Bravery or Foolishness? (open)

Laek smiled the whole trip to his den, as he continued to lick her. She'd made him happy by coming, she knew. As he introduced his den, she looked around. It wasn't the same one she'd shared with him before. Then she realized he said 'one of my dens,' and figured that he just had many dens. She walked in after him and nuzzled against his side before turning around to face the entrance. She laid down, and looked up at him with a smile. She then turned to look at the den they were in. It was quite spacious, but not huge. It was larger than the single wolf den she chose to stay in, but accepted it, since she were sharing it with Casanova. He was looking just as silly as he had looked to Laek the first day she met him. But now she saw the strange handsomeness that came with it.

Cas smiled as she entered the den, his eyes following her every movement. He tried to give her space, but that wasn't possible right now, so he walked over to her, nuzzling her neck and nibbling it gently. His tail wagged lightly as he sat beside her, hugging her again and pulling her closer. "I'm really glad you agreed to come spend the night with me, Laek." He said softly, grooming her slowly and murring softly as he inhaled her scent. She smelled so wonderful. He was definitely going to remember this night during the long lonely nights that they were separated. But for now, he was going to enjoy being close to her.

Laek rolled over onto her back and pawed at Casanova to lay down, instead of sitting. Her tail swayed, brushing the ground as she rolled onto her side, back to Casanova. As he was leaning over to groom her, she reached over and nibbled his ear, whispering to him, "Of course I came, Cas. Why wouldn't I want to?" she smiled, all worries of the pack left outside of the den. She licked his cheek, not yet regretting any time she'd spent with him.

Cas smiled as she laid down and pawed at him, licking her nose and laying down beside her, using his muzzle to pull her closer to him and cuddle around her. He then began to groom her fur, murring happily and wagging his tail lightly as he laid close to her. She smelled so wonderful, and he didn't want this night to end. But he knew come morning, she would wake, and he would already be gone. He had no choice, for the pack would never accept him, and his life was meant to be lived alone. Well, for the most part at least, except for these cherished moments with Laek that he enjoyed right now.

(sooo how exactly do we want to do this? Just skip it and say they woke up in the morning and she was preggo?)

(I think that would work.)

Laek smiled as they let the silence be comfortable around them as they cuddled. Her tail swayed next to Casanova's, and she leaned over his paws. Shutting her eyes, she buried herself in his fur once more. It was him and her, together in the night. She'd purposefully snuck out of the pack lands, even though it wasn't hard to, just to spend time with Casanova. The moment was perfect. But would he be gone in the morning? Or would he stay with her like last time? She didn't want him to leave, but he wouldn't let her convince him to stay. "Will you stay here with me?" she whispered, doubt showing in her voice.

Cas looked down at her with a soft sigh as she spoke. "Laek..." He said softly, licking her forehead tenderly as he tried to piece together the words. Finally he groaned, letting his head fall to rest over her back. "I'll be here when you wake up, I promise." He said softly, the words uttered in defeat as her pleading and worried voice broke him down. He just couldn't bring himself to tell her that he wouldn't be there. So that was that, he'd still be there in the morning. But he wouldn't go with her back to the pack. No, he couldn't do that. "Now love, just relax." He said softly, returning to grooming her, wanting nothing more than to be close to her.

(skip time)

Cas woke early that morning, rising quietly to his feet, trying his best not to wake her. When he made it away, he exited the den, quickly moving off into the trees. He ran off away from the pack borders, his nose to the ground as he searched for prey. Soon he chanced upon a pair of small hares, and he killed them quickly, turning back towards his temporary den and the female he had just spent the night with.

Laek didn't budge when Casanova left the den, but slowly woke up at the smell of a fresh kill. Or two, rather. She lifted her head, and blinked a few times to focus Cas and the small hares he carried. She rose to her feet slowly, and walked up to him, nuzzling against his neck. She grabbed a hare with her mouth and gently pulled it away from him. Plopping down on the ground to eat it, she looked up at him. "Sleep well?" She asked with a smile, remembering the night.

Cas returned to the den with the hares, smiling at the sleeping female that he returned to. She lifted her head as he entered, and he released a hare as she took it and began to eat. He smiled as she nuzzled him dropping his hare to lick her cheek before picking it up again and laying beside her to eat. He devoured the meat quickly, licking his lips and smiling down at her. "I slept wonderful last night. How did you sleep, love?" He asked, nibbling the base of her ear and starting to groom her fur affectionately as she ate.

Laek smiled as she finished her hare, a lot slower than Casanova had. "I slept just as wonderfully." She pushed aside the bones for disposal later, and looked at him. She licked his neck as he groomed her. Her tail began to sway lightly, brushing the ground. Lake was happy. Casanova had kept his promise to stay in the morning, and they'd spent a wonderful night together. She knew she had to value the moment right now, as she placed her head into his paws.

Cas smiled as she confirmed that she had enjoyed the night, and rested her head on his paws. He licked her neck affectively, his tail wagging lightly as he enjoyed the moment. "Laek, while I was hunting, I neared the border just to check up on the pack happenings. There's a group of wolves looking for you. It sounded like they were putting together a hunting party. You shouldn't stay long. I would hate for you to get in trouble for staying outside of the pack lands with me." He said, lifting his head and looking down at her. Finally he got to his feet, sighing softly. "I'll take you back to the borders." He said, obviously unhappy about the thought of leaving her again, but if she didn't leave soon, the pack wolves would find him and then he'd have no hope of surviving to see her again. He had spotted two very large males in the group, and he could tell that neither looked very forgiving.

Laek pulled her ears back as Casanova warned her of the others. She didn't want to leave, especially not now. She frowned as he got up and offered to walk her to the borders. But she got up as well, knowing well enough that if they didn't find her, they'd be worried. She walked out of the den, nuzzling him on her way out. She stopped just outside, stepping lightly on the snow. "Casanova, what do I tell them?" She asked him quietly before stepping off towards the borders. Laek realized the pack would be wondering where she was during the night, and she couldn't exactly tell them the truth. Even though they'd have to find out eventually. And she was terrified of their reactions.

Cas sighed softly as they rose and headed out of the den. When she spoke, he frowned, looking off towards the borders. "Tell them you were looking for prey outside of the borders because you couldn't find any inside the lands." He said, licking the base of her ear affectionately. He knew they'd find out eventually, but he couldn't let that happen just yet. He began to walk towards the border with her, keeping a look out for the pack members in order to prevent getting caught. When they reached the border, he stopped, frowning and licking her cheek. "I want to see you again..." He said softly, barey a whisper as he stepped forward and pulled her into a 'hug', his head resting over her neck and holding her close.

Laek nodded as they left the den area. She debated his response, and figured that she could tell them she woke in the middle of the night and decided for go on a mini single wolf hunt. She could say she didn't find anything of importance along the borders, and decided to sleep till daylight away from the dens area. That would work, right?

The pair walked to the border in silence, silence that they seemed to like sharing. It was slightly broken when Casanova's voice lightly reached her ears. As he pulled her into a hug, she once again buried herself in him. "You will, Cas." She whispered back. As much as she didn't want to, she pulled away from him. Before turning away, she licked the underside of his muzzle affectionately. "I'll see you soon." With that, she snuck away back over the borders and into pack lands, giving him a last look before disappearing into the trees.

((Laek continued: https://incendio.rpg-board.net/t92-hunting-with-xerxses-jenn-roar ))

Cas sighed softly and licked her cheek as she spoke of seeing him again, and then frowned, watching her disappear into the pack lands and leave him all alone at the border. But he knew that even if he never saw her again, which he knew he would, that his bloodline would now live on thanks to her, and he couldn't be more proud. With a soft sigh and growl of loneliness and frustration he turned, heading away from the pack lands in search of his next meal, and a new safe place to spend the coming night.