfortably in her, making her squirm and mewl, but she didn't struggle. There didn't seem a point. He'd already proven he was far stronger than she was.

Niusha also didn't want to get bit again.

Her body tensed when his tongue ran over the bite, expecting more pain, but he seemed content with the marring of her shoulder. Cleaning up the aftermath of the bite...

None of this was making sense to her. Despite herself, she found one of her hands gripping his furred forearm. If only for something to hold onto, while her other hand rubbed at her face. Scrubbing at the remainder of tears.

The sorry hadn't made her feel as comforted as the whine – wordless sounds for whatever reason resonating with her more so, subconsciously – and hearing him say it just prompted her to ask, her voice rough, "Why?"

Not why are you sorry, but why all this. She just hadn't been able to find the words for the entire question. Whether or not he understood that, of course, was another matter.

[Zero]

Howland wished that he could better comfort his mate in this difficult and confusing moment. She was obviously uncomfortable, and upset. That she had to wipe away tears pained him greatly. He had tried to be gentle! Truly, the wolf had tried very hard, but instinct had taken over and it had been impossible not to do what came naturally to him. Could he make her understand that he hadn't wanted it to be this way?

Of course he wanted his mate, he already loved her desperately, but he really did wish that he could have controlled his reaction to the mating pull. Why did he have to run her down and pounce on her this way? The wolf side didn't understand why this was wrong, but he wasn't just a wolf, the human half of him knew that this was a violating experience for a non-wolf mate. He wasn't given a choice in his mate, and she hadn't been given a choice in accepting or rejecting him before the act was forced upon her. She could still reject him, but that mark and his scent would be part of her forever.

The Moon Goddess could let them earn their mate's love first, but she did not.

The single-worded question was met with a helpless whine. How could he explain to her? Howland knew he did have to explain quite a lot to his new mate, but this really wasn't the form or position to be having an important heart-to-heart conversation. It seemed like it would be hard to convince his mate how much he loved her while he was still hilted inside her without her consent.  That thought made him wince and whine again. What a start to what was supposed to be a loving partnership.

Howland tried to shift position a little, tried to move his arm in a way that Niausha could use his bicep as a pillow. He wanted her to be comfortable. If he could he would have honored her request and given her a little space, but he was stuck. They both were, at least for now.  He nuzzled his head against her shoulder, almost more to comfort himself, since he doubted she wanted much to do with him right now.

Hopefully in time she would see that this was what was meant to be and that she was his and he was hers. In the meantime, the great beast yawned and nestled down with his mate sleepily. Man he was tired.

It didn't take a minute for the wolf to be snoring softly.

[SanctifiedSavage]

There really wasn't anything that could be said to make the situation better. Nothing to excuse what had just happened – at least, nothing right in that moment. Niusha was too raw, both physically and mentally, to process much of anything. She still had no idea why, and that burning question echoed over and over.

Of all the responses he could give, though, the whine prevented her from crying or screaming. He seemed as helpless to explain in that moment as she was to receive the answer.

Obviously, something was going on. Something had happened, and it wasn't just... well. So she rubbed at her eyes one more time and endeavored to tackle this... this mess, all of it... when she could actually think without her mind falling into a pit of why.

When he could talk to her. If that was ever going to be a possibility. Hopefully it would be.

She did use his arm as a pillow, too tired to even care. Niusha just wanted everything to stop aching – fully aware that some things were just going to... be how they were.

It wasn't until the wolf was... snoring?... that Niusha herself eventually passed out from exhaustion. Wasn't like she was going to be darting off anywhere anyway. Rest. She needed some rest. Maybe when she woke up more of this would make sense.

[Zero]

Howland dozed for a while, every now and then his ear would flick as he listened to the sounds of the forest, aware of his surroundings even in sleep. It wouldn't do to be caught off guard in such a vulnerable position with a mate to protect. Fortunately they remained undisturbed as they both slumbered, recovering from their coupling. Admittedly she had far more reason than he did to be drop dead exhausted, but he was far from the only male to get sleepy after sex.

He knew the moment he softened inside his mate and woke up. Howland could feel the excess of his climax escaping and a gentle shifting of his hips finally saw him sliding out of the snug warmth. They were both a rather sticky, gooey mess between their legs. That couldn't be pleasant for her. It wasn't particularly pleasant for him.

Now the really hard part would begin. Howland braced himself for whatever was going to be thrown at him. He would deserve any anger she could dish out once awake enough to realize they were finally separated.

[SanctifiedSavage]

Waking up was unpleasant, and that was being kind. For the briefest of moments, Niusha didn't know where she was. Had to piece it all back together. The dirt beneath her, the smell of the cave, of wolf, of sex. The memories came slow and unhurried, like her mind didn't want to overwhelm itself.

Her clothes were ruined. Her shoulder hurt about as much as the junction between her legs. Maybe a little more. When the wolf pulled away, she shivered. Cold but Niusha wasn't about to ask him to move back.

Some space helped her think.

Out of reflex, Niusha's hands combed through and fretted with her mess of long hair while her pale eyes studied the wolf that had... brought her to the cave. If she was overly concerned about her state of dress, it didn't really show. Being almost nude was rather low on her list of concerns at that moment. If he wanted to do anything with her, Niusha knew she couldn't stop him. Instinctively, she didn't think of him as dangerous, but that didn't mean she wasn't upset, hurt, and vastly confused.

While her long, delicate fingers fussed with a tangle in her hair, she eventually said, "Can... we... go somewhere.... To water? To clean up?" Thinking about practical things was easier than... everything else. Her physical state she could fix. Her hair, the mess of her body... That was easy.

Do the easy things first. Everything else she could pick at with time, just as she picked at her hair.

[Zero]

Even knowing it was the right thing to do, backing off and giving his mate space and room to breathe was one of the hardest things Howland had ever had to do. He couldn't manage more than a handful of steps. If the wolf had reached out one of its elongated arms it could have still almost reached her. All he wanted to do was reach out and pull her close again. Somehow he found the self-restraint not to touch any more just yet, simply watching her fuss with her hair.

She was hurting and upset. Howland could feel it keenly and wished that he was not the cause for negative emotions. It was her right to be upset with him if he had hurt her. Why wasn't she yelling or crying angrily? He knew she had cried earlier.

His ears perked forward when she finally spoke. A soft whine came from his throat unbidden. It was a completely reasonable request, but why was she being reasonable? Should she not be trying to get away again? After what he had done the pain of watching her try to get far away from him was the least he deserved, but she didn't. That brought a more distressing thought to him.

Was she afraid of him?

Maybe she was afraid to yell at him or try to run again after what had happened the last time she ran from the wolf. Running would probably be more difficult now as well. She was likely sore. Howland hung his head in shame and gave another soft, keening whine.

Wallowing in self-pity wasn't going to do any good to either of them. He took a moment to compose his thoughts before shuffling towards her again as slowly and non-threateningly as possible. Howland didn't want to make her afraid of him. He had to make sure he didn't give her even more reason to be fearful or to hate him. Despite his size and strength, the wolf could be amazingly gentle, and he tried to show her that as he lifted her into his arms bridal-style and cradled her lovingly against his chest.

If his mate wanted to get cleaned up then he would take her back to the cave. The water would be cold in the creek, but the cold did not bother him and he would find a way to make her as warm and comfortable as he could when she was refreshed.

As soon as they reached the water he set her down on her feet gently once again, pointing at the water encouragingly.

[SanctifiedSavage]

Niusha didn't think that her request would be denied. There wasn't a reason for her to think that, it just didn't occur to her that he would say no. Why would he?  Thus far, his actions had been very confusing but he wasn't cruel, wasn't aggressive.

The whine shouldn't have been as heart breaking as it was. Shouldn't have bothered her as much as it did. Were they in a different time, under different circumstances, she'd be inclined to... comfort? Him? It was an odd feeling and made her pause to watch him, expression carefully neutral.

It certainly helped keep her calm. Helped keep her... from seeing him as a monster, despite it all. Monsters didn't whine.

When he moved to her, Niusha tensed but she didn't move away. She was mindful of how he touched her, how careful he was. Like her own family was with new born kittens. He could've broken her, could've tossed her over his shoulder. Could've drug her through the forest... There were a lot of things that could have happened, that she thought might have after... well. After that.

Instead, he carried her carefully back to the cave. She tensed again, because the idea of being in a tight space with him wasn't her idea of... ideal... but Niusha knew she couldn't get away. Not really. Not now. He was faster. He'd proven that.

When he put her down, Niusha reflexively reached out to him to steady herself. The touch was brief, just her fingers on his arm, before she stepped away and to the water he indicated.

Niusha took her time taking off her ruined clothes. Her eyes watered a little at the ruined fabric but she tossed it aside and reminded herself. The easy things first. The rest of it later.

She sat and dipped her feet in the water to start, adjusting to the temperature and combing through her hair. It was a nervous, calming thing for her. Let her take stock of the situation while giving her hands something to do.

After a moment, she glanced over her shoulder. Not quite looking at him. "What... who are you?"