xx life and leisure || nirco

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CHALANDRA

It was mid-day when the she-wolf sauntered down the beach side, her claws sinking into the wet sand and her eyes wild as she ran her gaze over the endless ocean horizon. Two good weeks had passed, and still the she-wolf had nothing to show for it. No males, no dominors, no females, no sklavins. No freiors. Nothing. Her world was quiet, if not drenched in silence, and bluntly, it was unnerving. She needed something.

Chalandra had chosen the beach as a resting point for the day, mostly because she'd been promised by her mother long ago of a beautiful layout and an atmosphere that would put her soul at rest. She hadn't, however, taken the recent rain and cloudy skies as any indicator of the beach's possibilities that morning. The day was neither warm or inviting, and the she-wolf wondered vaguely as she walked along the sandy pebbles, who in their right mind would call this place "restful". It was sad and morose, with the deepening grey skies and the angry roar of the collapsing ocean waves. Only her mother could appreciate something like this, Eperna help her.

Maybe she just needed to be patient. Ha! Patience had never been one of her stronger qualities, that much was obvious to any passerby. She was always moving, always engaging. Always flirting. Or, at least, that's what she was best at. That had to count for something, right? Chalandra, her blue eyes locked on the ocean's infinite line, walked a few more paces before trotting hastily back up the beach to where the rocks grew larger. Maybe she'd just lay here and watch for a while. Maybe someone else would show up and create some fun for her. The female gracefully leaped up onto a well-sized rock, turning a few times in a circle before laying down. Her head rested elegantly on her front paws as her silver-tinted fur collected dew spots from the ocean's spray.

If nothing else, I'll look like royalty here all by myself.

Just another day in a silent world.

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Silence was golden for wolves like Nirco. He craved it, lived off of it, and savored every moment he could get of it. In comparison to many wolves' social lives, his must of seemed like a very lonely existence to anyone that might of known him. And it was. Even Nirco couldn't deny that fact. No family, no pack and not even a friend to seek out on the occasions that such an existence did start troubling him. There were a few times here and there when it got difficult not seeing a familiar face around, the instinct of his kind desperately driving him to become more social. But he fought it with tooth and nail. More often than not, the only thing others brought him was trouble.

History and memory helped him sway from society. And as if to remind him of how much he detested so many were the healing bite marks adorning his left front leg, ear, and muzzle. The lacerations inflicted from a fight he had the misfortune of getting in just a week or so prior were clear reminders of the bad that lay in this world. But he counted his blessings at the same time that he hated it all. However, he reminded himself that at least his misfortune wasn't as great as the other wolf's turned out to be. No, that wolf now lay dead and rotting by now, paying for the crimes of beating a poor sklavin. At least, Nirco saw it as a crime. He wasn't exactly a violent individual, but his disgust for such a trade was impossible to ignore. Anyone he caught taking their frustrations out on a helpless slave was as good as dead in his books. As fairly battle hardened as he may of been by this point, Nirco was still lucky the other he'd sunk his teeth into was smaller than his massive form. It had been a generally easy kill and the healing wounds he now bore had only been minor scratches to him. They stung, of course, but they would be gone in no time.

With only lightly throbbing pain in his leg, the brute meandered down the rocky beach at a slow and leisurely pace. He was in no hurry, for he never had anywhere to be and nobody to see. It was a benefit to living the life he did. While others were often in a rush to get from one place or another with promises and priorities, Nirco took his time. He was like that, patient in his own way. Not exactly with others, but with the world as long as nobody else disturbed it. And it was only when he caught the whiff of another carried on a light breeze that he went from a relaxed stroll to alert and ready. His head, once lazily in line with his body, shot up. His ears perked, his muscles tensing as he scanned against the faint wind in the direction the unfamiliar scent came from. His senses told him it was definitely his kind. And it was definitely female. It brought no joy to his heart.

His steps came to a near crawl of a pace until he had spotted her, perched upon a large rock in the gloomy afternoon light. Only then did he stop. Eyes narrowed at the sight of another intruding upon his silent life. She was the first wolf he had seen in a week, and he had been hoping it would be months until he had to deal with anyone. A low and quiet growl was all he offered in a way of greeting as he turned back the way he had come, thinking and evaluating the situation already and wondering if it would be best to leave this one in the dust like it was with so many others.

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CHALANDRA

Awoken from her slumber by a slight growling, Chalandra lazily fluttered her eyes open. What was this? It seemed another wolf had chanced upon her and he was--wait. Was he turning around? Not the least bit interested? Hmph. She'd change his mind about that.

Thinking quickly, the female stretched forward before rising, letting her muscles work themselves out. Her body leaned and shivered with the natural state of post-sleep and she cooed softly to gain the male's attention before he wandered off too far. Prey meet hunter. Chalandra daintily lept off the rock's surface and trotted to gain equal footing with the male. Mmm, definitely male. His scent was strong and musky against the smell of sea and salt spray that had become almost like white static to her nose. It was masculine and it made her fur shiver as she cut him off. She stood directly in his path, her ears pricked forward and her bright eyes forcing themselves on him.

"I didn't know greetings consisted of a growl these days. Especially to a lady."

Chalandra was all blue eyes and silver fur as she spoke, her voice velvet against the continuous slap of water on sand. Surely he wanted to find out more about her! She hadn't found a brute yet who didn't respond well, if not slightly primal, to her teasing and flirts. Hopefully this one would be no different.

"Stay a while, stud. I could use some company."

The female moved forward to slip her head underneath the black male's chin, sliding along him like a cat, with her body pressed lustfully against his. Hopefully he'd get the hint--it didn't take much to get the male mind working as it should, that was for sure.

"Couldn't you?"

To seal the deal, Chalandra glanced back at the male, her tail flicking over his nose gently before she allowed herself to return before him. She carefully sat in his way once more, raising her posture slightly and pulling her tail in close over her paws. Just you try and say 'no'. And then, on a moment of consideration, the silver female added her namesake as a token to keep him interested if all else failed.

"The name is Chalandra."

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Before making up his troubled mind, Nirco could hear the previously slumbering female awakening and jumping from her former perch. He hoped for just a moment that perhaps she was leaving. The swerve of his darker ear told him that was not the case. In fact, her footfall grew ever louder in an apparent approach and before he could swing around and tell her to piss off, that he didn't want her company, she was right in front of him. He stopped in his retreating tracks with ever narrowing eyes. One look into hers and he knew she was up to no good.

"I didn't know greetings consisted of a growl these days. Especially to a lady."

He made no attempt at speaking and simply responded with a glare. She had yet to make herself worth the energy thus far. Her gender as a 'lady' mattered not to him. Nor did her thoughts about his rude 'greeting' that he'd thrown her way in form of a growl. It had been an obvious sign that he had no interest from the get go. Most would of gotten the picture immediately and retreated. But this one... well, she was coming off intrusive and way too friendly. Far too friendly to a complete stranger such as him. Anybody that happy is up to no good. Never trust anyone who trusts everyone. He reminded himself. And yet he made no attempt to simply walk around her.

"Stay a while, stud. I could use some company."

Unless you counted the teeth that had marred his flesh and his own jaws that had sunk into another the week before, Nirco hadn't had any physical contact with another in quite some time. The last he could recall was Echo. The difference with Echo and this female was that the former knew the limitations when it came to any kind of physical affection from the brute. And her touches had been simple, friendly ones from a long lost packmate. As this stranger slid her body against his, the male instantly knew this was different. It was a far more intimate touch. And to be quite honest he wasn't sure what to think about it. He had half a mind to give her a good warning nip to steer away from him, irritated that she had the audacity to touch him. But the other half was filled with mild curiosity. Such interest didn't show on his face, however. His expression had grown blank and he made no move to return her advances. A typical reaction of his.

For years it had been hard for anyone to get into any sort of conversation with Nirco. He was frustratingly quiet most of the time and seemed so lacking in emotion that many didn't try very hard or got understandably frustrated. It wasn't until she shared her name, so feminine and somehow fitting for her, that the male shared any of his own words, however few they were. "I've no interest in your company" and he was sure he had a pretty good idea of what sort of company she hoped to find. There was a nagging in him to stop leading such a lonely life, at least for a little while. But Nirco was Nirco. And he hadn't been that easy in years. He had not forgotten how bothersome some could be and the cons always seemed to outweigh the pros. He took a few steps around her, retracing his path from where he came and keeping ears on the female in case she hadn't given up on her advances just yet.

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CHALANDRA

"I've no interest in your company."

What? No interest? Either this male was too sick to think straight, or he wasn't actually a male. Chalandra visually grimaced at the thought and followed his frame as he shuffled around her. He wouldn't get away that easy.

"Awhh, come on. I could easily make it worth your while."

The silver vixen skipped to catch up with his shoulders, her fur once again brushing with his in her natural, flirtatious manner. There was something about his loner i-don't-want-anything-to-do-with-you vibe that she liked. It wasn't typical for her to have to do most of the chasing, but at this point, it was almost like a challenge. Besides, her pride wouldn't allow her to be turned down by anyone.

Thinking back over her past loves, Chalandra found it hard to remember a time she had been turned away. It hadn't been anytime recent, that was for sure. Zy and Absinthe had been her latest catches, with Zy being the most entertaining between the two. He was an enticing devil himself, with his witty remarks and nonchalant atmosphere. He was happy with himself, even if no one else was. Absinthe, on the other paw, was rougher and lacking in some areas. He'd been quiet and to the point--not exactly anything that sparked excitement in Chalandra's racing blood.

As the pair moved, Chalandra moved to intercept the male once more, throwing her paw out to stop him by the chest. It was a much more intimate act than the previous ones she'd made so far--the male would have to look at her now. Maybe then he'd realize the potential fun he was throwing away. With a sly smile and a softer voice, Chalandra tried her charms again.

"What's your name anyways?"

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"Awhh, come on. I could easily make it worth your while."

That earned an almost inaudible scoff from him. "I doubt it" he said, not sounding the least bit interested as he focused on what lay ahead of him. Could she turn back time and stop the tragedies that had befallen him? No. Therefor she was hardly worth his time as far as he was concerned. There was the tiniest part within his hardened walls that craved some sort of company. A tiny part that told him he was just being ridiculous and dumb to turn down someone's affections. But he had fought so hard and so long with it that he barely noticed. Though even Nirco had to admit to himself he was being colder than he usually would of been, even to an over friendly stranger. The only thing he could find to blame his sour mood on was the recent fight and what had brought it on. Seeing another treated so horribly always brought out the bad in him. That must of been it. Then again, he wasn't exactly being too nice to this female. He could of at least let her down easy and politely declined her advances. But he had chosen the rougher route. Given that, he began to wonder what made him so different from the one he'd taken the life of and all the ones like them before that.

He suddenly found himself stopped again, pulled out of his ponderings by the persistent female. "What?" he snapped right in her face. Feeling regret wash through him the instant he used such a vicious tone, he quickly became far more irritated with himself than he was with her. Was it right for him to be so mean to someone he had only just met? Someone that hadn't actually done anything to cause harm to him? He already knew the answer.

Nirco had to force calm back into himself when she requested the knowledge of his name. And, after a light sigh of mild defeat, he granted her it. "Nirco" came his simple answer. He could not help but wonder why she even cared. Or even why she followed him. There must of been someone else she could of pestered. Someone far more receptive and interesting to her. Someone who would willingly give her whatever it is she sought.

He wanted the lonely silence again, fighting off any thoughts that might of tempted him to want otherwise. But he did not walk away, still feeling bad for being such an ass. Once he'd gotten ahold of himself, he took a step back and sat, eyeing and studying the strange female with narrowed eyes. She looked healthy enough with no signs of ill health or even past injuries. That struck him as odd. She must of been a loner. No slave would be this far out, would they? Yet no loner could of been so perfect looking. It could be a hard life. She was quite the contrast to his newly scarred self. Curiosity suddenly bubbled up inside him, but his face was stoic as he spoke. "What are you, exactly?"

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CHALANDRA

"Nirco."

Nirco. Chalandra paused for a moment as she tested the word on her tongue. It was short, crisp, and it gave nothing away. It was so him. He answered to no one and it seemed that nothing phased him. Narrowing her blue eyes as the male grew considerably colder both in tone and in body language, the grey she-wolf stepped back to eye her companion (if he could even be called that) for a moment.

For one, his coat was a base of the deepest black, mixed with very few hairs of a mild, slate grey. It was handsome in a way, with the frame of his shoulders enveloped by the rich blackness. Chalandra had known more attractive wolves, but Nirco certainly wasn't hard on the eyes. Not only did he have height, but he had a stable build too, supported by supple muscles and strong legs. Self-consciously, Chalandra looked up and met boldly with Nirco's eyes. She was obviously staring, but then again that didn't quite bother her--it wasn't anything she was trying to hide.

Interestingly enough, Nirco didn't hold her gaze for long, instead tracing the outline of her fur. He was studying her intensely, and although such attention would have made any other female squirm with modesty, Chalandra relished the feeling, almost striking a pose as if to placate Nirco's subconscious thinking.

"What are you, exactly?"

The question was unexpected, shattering all of Chalandra's previous confidence. Huh? What did he mean? The question was too broad at surface value and for a moment, the she-wolf responded only with silence and a blink of her blue eyes. She was a wolf, just like him. No apparent differences, besides the typical stature between a male and female of any species. Maybe he was talking about her rank. Or maybe he wanted to know what pack she was from. Confused, Chalandra quirked her brow as she answered.

"Well, I'm a freior, if that's what you're asking. I don't exactly claim a specific pack as 'home'."

And then, after another moment of reflection, she added to her explanation, her voice soft and almost wavering.

"I've never really been a part of a pack, actually..."

To live in a pack. What did that even mean? All of her life, Chalandra had lived with her brother and sister. Sometimes she saw her mother--never her father--and she saw even less of Karlotte after Berka's death. A mental image of her brother and sister lingered gently in her mind before the she-wolf shook it away. That had been so long ago. Too long.

As if to shield herself from further questions, Chalandra asked Nirco one of her own.

"And what are you, Nirco? Do you run with a pack?"

There was no malevolence in the female's voice as she spoke, only a kindly hint of curiosity. Maybe it was the way he had sparked something old and almost forgotten inside of her. She couldn't quite remember the last time someone had genuinely wondered about her life...

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It was easy to spot just the slightest change in Chalandra. Her mild confusion in reaction to his question was evident and for what felt like a lifetime, all he received as a response was silence and the blink of those pretty blue eyes. He really did have little patience with others and it was difficult to resist simply shaking his head and moving on. But her answer finally beat him to the punch. It was safe to say that he was surprised by it. Not just that she was a freior, but that she had never called a pack her home. She certainly looked the part of someone's spoiled heir or something along those lines. That would of been his first guess.

The softer, wavering tone hinted in the female's voice also came as a shock, as if he had hit a sensitive spot hidden within her. A feeling of shame washed over the male in moments for he had not intended to potentially bring any painful memories back. He himself tried to keep his own locked away and he could not help but wonder if she did as well. The flame of curiosity grew further, but he resisted asking any questions as to why she remained packless. It was none of his business, anyway. He hated caring.

"And what are you, Nirco? Do you run with a pack?"

Eyes lifted to look at her, not realizing he'd been staring at the rocky space between them in thought, a hard and focused look upon his face. The question caught him off guard. Nirco had indeed once run with a pack. Born to the beta, he was privileged and well off from the start. Spoiled under the manipulative alpha as if he was his own son until unfortunate events tore it all apart. He had changed so much since those younger days, but he shoved any further thoughts about it away. He would one day find that former alpha and tear him to shreds. But until then there was little use for thinking on it too hard. "No. I make my own life. I don't need anyone else dictating how I live it" came his answer.

The male got back to his feet, shaking off imaginary dirt and unwanted memories. He walked around her again to continue on his way, but stopped short in his tracks. Maybe... maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have someone around. Now that he'd seen a tiny spark of something more in the other wolf, he found her company was slightly less irritating. It astonished him that he could think such a thing. In a gruff tone, he spoke once more. "Are you hungry?".

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CHALANDRA

"No. I make my own life. I don't need anyone else dictating how I live it."

Nirco had taken a good while to decide what he'd wanted to say and Chalandra wasn't surprised in the least when he told her he was a loner. He wasn't exactly the most amicable soul she'd ever met, which only reinforced the free-roaming, freior lifestyle he apparently lived. Before Chalandra had a moment to comment or consider how to progress their meager conversation, the brute had risen from his spot and moved around her once again.

Maybe she should leave him alone. He obviously didn't want her company, with the short sentences and the brash attitude. In all reality, with the darkness approaching a greater depth, he probably wanted to find a safe place to sleep for the night--not that any sane wolf would bother a well-built male like himself. Well-built. That was nothing but an understatement from her general attitude regarding wolves of the male design... His eyes were simply stunning as well. If she could convince him to keep her company for just an hour or two, she could probably weasel her way into staying the night through a false tiredness. And if that didn't work, she could always play on her own perceived vulnerabilities. What male would throw her out after hours to the dangers that the night held?

She needed to focus. If she kept staring at him, as she was so prone to do, he might be less inclined to spend the night with her. And then where would she be? Sighing, Chalandra turned to face Nirco's leaving form, surprise flickering across her face when she realized he'd stopped only a few paces from where she was.

"You hungry?"

Silent-paws was asking her if she was hungry? Half tempted to pat herself on the back for a job well done, Chalandra forced herself to hold back the sly grin that was threatening to take over. It had been enough trouble to find something that would crack Nirco's hard exterior--and although he certainly wouldn't reach Zy's level of enthusiasm any time soon over her presence--he'd finally made a effort, however small. It made Chalandra's stomach bubble with anxiety and she felt bouncy, almost like a newborn pup, her mind trying to find an appropriate response.

"Starving babe, but where exactly do you propose we hunt? The beach really isn't my scene for quality hors d'oeuvres."

Chalandra trotted up to the male's side, brushing his fur a little less intrusively. Maybe if she laid off the heavy stuff he'd come around to her after seeing what a hunter she was. She could get her fix for the night and he could have a relaxing night. Eperna only knew the last time he'd had some fun, with how uptight he seemed...

"Just tell me where you want me and I'll be there."

She couldn't help but wink as she finished talking. Double meanings were a beautiful thing.

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He watched with wary eyes as she approached again. Nirco had half a mind to step away and keep a constant distance from the pesky female, but decided to hold his ground. What good would running do, anyway? She was definitely the persistent type and Nirco couldn't entirely deny a little company was refreshing. Still, though, he valiantly ignored her obvious advances, not really giving her the time of day. They would find some food, eat, share a word or two, and be on their separate ways. Or, at least, that's what he liked to think would happen.

"Just tell me where you want me and I'll be there."

With the roll of his eyes, he began on his way down the beach, trusting her to follow. The brute definitely caught the double meaning in her words, but chose to ignore it and secretly hoped it would frustrate her. It was plain to see the female was used to the undivided attention of males, despite not having a real pack. He couldn't help but wonder, however, what brought her to it. Nirco didn't ask.

"You would be surprised by the delicacies you can find here. It happens to be low tide right now, which means the tidal pools could have trapped fish in them" he informed her, throwing a look over his shoulder as they neared the destination. "They make a good meal... if you can catch them." He turned to peer into the shallow waters then, now disconnected from the great ocean.

The very sight of the fish as they darted around made his mouth water. It had been a while since he'd been here, and it wasn't always an easy catch. Practice had made him better at catching the slippery, scaly creatures. He still remembered the first few times he had tried this, diving in like there was no tomorrow. Experience told him that that technique rarely worked.

Nirco was a patient individual as long as it didn't involve dealing with others. So, he cast Chalandra out of his mind for a minute whilst taking absurdly slow steps into the water, as to not startle his prey. There he stood, statue still for what felt like ages. And when his query finally swam close enough, he struck with lightning reflexes. The fish was doomed the moment his teeth snapped around it, the others scattering as far as their temporary prison would allow. Two jumps and he was out of the pool, crushing the head of the flailing fish in his jaws.

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CHALANDRA

"You would be surprised by the delicacies you can find here. It happens to be low tide right now, which means the tidal pools could have trapped fish in them."

Did he mean fish? Fish would make a good meal? Hmph. Chalandra, brought up in the bounty of the forest realm, had half a mind to scrunch her nose at the mere thought of eating such a salt-infested, slimy creature. Nirco would probably laugh at her repulsive behavior. Instead of making a scene, she forced her fur to lie flat at the notion, and trotted steadily after the male's wandering shadow. She supposed she could at least try whatever they managed to find.

"They make a good meal... if you can catch them."

Again, Chalandra was not to be convinced. She watched cautiously as the male slunk forward into one of the shallow pools, her blue eyes glittering with half disbelief and half reluctance at his movements. How the hell was he supposed to catch anything standing in the water like that? She had never hunted fish, but she could only assume they weren't stupid creatures since wolves didn't hunt them often. Or maybe they just tasted that bad. She tried vainly to recall a time her mother or brother had brought home anything other than deer, rabbit, or general forest-bound prey. It wasn't often that fresh meat had been their honor, but then again, food had been scarce in general.

The grey she-wolf's interest in Nirco's hunting dwindled considerably as he grew still in wait, so to pass the time she moved down the opposite shore line, her eyes scavenging the pools hungrily. Although her life had been rougher than most from what she could tell, maybe Eperna hadn't forgotten her. Maybe instead of forcing her family to eat everything and anything, she'd provided a more forest-inclined diet when possible. Eperna. How long ago had she given up faith in the goddess of the lands? It seemed like years, if not seasons. She'd only heard Karlotte mention Eperna a few times as a pup, and the deity had become nonexistent when she was older and out of her mother's gaze completely.

Snap. Behind her, the crunching of newly caught prey was just audible and Chalandra immediately spun around in response, bounding up to the black wolf's side. Her attempt at finding a suitable meal had been practically defunct, and her mouth watered as she watched Nirco gulp down the remains of his catch. With nothing to show for her time spent, she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. She wouldn't be seen as incapable of hunting for herself.

"I don't really eat fish."

And then, her sex drive kicking in at the last second, she shot Nirco a flirtatious glance and slid an innuendo his way.

"Haven't had my first time with that stuff yet. Care to help me out?"

She wasn't going to be deterred from her prize so easily. Stepping closer to Nirco so that their fur brushed, she made a move to nudge his shoulder gently with her muzzle. It was less pushy than before, but still utterly her. She needed something to crack him open further. His responses were becoming warmer, but she wanted more than that. Maybe if she played a little damsel in distress... No, she'd vaguely tried to play that card earlier and it hadn't quite elicited the response she'd been hoping for. There had to be something in him. Something masculine and driving. Something craving a female. Right?

Pausing for a moment from her pursuit, Chalandra forced herself to just look at Nirco's eyes. She wasn't challenging or attempting a coy distraction. Just watching. Watching and waiting. Listening. Maybe he didn't need pushing. Maybe he just needed a companion for the moment.

Maybe I do too.

At the realization, the female roughly shook herself. It had been so long since another wolf hadn't wanted her for that purpose... And before she knew it, she was asking Nirco for something she'd never stopped to consider before.

"Care to find a place to sleep for tonight? It's getting late and I don't know these parts well enough to find my way alone if it gets much darker."

WIth the lust ebbbing ever so slowly from her body, Chalandra felt a certain uneasiness replace it. She needed his quiet resolve right now, of that much she was certain.

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The male only briefly wondered why the she-wolf wasn't following his example as he consumed every last bit of his prized catch with haste. He had grown up quite privileged in his early life. Being the son of a high ranking wolf meant he had been one of the first to eat whenever a kill came the pack's way. But he'd learned through his following years as a loner that every morsel of food counted, and he never wasted.

"I don't really eat fish."

To say Nirco was surprised would of been an understatement. She doesn't eat fish he rolled the words over in his head, trying to comprehend them. The concept was difficult to grasp. Maybe to not eat fish wasn't that uncommon, but Nirco wouldn't know since he rarely spoke with anyone. And least of all about food, as this had been the first time he'd hunted with another in quite some time. But how could anyone be so picky, especially a fellow loner? It was a source of much needed nutrients, even if it was hard to get used to the taste of the salty, scaly creatures at first. The male had half a mind to start laughing at her and it took every last bit of willpower to hold the rumble back.

"Haven't had my first time with that stuff yet. Care to help me out?"

There she goes again he thought, the innuendo hidden within her words not lost on him. It did stir something within the male, and he would of liked to claim it was the fish swimming around in his stomach. Of course it wasn't, but he didn't like the idea that he was letting her get to him. The black brute had been around females before, but that had mostly just been in play as pups and anything other than that had simply been casual conversation. Chalandra's consistent attempts to get closer had been rebelled upon or completely ignored thus far, and he wanted to keep it that way. But a full stomach had eased his mind, his resolve weakening.

Nirco was quick to step away from the female once this was realized in hopes he would once again be free from her grasp. It wasn't that easy, though, and before he knew it he was being stared at. A younger Nirco would of met that eye contact head on, challenging or playing with whoever dare look at him like the dominant wolf he had been born to be. Maybe he still could of. However, in that moment, he found himself avoiding her gaze and within a minute of her eyes locking onto him he was skulking back to the pools of water to repeat his earlier hunt. Before, the male had absolutely no intention of catching her dinner. But at that moment it felt like the best excuse to get away from her, if only for a moment because within no time at all he'd dropped a fish at her paws and was sitting with his back to her in complete avoidance.

"Care to find a place to sleep for tonight? It's getting late and I don't know these parts well enough to find my way alone if it gets much darker."

He was silent for what felt like ages and it took him that long to rise back to his paws with a cautious look in her direction and even longer to make up his mind. "Follow me" was his simple reply before he was trotting over the dunes and towards the tree line in the distance. This would be the longest he'd kept someone's company in years. The thought made the male uneasy, especially considering the effect she was beginning to have on him. Yet at the exact same time, Nirco found himself desperately craving the company.