Private Tales Teeth and Claws

[Glendora]

Luminous eyes of the white fox keyed in on those light orbs of that wolf. They were a little ways into the woods, lilting laughter and clanging of glasses from the party beyond drifted through the light breeze of the night. Dry leaves crackled beneath her paws as she stared at her mate.

It was a wonder he'd gotten her to leave. Probably due to that raw power of the Fall General protecting the Day Court Princess. That, and she had her own court to consider. Her own people.

But now?

Under the full moon of this night nestled within the woods. She was the Huntress. Her hackles were raised. And she and Oakley had something to work through. Snowy, white tail lifted and she lunged, sharp teeth snapping at one of his front legs.

 

[Oakley]

Oakley's shift was seamless—fluid, fast, and instinctual—bones snapping, muscles stretching, until the blonde wolf stood in his place, massive and imposing beneath the pale light of the moon.

'Ora...' the word would brush across her mind, a tone that begged her to calm down. But she was already leaping at him.

His claws dug into the earth to anchor himself as her teeth scraped across his front leg. A snarl tore from his throat—a low, guttural warning that rumbled like distant thunder. Not one of anger, but of defiance. A reminder that she wasn’t the only predator here.

He swung his head to beat her away, though he didn’t snap back, didn’t immediately retaliate, his hackles remained raised and his pale eyes locked onto her glowing, luminous ones. She was fury incarnate, the Huntress beneath the moon, but Oakley wasn’t about to back down.

He backed away, his body low to the ground. 'Do you want to fight me, or do you want me to hear you?..'

The question rippled through her mind, heavy and unrelenting. He didn’t move—didn’t give her his back. The blonde wolf remained steady, a wall of power that would not crumble no matter how hard she hit it.

His body tensed, every muscle coiled and ready. He watched her instead, holding firm against the firestorm of her fury. 'Talk to me,' he rumbled finally, his snarl quieter this time, though his stance remained strong and unyielding. 'Or tear into me until you’re done. I’m not going anywhere, Princess.'

 

[Glendora]

Head shook and her paws stumbled as she was pushed away. There was a small tuft of his wolf fur in her mouth. She matched his stance. Low to the ground. Shoulders set and hackles raised. Snowy fur sleek and polished in the light of the full moon.

'I should kill her.'

Her voice was nearly a growl in his head.

'Do you know what it was like? To watch her put her filthy hands all over you?'

Then her lupine form snarled. She did want to fight. That pent up tension and rage was like a fire within her. One that was burning to be released. Then, the deeper issue.

'Why did you leave?'

She lunged again. This time going for a light nip toward one of his ears.

 

[Oakley]

Oakley felt the rivulets of blood slowly trailing down his leg, as her words scraped through his mind, igniting a fire in his chest that matched her own.

'Oh, I know exactly what it's like, Princess,' he growled back, his pale eyes locked onto hers, unflinching. 'Jealous, are we?'

But as her thoughts pressed further—'Why did you leave?'—he felt the shift. The raw, wounded edge beneath her rage. His stance softened, just slightly, his head tilting as he allowed her words to sink in.

"I was summoned by my King… Honestly, I didn’t think you’d—"

He didn’t get to finish. Pain tore through him as her sharp teeth clamped onto his ear, the fiery sting snapping his focus. He yelped, a sound more pain than anger, and his jaws snapped reflexively as he stumbled back. He threw his head furiously to shake her free. Again, he felt the slick warmth of blood trickle down the side of his face.

Enough was enough.

With a low, guttural snarl, Oakley surged forward, his powerful body moving like a coiled spring released. He pounced, his weight bearing down on her as he attempted to pin her beneath him. His claws dug into the forest floor for leverage, his teeth bared inches from her throat in a clear warning.

'Care,' he huffed, his voice rough with both irritation and restraint. His pale, golden fur bristled as his breath came in heavy bursts, his pale eyes boring into hers.

'You don't want me around, then you do...You need to make you your mind, huntress' he growled, his voice quieter in her mind now, but no less intense.

His weight shifted slightly, giving her just enough space to push back if she chose to, but he didn’t release her entirely. Not yet.

'You done yet?..'

 

[Glendora]

There was something that twisted inside her guarded, furious heart at his yelp of pain. She felt it. His pain was hers.

Jealous, are we?'

Her teeth bared. Eyes narrowed, even he shook her free. With a small yip, she hit the ground and rolled. Though light on her paws, she wasn't fast enough as his wolf form bore down upon her. His weight threatening to pin her triggered something feral and wild. Something desperate. A consequence from the world she'd been born in. It reminded her of the lashes born to her back. When she couldn't move. Flesh tore open upon a merciless whip.

A pure panic.

Eyes widened in fear as her ears went back. That white fur puffed up in pure fight or flight instincts as her heart hammered violently against her ribs. Then his voice in her mind.

'You don't want me around, then you do...You need to make you your mind, huntress' he growled,

It was a momentary balm to the panic even as she nipped and maneuvered her way out of his weight. Her teeth sharp but nothing meant to be lasting or deep. As she did push back.

'Oakley," very nearly a plea in his mind. 'Don't...'

Head shook as he gave her the space she needed. Those embers of panic still smoldering in her chest but no longer blazing. Her flattened out ears twitched forward, though her fur was still a little floofed as she twisted to look up at him. Fox tail curling around them. Any hint of teeth or a snarl gone.

'No, I'm not done. I'll never be done.' She pawed the ground between them. 'I didn't want to trust my feelings before. Do you know why? Because I wanted no male to have power over me. Ever. I thought I could ignore it. That it would go away.'

The next part nearly a whisper in his mind.

'How very foolish of me.'