OoC: Edited! C:
Rather than tease him mercilessly, Cercelee actually looked a little embarrassed herself, and let the subject drop. Did she feel bad for scaring him? It was hardly her fault. The arctic wolf let his pale eyes stray back to her face, a small smile tugging at the corners of his muzzle. When they first met, wandering the field of flowers under the distant but watchful eyes of Colibri, Slay had never expected the spunky white heroine would in a few months' time become his best friend...
As the Rosea shared her knowledge of their new Dahlia family members, Slay took up his slow pacing again, liking the shifting sands beneath his furry pawpads. "So, Flayra's the nice one?" he interjected, watching the sun's lazy descent towards the ocean. "I still can't keep their names straight. Pups are fun to be around, or at least most of 'em are," he added with a grumble. He did like children - as long as they were someone else's, so he knew he wasn't about to lead them astray. He had toyed with the idea of fatherhood before, but always dismissed it because the odds of him ever having a serious relationship were slim enough as it was. Feeling guilty about only making small talk, Slay glanced back to watch Cer as she spoke, studying the mid-day sunlight glinting on her glossy white fur, reflecting the sea in her navy gaze. She was a pretty wolf.
"...Having more mouths to feed during winter, especially young ones that can't feed themselves... I suppose I'll have my work cut out for me," he said with a lop-sided smile. It shouldn't be too hard to find prey - after all, the scattered families of deer would be out looking for sustenance as well. "...Cwmfen is an accomplished hunter. She and I work well together; if need be, we could keep the pups fed between the two of us."
He hadn't meant to exclude Cercelee from that - it wasn't like any of their wolves were bad at hunting, per se - just that he and Cwmfen had gone into the woods as a pair before, and matched each other's strength and style. Or was there more to it than that, after all...? Cer spoke rather fondly of Ril'o, and Slay couldn't deny that niggling feeling of jealousy worming its way into his chest. At the same time, since the night Cwmfen the huntress had introduced herself and asked for him to show her around, his thoughts had returned to the curiously-marked female more than once. Doubtless, it was a one-sided attraction, but an attraction nonetheless, that left Slay all the more conflicted. It was hypocritical of him to get upset that Cer had a dashing new friend, since he himself had a lovely acquaintance, and yet he did feel jealous, but why? It was all so hopelessly confusing!
I've got soul but I'm not a soldier
