Cool Down

>> SATH

Sath stalked through the forest with a lowered head, sulking and grumbling. Another day, another quick evasive maneuver pulled off by that rabbit who Sath suspected was just teasing her at this point. Speed and grace were never her strong suits, and she knew it, but fuck! She was so dead set on killing that thing now, even if the odds were stacked against her. A curse was uttered under her breath while Sath stepped over an exposed tree root, taking a glace at her surroundings.

Here seemed as good a place as ever to cool down before going back to the pack. No way in hell was Sath gonna let them see her all worked up like this over a little brown bunny. She must've been a mile or two west of the den still, surrounded by tall, familiar trees and breathing in the fresh scent of the nearby river. It was just out of earshot where she stood on a patch of exposed earth. The cool, soft dirt was covered in a blanket of fallen twigs and leaves, making it a perfect place to sit. She did so and glowered at a stone just in front of her, reaching out to smack it away just to smack something. It pulled at the still-healing wound on her shoulder and she glared at it through a wince. "Shit. Ársa's gonna kill me."

Notes: Hope this works <3
Tags: @Cedar

It's been nice being able to settle down and rest up for once. Back when Cedar was a rogue she could never afford that luxury. Always on the move, always keeping a watchful eye out. By now her leg is in good shape and she can easily get around the territory. She finds herself exploring a lot these days, with none of the drive or desperation that colored her wandering in the past. This time, she wanders just to appreciate nature and all its beauty, perhaps if she's lucky discover something interesting along the way.

She'd been venturing through the forest all day and is now venturing towards the river to get a drink and maybe wash up a little bit. On the way, she notices a familiar scent, though her nose is too weak to let her place it quite yet... she follows, eager for some company on such a lovely afternoon.

It isn't long before she discovers it's Sath, sitting all by herself. Cedar's head tilts and a small smile makes its way to her lips as she quietly observes the other woman. Cedar can only see her toned back from here, which isn't a terrible view, especially with those white accents.

She hasn't seen as much of Sath lately as she would have liked. Most of the time the alpha is so busy with her work, and Cedar herself hasn't been spending nearly as much time at the den as she was in her first days here... Naturally, Cedar seizes her chance and comes closer.

"Shit. Ársa's gonna kill me," she hears Sath say, looking and sounding very frustrated, and it makes Cedar wonder what could be troubling her.

"Is everything alright, Sath?" Cedar says, stopping a few feet away in case the alpha would like some space.

>> SATH

It's the crunch of grass and twigs behind her that alerts Sath to someone else's presence. At first she only picks up her head and flicks back her ears, waiting for whichever of her pack mates had found her to approach for... whatever it was they needed. She wasn't worried about outsiders so close to the den, after all, so it was surely one of them. When she's surprised with Cedar's distinctive lilt a tiny jolt traveled up her spine. "Is everything alright, Sath?"

Wound and rock forgotten, Sath hops to her paws and spins around, trying to steel away the flush that colors her skin. "Cedar, hey!" She notices the Medic looks good, as usual. Even better now that she'd had a bit of time with the pack to eat and rest since their first meeting. Sath glanced away, hoping she hadn't seen the alpha's little tantrum before... "Uh, yeah. Everything's fine, just," she shook her head and shrugged her healing shoulder off casually before taking a breath and looking into Cedar's almond-shaped eyes, laughing breathily. "Just needed a moment. What about you? How's that leg?"

Notes: -
Tags: @Cedar

There is something endearing about the way the alpha is so hasty to compose herself, though her greeting is very eager. Cedar's tail picks up a gentle wag and she smiles at Sath. She has to admit, she feels very lucky to be able to catch the alpha alone like this. Her head tilts when Sath insists everything is fine and is so quick to deflect the question. "Just needed a moment. What about you? How's that leg?"

Cedar meets Sath's olive gaze and for the first time notices the little scar underneath her right eye. It adds to that rugged appeal of hers, and makes Cedar curious of the story behind it. She props up her recently-healed leg and looks it over, humming in consideration, before stretching it out.

"All is well. The area is still tender but I can get around just fine so long as I don't strain myself," Cedar says, circling around to Sath's side. The casual, steady swish of her tail may just be there to draw attention. Her focus is drawn to a healing wound on the alpha's shoulder. Her ears perk with intrigue. "What about that shoulder of yours? I'm sure that has an exciting story behind it."

>> SATH

To be on the receiving end of a beautiful woman's attention once again is unnerving, to say the least, but it's a development Sath could get used to. Cedar is smiling at her with that pretty mouth despite Sath's fumbling, her tail moving side to side. Sath's own thumps against the ground a few times, some of her stress melting away.

Cedar doesn't press for any details about what she walked in on, instead meeting Sath's gaze for a few moments before stretching out her leg to let the alpha see it's progress with her own eyes. "All is well. The area is still tender but I can get around just fine so long as I don't strain myself."

"Good," Sath hums, only looking away from the curve of her thigh when Cedar moves to circle around her, to join her Sath thinks, but the irritated scabbing on her shoulder is noticed first. "What about that shoulder of yours? I'm sure that has an exciting story behind it."

Sath scoffs. "Try humiliating," she mutters, slouching back down into a seated position. Her eyes flicker over Cedar's face where the other woman is looking over her wound, ears perked. Sath casts a woeful gaze up to the trees above. "Let's just say there's a reason I could never be a hunter." She turns her chin back down with a tiny self-depreciating laugh. "Doesn't look infected, does it? Some alpha I'd be if I was taken down by a fucking rabbit." Sath looked over her shoulder, already unaware she'd let the cause of her frustration slip.

Notes: -
Tags: @Cedar

The alpha's gaze lingers just a little too long at Cedar's slender thigh, more than just a cursory glance to check out where her wound once was. Well, if the alpha is going to look at her like that, she better not waste it. She lets her movements be more languid, smooth and easy as she makes her way to Sath's side.

Hmm... it sounds like that shoulder represents a blow to her ego. Sath even describes the tale of how she earned it as humiliating. When she slumps down into a sit, Cedar takes a seat beside her. "Let's just say there's a reason I could never be a hunter," says Sath, followed by a small dry laugh.

Cedar's head tilts and her eyes sweep over the other woman's figure — with those toned forelimbs, strong shoulders, and that sturdy neck, she's surely very capable. Cedar can easily picture her at a magnificent stag's throat, being the one to deal that final killing blow. The rush of the chase beforehand and the payoff at the end seems so much like something Sath would thrive on. Though thinking about it, it's much easier to see the alpha leading the takedown of some big beast than it was seeing her run down a smaller creature, with that stocky frame of hers.

"Hm... you seem more the warrior type," Cedar acknowledges. It practically oozed out of Sath, between the sturdy build, the rough edges, the determined look in her eye, and all those scars. "But I think you could do anything you put your mind to, Sath." She is young, strong, and steadfast. She built her pack from the ground up, with little else but her drive and ambition and hard work to make it a reality. For someone like Sath, surely nothing is impossible.

"Doesn't look infected, does it? Some alpha I'd be if I was taken down by a fucking rabbit."

Cedar leans in to smell Sath's injury, even though there's no need, and hums to herself as in thought. "No, it's actually healing very well," she muses. It must have seen treatment already. The alpha reveals it was a rabbit she had trouble with. Cedar didn't think Sath would admit to it so easily — she seems like such a prideful woman.

"To be fair, rabbits are bastards. Have you ever seen them fight?" she says, waving a forepaw. She doesn't fault Sath for failing to catch the thing and getting herself hurt. Even the best, most clever wolves taste failure at times. Cedar knows it all too well. She looks at Sath's face, a hint of an encouraging smile revealing itself. "But even the most dastardly of bastard rabbits is no match for you. It may have gotten lucky, but it's only a matter of time before that luck runs out. You'll get justice soon enough."

She stands back up and moves in front of Sath, turning to face her head-on. Her smile is more apparent, but still subdued, as she offers a suggestion for how they can solve this little problem. "If you need a little help taking care of it, I'll be more than willing, my alpha."

>> SATH

Cedar comments that Sath seems more of the warrior type, making Sath look to her. She knew the Medic was smart. The other woman also offers some words of encouragement, making Sath's feathers ruffle like a pleased bird. "You barely know me," she laughs, eyes darting to the side, but Cedar and her words' effect on her is no secret.

The other woman leans in to check out her wound, and Sath bites down on the inside of her cheek. Her eyes go wide when she realizes she'd let the rabbit bullshit slip. "Y-yes, they are!" She's taken aback by how Cedar doesn't seem to think less of her for it, and Sath leans in, hanging on her words about how they're bastards and shit. Sath's exasperation is back, and she starts waving around wildly. "I've never seen 'em fight, cause most run the fuck away from me!" Her face turns murderous. "But this one is taunting me, I swear to gods. It's been weeks."

Sath shuts up, distracted when Cedar stands and walks around to be in front of her. Sath leans forward, hanging off her words. "If you need a little help taking care of it, I'll be more than willing, my alpha."

"Just Sath," she corrects without thinking. She shakes her head and then looks confused. She chuckles a little disbelieving. "Help me how? This thing is fast, Cedar. And your leg..."

Notes: ;;
Tags: @Cedar

"You barely know me," Sath laughs and averts her eyes.

Cedar looks at her with a tilt of her head and a small smile tugging at her lips. How quick the alpha was to deflect Cedar's words was a bit surprising, but there is a lot about Sath she doesn't know. "Maybe so, but I'm not blind, Sath. I can see what you've accomplished." Her emerald gaze turns to the river in front of them and the vast lands beyond it. It's Sath who founded this land and made it a home. It's Sath who protected it from the start. It's Sath who welcomed Cedar and many others into it.

Not every wolf has what it takes to create something like this, and even fewer have what it takes to make it last longer than a week. Cedar sees all of this and she knows the truth. Sath's modest deflections won't sway her opinion.

Thinking of that damned rabbit's sure got her riled up. Just the look on Sath's face alone... if Cedar were a rabbit, she'd be terrified for her life. However Cedar is no rabbit. If anything, she thinks she likes Sath's passionate nature... even if right now it's showing itself as lust for rabbit blood. That energy could be directed in so many very constructive ways. "I've never seen 'em fight, cause most run the fuck away from me! But this one is taunting me, I swear to gods. It's been weeks."

Cedar hums. "Well, some do long to be chased. I'm willing to bet this is the most female attention it's gotten in its life." The side of her mouth curls into a smirk at this rather ridiculous suggestion.

She circles around to be in front of the alpha and offers her help in dealing with this pesky rabbit. It's just Sath, the more rugged woman tells her. Cedar takes note and nods once in acknowledgement.  "Help me how? This thing is fast, Cedar. And your leg..."

Cedar huffs through her nose and lifts her recently-healed leg to look it over once again. She shakes it out. "Oh, my leg is fine. I've ran on much worse than this before anyway," she dismisses with a wave of a forepaw. Sath's concern does warm the tips of her ears though. She's smiling as she leans in a bit closer. "You should have a little faith. I'm as fast as any rabbit, if not faster. If I weren't, I would be a dead woman."