A mountain river flows into a large, stunning lake. The waters reflect silver in the day and under moonlight. A plain of gentle hills and forests surround the lake. Herds of elk are native here.
Winter had seized the lands in her cold, unforgiving embrace. The grounds were coated with a layer of cold snow that crunched beneath each step. Today, the sun was bright and high, shining its warmth across the cold, frozen lands. The clouds had cleared leaving a beautiful blue sky that stretched across an endless expanse. The lake reflected the blue, forest, and mountains in the background creating a mirror that seemed like the world had reversed upon itself while ice devoured its edges.
Enya fussed at the entrance of a den dug deep. She'd spent days working on the den, carving through the frozen ground beneath a tall oak tree. The stubborn root that she'd fought against had been ripped out and now formed a nice archway to stabilize the entrance of the den. She picked at the bushes that partially hid the entrance and chewed at the branches that obstructed the perfect view. She didn't have long to fuss and make it perfect. She needed to get cleaned up!
"This will just have to do." she muttered to herself just after she snapped a twig between her teeth on the way out. When spring came and winter released its hold, the shrubbery should grow back nicely to hide the den. It would be perfect. With a giddy pep in her step, Enya pranced her way down from the den through the clearing between the tree lines and to the frozen shore. Her tail flicked behind her as she carried it high, feeling proud of her efforts. When she paused at the shore, she looked down at herself in the ice, a pleased smile on her face. Her head turned and her scales glittered from the sun along her neck and chest. "Mmmm" she judged herself. Pleased, but not perfect. Enya waded out onto the ice with little thought of how thin it might be. When she reached a point where water and ice met one another, she reached down her paw and splashed the bitter cold water across her chest and legs. She was dusty from the last-minute touch-ups of the den and it was simply unacceptable.
Her teal gaze looked skywards for the sun. It was at its highest point. Caedwyn would be arriving soon. She stepped away from the edge of the ice and back to the shore, then made a point to sit prim and proper in a patch of snow that was clean and undisturbed. She sat and waited to see her marrow break through the tree line and find her sitting, waiting for him.
Although many of their days were spent accompanying one another, it was not unusual for the pair to spend time apart. In fact, their duties as Monarch demanded it. Enya would be needed to the south while Caedwyn would head north, or something like that. That's how it usually went. And when their travels kept them apart, it wasn't uncommon for a note to be left or a raven sent off into the winds carrying a message detailing when and where they could next meet up. So when Caedwyn had received a note from her instructing him to come to the woods near the lake, he didn't think anything was out of the ordinary at this summons. Though, as always, he was a little excited at the thought of returning to his mate again. He wasn't sure on the exact location though and as a result he'd found himself wandering a bit aimlessly in the woods as he waited. He searched one area and then moved to the next, then returned to the first area again when he doubted himself. Maybe he'd just gotten there early and she might be waiting for him in the area he'd just left! This had left him loping back and forth fruitlessly for quite awhile before he stumbled upon her sent on the wind. Finally! She was nearby.
"Enya!" he called out to her as he approached. She was sitting near the trees, looking pristine as ever. The snow around her glistened in the sunlight, the tiny crystals of frost reflecting like glitter as the sun hit it just right. He wondered how long she'd been waiting for him. The fact she was sitting made him think it had been awhile, but she didn't seem overly bored or distressed... so maybe not long? "Sorry if I kept you waiting..." he apologized as he neared her, moving in to give her a nuzzle under her chin. "The snow must've covered your tracks. It took me awhile to find you."
Her named was called and her King stepped through the tree line, looking as handsome as ever as his dark coat stood out against the winter wonderland. Her tail wagged behind her, sweeping snow side to side, and as he neared her she rose from her sit to greet him. He nuzzled her and she returned the gesture of affection by quickly licking at his muzzle, making sure to include a nip of playfulness.
"You're right on time." she said lightly with a smile, brushing her body against his as she walked past him only to spin around and prance a few paces ahead. She paused, flicked her tail high in a playful way, then turned and pranced forward a few more paces. "Now come on, I have something to show you!" Even though they weren't far from the den, Enya enjoyed the game of chase with Caedwyn to much to let the opportunity escape her. Besides, she was excited! She'd worked hard on her gift.
With a burst of joyful laughter Enya spun in a circle and leapt off to break into a canter. If Caedwyn pursued, she'd kick her speed up until they reached the den - or she planned to at least.
Dexterity: Sprints away from Caedwyn to encourage chase!
Success: If Caedwyn follows she speeds up to try and outpace him
Failure: If Caedwyn follows she tries to speed up, but he's too fast! He catches her!
Character Diceroll 1: Success Diceroll must be above 500 to be successful.
0 was added for Dexterity.
567 was added for Level 4.
0 was added for A. No Enchantment.
1 was added for B. Homeland Buff.
She rose to greet him and he leaned into her as she brushed past. But her movement brushed on by him and he nearly stumbled with surprise as she didn't stop, but instead began to prance away from her. Something to show him? His surprise turned to curiosity and his tail wagged with excitement when she darted away. If she wanted to play a game, Caedwyn wasn't going to disappoint. He trotted after but quickly realized she had darted a bit more quickly than he'd anticipated. She was getting away!
"Oh? Do you now?" he called out teasingly as he followed her. He jumped after her, moving just slow enough to keep behind her, though he jumped forward from time to time in a mock "catching up" type of movement and nipped playfully at her tail. "What is it you have to show me?" he said, still teasing - though obvious he was actually interested. "Is it... over here??!" he shouted suddenly as though he was discovering something secret. He jumped to the side of where they were moving, his head pushing through some bushes as he disappeared into the brush.
The trees and shrubs rustled as he feigned an investigation - leaving Enya (who may or may not have been leaving him behind). "I think I found something interesting over here..." he teased once more in a tempting voice.
The game began and Enya found herself giggling as Caedwyn chased after her, nipping at her heels and tail. Each time he caught up enough to reach her, she'd put on a burst of speed to try and pull away. 'Is it... over here?!' She heard his voice further away and turned to see him peeling off to the side, moving to shove his nose into bushes. She slowed in her running until she stopped, then turned to take a few steps back towards him with curiosity plain in her body language. She started to say no, that it was further up into the tree line, when he disappeared from her vision.
She waited for a moment in her spot, wondering if he might peek back out from the underbrush. Her head turned side to side. Perhaps he'd sneak up the tree line to pounce on her? 'I think I found something interesting over here...' he spoke out loud from the shrubbery. Hmm. This was either a trap or he really had found something worth investigating. She lingered a moment longer, smiling as she considered her options.
With a step forward she fell into a trot as she approached the bushes Caedwyn had disappeared into. She pushed her head into them to follow her Marrow's trail, her eyes peering to spot him or this interesting thing. "What did you find?"
He could hear the snow crunching softly, indicating her footsteps approaching him. He smiled with devilish glee as he tried to quickly of some way to prank her. But what? How? He hadn't thought this through and she was only a few paces away. Dangit! He looked around the bushes desperately searching for something interesting... anything interesting. There was a rock, some crispy leaves, a stick. Well none of that was interesting. Shit. She was right behind him now. He had to come up with something fast!
And then, he got it!
He spun around to face her. "I've got it... right... uh... in here!" he said, emphasizing the 'here'. His paws were pressed together on the ground in front of him, covering something on the ground. He grinned and motioned with his nose down toward his paws. "Careful... you'll have to get close to see it, so it doesn't get away." His tone was enthusiastic but quickly turned into a whisper, as though their voices would startle the secret thing he was covering.
His body lowered, hoping to draw her in with his movement as he laid down - his paws still firmly covering the thing he wanted to show her. His eyes looked between her then flicked to his paws and then back again like "look! look at it! look here!" and he struggled to contain his excited breathing. Right here..." he whispered, leaning in closer to his paws and waiting for him to come close. He began to slowly tilt his paws out to the sides to reveal what was beneath.
Would she get close to look at what he had for her before it disappeared?
She paused as she saw Caedwyn standing with something held between his paws. Her head tilted to the side in curiosity, already leaning forward to see what he held beneath them. When he fell into a lay she mirrored him, her body leaned forward with her nose already poking at his paws. His voice fell into a whisper and her tail wagged behind her. He had convinced her. She was fully invested now. What could he possibly have found that was worth such secrecy? Or, maybe he'd brought something with him?
His paws started to part and her tail wagged faster. She pulled her nose away from the thing in case whatever it was suddenly moved. She wanted time to react to whatever it could possibly be. "Cmon, show me." she said with a smile, "I wanna see." Her smile was an eager one.
His smile could not have gotten any wider and his tail wagged with excitement and anticipation. Yes. Yes. She wanted him to show it to her! She was nudging his paws and he was carefully not to reveal it too early. She was practically begging him to show it to her! He knew he'd picked the perfect thing to show her. "It's.... a...." he drew out his word, opening his paws a little with a dramatic pause, then suddenly flung them apart to reveal.
Absolutely nothing.
Well. Not nothing.
Because when he flung his paws apart, his head shot forward and his tongue flicked out of his mouth like a snake striking at its prey, flicking across her nose with the gentlest, yet speedy, motion. "... kiss!" he shouted as he left his little present on her nose. "Ope! It's gone now. It was a fast one." His tail was beating side to side in the snow, sending little flakes flying with the speed at which it was moving. He was grinning from ear to hear with absolute joy and amusement as he allowed himself to be impressed with his little trick.
"So... I showed you mine. What was it that you wanted to show me?" he said coyly, leaning in and then back out again.
---
ooc. Feel free if you desire to have her dodge him. Up to you.
Caedwyn drew out the revealing of the thing, further building the anticipation within her. Her tail was wagging quickly back and forth, beating the underbrush nearby. He slowly opened his paws, so painfully slowly, and then! It was revealed! Her teal eyes widened as they searched beneath his paws to see what the interesting thing was! Only... it was nothing. There was nothing there.
'..kiss!' she heard right after he'd planted a fat one on her nose. Enya blinked several times out of surprise and shock, then erupted into giddy laughter at being caught by such a surprise. She'd expected him to end up pouncing on her, catching her in their little game of chase she'd try to encourage. The other half of her had expected for him to reveal a new sort of magic, or some special item or stone. She had not expected him to surprise her with a kiss!
Her cheeks flushed as she giggled, her tail wagging faster than ever behind her. She felt silly being fooled, yet she also felt like a child, giddy with joy. At his prompting to reveal her surprise to him, she quickly darted forward to plant her own kiss on him before swiftly turning and bursting through the underbrush and back out into the clearing. It very much screamed, 'Tag, you're it!'.
Enya fell down into a play bow as she waited for Caedwyn to follow her, her tail still wagging furiously behind her. They had made it about half-way to the den before Caedwyn had sidetracked her. In fact, she could see the base of the tree from where she remained in her bow. She made a quick glance over towards it, then back to Caedwyn. "It's this way!"
OoC// Likewise! Caed is free to dodge the smooch or not <3
