Ah, he had said that, hadn't he? Her instructors had not been keen to hear it, and they had argued against letting it stand as well. Control was most important after all, having recall on their agents, but they hadn't understood back then that they could never break her of her defiance unless they killed her. It was so deep seeded that he knew they needed to harness it early, and he wondered how much they had done and how much she had simply been too cunning for them to realize she was hiding it and allowing it to grow in her. She would be remarkable, he decided then.
As she wafted her scent at him, his nostrils flared to drink it in and he was not immune to the twist of his guts in response and the way his eyes zeroed in on her with less casualness than before. "Because you're currently more useful alive," he said before he narrowed his eyes at the mischievous look on her face.
He growled as she took off, quick to move himself even as she moved fluidly from a human form to her wolf one. She made it look easy, like it was all second nature. His footfalls were heavier given his bulk and size, and he by no means hid them as he chased her, his long mane catching on low hanging tree branches.
She was quick on her paws, but he had the advantage of knowing the ins and outs of this territory. As she disappearing into the deepening gloom, he picked up his paws more, set them down more precisely so that the sound of his motions tapered off so that he could move near silently as he left her direct path to move to circle around and drive at where he estimated that would meet up if she continued on her current path. After all, he needed to take a more spaced path to allow his bulk to move without giving away his location and in the dark, his advantages increased.
She'd been the only one to survive the training and his brutal tutelage; she already bore marks from the weight of his hand. But she'd always gotten back to her feet, defiant and ready for another lesson; never had she exposed her neck in submission. The greatest pupil thus far, Natalia knew she'd need all of her wits and skill to bring off this assignment, but as she'd stated, she had no desire to seek the Soldier's death. Quite the opposite, in fact.
But she had to give him a good chase, meet his expectations - and surpass them - therefore she wove her way in and around the slender pines, her slim frame allowing her to skim through tighter spaces much easier than his larger bulk. She was careful not to brush against the foliage as she slipped through the snow, but here and there she did leave a distinct mark of her scent, just to urge him on.
Senses so much keener in this form, Natalia pricked her ears, listening for even the slightest sound in this white landscape; nothing stirred. Even the breeze had died down, leaving the silence loud, stark. She lowered to her belly, just low enough to not disturb the blanket of snow, and crept on elbows and haunches beneath the low bushes, coiling her thick tail around herself as she hunkered and waited. Her muscles tensed, she watched with sharp eyes and a twitching nose, waiting.
His blood awoke as the chase began, her scent swirling in his brain and sending a pleasant warmth through his limbs and pooling in his belly. A part of him was mildly confused how her scent could provoke such an reaction, but he passed it off as the thrill of the hunt. He had already decided that he wouldn't kill her, that she would test him and he her and then he would allow their handlers to make the final decision when they both stumbled from the forest likely bruised and injured but still alive.
He drove through the trees to the outskirts, circling around his den on silent paws and using the closing cover of darkness to his advantage as he moved down wind of where he thought that she was. He eased through the bushes, listening and sniffing the air for her tantalizing scent. He paused but all was silent, and he lifted his head higher to seek out her tawny form amid the snow.
She was good. He eased forward, nostrils continually flared as he made slow progress in search of her. There was soft shush of snow falling from a tree branch, but otherwise all was silent. He continued, taking his time until he came upon her quite by accident, picking out her hiding form in the snow. Down wind as he was, he had the advantage but her spot made it so that he would have to make noise to get to her. He held his breath, inching forward until he could jab out his nose to sniff his way around her hind end. She smelled... better than even minutes ago.
He whined, mildly confused. Was this her manner of being able to best him?
She couldn't yet see him, but she could definitely smell him; his distinctive, delicious scent filled every inch of her nostrils, traveling through the back of her brain right down into her loins, clenching them tight with unfamiliar longing. But Natalia ground sharp teeth instead, refusing to give into the very strong urge to just roll to her back and wave her paws in submission, hike her haunches high and spread her legs wide.
No. She was not his bitch, damnit!
So focused on denying that growing primal instinct was she that she failed to notice the dark movement to her left, and his presence crashed over her like a breaking wave, resulting in her shrill bark, followed by a whirl around, a snap of teeth, and ears flat against her sleek head, ignoring his puzzled whine.
She crouched in the snow, green eyes glowing, then bared her teeth and darted once, twice, swift little snaps as her teeth clicked dangerously close to his flesh. She wasn't actively trying to hurt him, but if he wasn't quick enough to avoid her fangs, then so be it. She wanted a reaction - wanted a scuffle, if she was honest - a chance to prove that she was worthy of both him and the hell-bred organization which had created her.
A mix of frustration and ever-growing lust had her snarling in defiance, and quite suddenly, Natalia dropped her shoulders and rushed at him, endeavoring to use surprise and her swiftness to send him sprawling backwards. She barreled right into him, a flurry of red fur and white snow.
She reacted as a wolf would when their space was invaded, and he threw his head back to avoid the flash and snap of her teeth. He could barrel right into her as his bulk was much more significant, and he figured that with a few bites he could crush her into the snow and pin her down then go for her throat. Instead, he stood watching her, confusion written on his wolfish face even as he slowly moved to extend his nose to sniff her.
He... wanted her? It was such a foreign sensation. Previously, he had seen her core value, the skills she had, the wolf she was, how she could be the first success after a long line of failures. He trained her, wanted her to succeed even as he reduced her to failure time and again as she strengthened up her body while proving to him that her mental level was beyond the other candidates. A part of him had even acknowledged that she was pretty. Right now, she was more than pretty or skilled or successful... she was radiant, and it proved confusing that he warred with his mission and his instinct to be close to her.
Much like her own concentration leaving her open for a poke of his nose, his own internal confusion left him open for her daring stampede into him, throwing him backwards as he crashed onto his back in the snow, even if his limbs rose to kick and beat against her. Instead, if she made the mistake of clambering onto his large body, his limbs would try to wrap around her, hold her close so he could nip playfully at her.
Had she not been so confused with herself as well, Natalia might have snickered at the expressions of complete crogglement etching his darkly-furred face. So rarely were wolves puzzled; they relied on instinct, as most considered logical thought a complete waste of time. But his internal conflict gave her somewhat of an advantage, allowing her to gain that first strike and she was quick to follow it up, teeth gripping for a hold in the thick fur.
But she knew he wasn't to be bested so easily, and she hopped to and fro to avoid kicks from those massive paws. One avoiding leap took her over his large bulk, and Natalia yelped as a well-timed flail brought her crashing down across his belly, and before she could even roll to her feet, she found herself entangled with long dark legs and sharp but surprisingly gentle teeth nipping at her ears, her jaw, and the back of her neck.
The playfulness she hadn't expected, but it set off a needy whine in the back of her throat, and she arched her back out of pure reflex, driving her haunches into his groin without thought. But a snarl simultaneously rippled her lip and she squirmed in effort to get away.
She had first strike indeed, and he registered it easily. However, their tussling wasn't as serious as it could be, especially when he managed to get his limbs around her and hold her close. Her weight was solid and pleasure, rubbing their fur together and instinct was slowly seeping in beyond all the carefully laid out brainwashing that kept him logical and stuck with a human mind even in this wolfish form. Her whine urged him on too, giving him a single opportunity to groom at her dense fur and nuzzle her cheek before a wolfish groan left him at her very heated thrust onto his groin.
With her squirming, he released her quickly and kicked her off of him entirely. He rolled up to his paws and growled, the hair along his spine rising in excitement. Then he jumped forward, driving his paws into the snow and kicking it at her.
Then... he took off through the snow, half running, half prancing, showing off his prowess to her. He dodged between trees, looking for an entirely different kind of chase as he showed off, even shouldered down a sickly tree to let her see how strong he was. He wasn't all brute strength either, as good a showman with a flicked up tail and his long tendrils of dark hair swishing against the snow as he looked for her to chase him instead of the other way around.
The Soldier bucked her off, and Natalia rolled back to her feet, instantly shaking loose snow out of her fur, then switched around ready for another standoff...only to watch in a new level of confusion as her quarry bounded away a few strides, strutting through the broken snow, nearly preening as he went.
She blinked in puzzlement as her gaze followed him, watching him push over a leaning tree, darting aside as it crashed down a little too close for her comfort. His behavior was...strange, but intriguing, and curiosity began to worm its way into the fog of lustful aggression, prompting her to trot cautiously forward, long tongue lolling out slightly as she caught her breath once more.
Her own long tail flicked lightly, and Natalia tilted her head, coy, watching his display with interest. He certainly knew how to present himself; head cocked, tail up, and eyes gleaming as they met hers, smoldering with embers beneath thick warm fur. An imp of mischief struck her, and Natalia slowly arched her neck, ruffled her mane, and approached him on soft paws, delicately extending her snout to just touch her nose to his, a brief but profound nuzzle, followed by a coquettish lap of her tongue along his upper lip.
Then she bounced to one side, hindquarters wagging as she crouched playfully, giving a light, girlish yip of challenge.
She was watching him. If anything, her eyes following him only put him more in the mood to strut about, even dropping his head towards his chest and arching his neck so that it became a strong curving angle. He didn't for a moment stop as she trotted over to him, thinking she might fall in line with him and they could... dance together. He settled down when she came in his range and he read her interest in her coy gestures.
He tipped his nose, sniffing at her as she nuzzled him and licked, and he licked back, surprising himself. His head extended on his neck to follow her as she bounced aside, and he hopped backwards himself, lowering himself in a playbow to accept her 'challenge', though he made a big show of stretching the curve of his back and wagging his tail.
Then he charged her, but his head was held high to give her sight of his throat so she knew it wasn't a serious charge. He skidded in to bowl her over, his mouth wide as he grumbled and growled playfully as he moved to nip and mouth on any part of her anatomy that happened to be available, mostly tugging on fur and occasionally sprinkling in trying to lick at her ears.
A part of him found this so... strange. He'd never done this before, but she smelled... like it was the right thing to do.
It felt like...being a pup again, wanting to play with her classmates but never having the opportunity. Never mind the undercurrant of want heating in her blood, this was far more appealing than snapping and snarling for real.
He sent her tumbling through the snow once again, but Natalia regained her feet quickly enough, barking at him in a high voice. She swung this way and that, giving her own series of nips and mock-bites, tugging gently on one dark pointed ear then leaping out of range only to dart back in for a teasing bite on his left hamstring.
Then she was gone again, scampering around in the snow, pausing to sinuously rub her body against the rough bark of a nearby pine, all the while gazing at her new "playmate", the curve of her neck a blatant invitation. She arched her tail into a perfect curve, giving him her flank simply because her body demanded it. Furred ears flicked, and she huffed a small laugh, tongue curling over her nose.
He couldn't remember what it was like to be a pup or even have others to play with. He was the Soldier and his purpose was strictly violence and tutelage, so this was a very new experience for him, especially being able to engage another wolf like this. Her scent drew him in each time, warming him towards her, and she didn't seem particularly shy herself.
For a wolf of much larger size than her, he could move himself out of the way of her jaws well. He snapped at her and buried his nose into the fur of her neck on more than one occasion, drinking her in. He snapped at her retreating hocks as she darted away, holding his ground and lifting his lip in a wolfish grin. He flicked his tail at her then shook out his coat to remove some of the snow but more to show off how handsome his shaggy mane was. Who could resist?
He pranced over, moving to rub along her body before he used his weight to force her aside as he flopped onto his side and lifted a paw to bat at her. "Is that what this is? You haven't bested me yet."
Natalia did well not to let herself be distracted by his preening display, regardless of how appealing he really was. She'd meant what she'd said, after all. But the bow of his neck and the curve of his flank was tempting, and when he sidled up against her, she simply had to turn her nose into his fur, inhaling his delicious scent as he passed.
She cocked an eyebrow, however, when he flopped over asprawl in the snow, tapping at her with one large paw. Not about to be lulled into a false sense of...well, anything, the smaller wolf stepped a little closer, tense but not rigid, lifting her own forepaw to bat right back.
"No?" She lowered her head to rub against his, leaving her scent thick in his fur. "You are on your back, are you not?" A lupine smirk, and she licked at the seam of his lips, flirtatious. "And your throat is mine, Soldier." Quick as a flash, she opened her mouth on his thick neck, canines pressing but not biting, and she gave a human-sounding moan, lowering her body over his bulk.
They batted paws at each other, and he opened his mouth to serenade her with a little growling coo, perfectly comfortable and secure in his position here on his side. He had size and strength on his size if she decided to make a move against his throat, even if he knew she could do damage to him. "I'm on my side mostly," he pointed out.
He growled in mock injury as she went for his throat, rolling more to his back and letting her settle on him as he wrapped his paws around her shoulders. He wriggled in the snow, his tail sweeping up to bat against her own playfully. He was not concerned. In fact, he hadn't felt this free in a very, very long time, and he let her keep her jaws on his throat even as he swept the sides of his forelegs over her shoulders and back.
"You are... beautiful and fierce. You smell very nice," he said, the last part being added. "I... have a den. It's safer than the trees."
She wasn't naive enough to believe him beaten by simply this, but that he let her have that small power bespoke quite a lot. This time, she didn't dart away when he wrapped paws around her slighter frame, but instead wiggled a little bit more, almost burrowing into his long, thick fur. The sun had disappeared completely behind the high wall, and the night had nearly fallen. It would be bitingly cold very soon.
Natalia tightened her jaws just a bit, giving a little tug at his ruff, but finally lifted her head, bright green eyes gazing at the prone male beneath her, lip curling in their version of a smirk. "Your scent is very potent, as well," she observed, almost clinically. "But it is...mmmm, delicious." She again licked slowly along his jaw, her rough tongue teasing. "And you are such a handsome wolf, my Soldier." Although she figured he knew that.
Hearing the latter, her ears pricked. "A den? Will you show me?" Getting out of the weather would be ideal, and, "Would you keep me warm, then?" Since they weren't going to kill each other, not now.
He huffed and sneezed out snow when she tightened her jaws, paws still rubbing at her body and his own shifting under hers. He hummed in pleasure at the idea that she was pleased by him, which felt odd as he had never been particularly caring about the opinions of others before today. And he couldn't deny the lance of pleasure and heat that ran through him at her claim. My Soldier. He issued a low growl of delight and rolled her off of him.
He rose to his paws and shook the snow out of his fur, his tail giving her a wag as he leaned his head down to lick at her muzzle and forehead. He then nuzzled her for a moment, drinking her in, finally processing the idea of a 'mate' for the first time.
"Follow me," he said, looking towards the way of the compound entrance, but there were no signs that anyone was going to enter so far. He picked up his paws and headed for his den in a straight-line approach, large bulk moving the branches aside as he passed. It didn't take long for him to step into the open space around it, sniffing the ground but all it was happened to be his scent. He looked back towards her and then eased down into the concrete bunker that easily allowed him entrance. "Come, the furs will keep you warm." And so would he if allowed to. Otherwise, he was committed to guarding the entrance.
Natalia felt she could have remained there and soaked up his surprising affection for days, but the air was becoming bracing, and surely the handlers would become curious before too long. Better they be out of sight than not actively attempting to rip each other to shreds. Letting him up, she wagged her tail and huffed in pleasure at his nuzzle, licking him back and rubbing her head against his before they drew away.
She wasn't entirely sure what this pull was, down in her belly, but it just seemed right to follow him, demure and willing, slinking through the low branches in the wake of the larger wolf. She held back when they approached his den, waiting until being invited to slip within, sniffing about in her own lupine curiosity before quietly settling down on the bundle of thick furs near the den's back wall, curling her tail around her haunches and lowering her head to her paws.
Natalia watched him carefully, silently hoping he would come lie with her; his scent was both arousing and calming at the same time. Her belly twinged, but not with hunger for food, and it prompted a low, needful whine. She lowered both her lashes and her ears, gently thumping her tail in invitation.
He rumbled low in his throat when she entered his den, and he couldn't recall if anyone had ever been in here. It was his own place that the Red Room allowed him to have on his own so long as he behaved himself and was successful on all other matters. It wasn't as if he had others of his kind to share it with before her, and the Red Room was perfectly keen to keep him isolated with paltry comforts that were inexpensive to them.
He watched her settle in, laying his great head on his paws and studying her. It might be dark, but their eyes allowed them to see much better in low light than their human forms. He wagged his tail in return when she invited him to join her, gliding over on soft paws and then settling down next to her so that their flanks touched and he could turn his head to lay it across the back of her shoulders. His tail moved against her own and he very much cuddled up next to her.
Her smell was easier to concentrate here, and he breathed it in, the way that it began to seep into the furs that he normally slept on. That heat in his belly hadn't dissipated. If anything, the quiet privacy made it stronger and he had urges.
Curiously pleased when he accepted her silent invitation, Natalia shifted about as the Soldier came to settle behind her, stretching out even further so that all of her might be pressed so very close to him. She coiled her tail with his, stroking the underside of his fur with the tip of hers, and she wiggled close and sleek, wanting to saturate herself with his powerful scent.
She lolled her head to rest it next to his, gently grooming his ears and nuzzling against him with sweet softness. The closer they became, the more she wanted, the human in her still a little bit shy, but the wolf that she was had no compunction about mating and bonding. It was an instinct born deep in the both of them; he was a powerful Alpha, worthy of a strong Omega, and she'd have nothing less for her own bonded mate.
"They keep you here?" Her husky voice was soft in the dimness. "Always alone?"
He shifted to accommodate to her smaller frame as she did with him, finding a comfortable spot and protecting her body with his own. Anyone looking in would simply see his much larger bulk, hiding her between himself and the wall as he was. He was not particularly protective of her yet, but he was protective of this strangeness that was developing between them. It wasn't unpleasant. He wanted to feel more of it.
He closed his eyes as she groomed him, sighing through his nose. That was... very pleasant, not like the baths he had alone or the rough scrubbing after a mission if he were injured. Once she had taken a pause in grooming him, he returned the favour with slow and affectionate strokes of his tongue, finding each ear and her forehead, even licking at her muzzle. She smelled like she should be his, but he had not properly won her, not yet. He had to prove himself first.
"In case you haven't noticed, there aren't any others like us here," he rumbled softly. "This is my... space. I test the candidates here because it is mine. Otherwise, it's the only place that is considered to be mine. A wolf needs a den after all. It pleases you?"
Natalia slowly relaxed into the reciprocal grooming, licking at him when the chance arose. It was so strange, this tidal pull she felt towards this black monster, but one she didn't really want to question, simply because it felt complete. She'd been in his presence before, of course, but never had she felt such ease, such belonging.
And now that she'd experienced it, she knew it'd be difficult to relinquish.
She huffed a small snort to his initial response, all but rolling her eyes at his stating of the obvious, even giving his jaw a light nip in remonstrance. She knew that none who had ever entered here before had not left alive, thus her initial defensiveness and readiness to strike first, before she lost what small chance she'd had.
"It pleases me," she replied softly, because it was true. Outside of here, she only had a small cell with a cot and a barred window. Rare was it that they allowed her this form, and so often it itched like fire, the clawing beneath her skin. "It is...comfortable, here." Natalia wiggled even closer, rubbing her head beneath his jaw. "With you." Then she sighed, resigned. "I wish I could stay beyond tonight...but they will come for me, or for you, either one."
He threw his head towards the concrete ceiling at her nip, turning his face aside a moment later before he returned before she could wag her tail two shakes to nip back at her. He nuzzled into her throat, nibbling in a half-grooming, half-play manner. He hummed that she liked his den, and while it was old and likely hadn't been meant for him originally, it was a point of pride anyway. It kept him content to live this life longer anyway.
He had to chortle in amusement at her sigh, returning to grooming her ear. "Not tonight," he replied as if whispering a secret at her. "You are mine until I approach the door. They will leave us be, since I'm testing you and your preparedness," he remarked. He sighed and laid his head on his big paws for a moment. "One candidate stayed here three days because she wouldn't come down from a tree and I waited beneath it that long." And by waiting, he meant he had chewed it down so it toppled.
"So as long as I am here, you are mine and they will not bother us."
She allowed his ministrations, letting her eyes drift closed with the rhythmic motions. It was lulling, comfortable and quiet, but at the same time made her ache, down below her stomach. But she scoffed a laugh at his recollection, opening one eye to gaze at him speculatively.
"Really?" She could believe it, too. But Natalia just shook her head with a wolfish little laugh, tipping her snout away and ruffling her mane to settle back again. She curled close into his big body, craving both his warmth and his scent, both slowly washing over her.
"And what will you tell them?" she finally had to ask, tucking her tail beneath her. "I want to know."
The longer he was here with her, safe in his den, her scent surrounding him, the less likely he was to leave or allow her to leave. He was content, even if he contended with the continued heat of his belly and the growing discomfort of his loins as he nuzzled and groomed her. If anything, he shifted subtly to press closer, aligning his side against her own and using his tail to curl around her backside.
He issued a low wolfish rumble of agreement to her question. No one would come for them; they hadn't yet and he didn't think she would be any different.
"I will tell them that you will make their first and more successful Black Widow," he remarked simply. It was the truth. "But before that door, I think I will say to you that you are mine, and I am yours." He nuzzled at her ear and cheek, breathing her in. The urge to shift forms was starting to press at him.
Rather than express satisfaction or pleasure at his first response, Natalia merely lowered her head, resting it on her crossed paws. "That is...well," she said, tone devoid of inflection. Then she sighed softly. "I suppose the others would have been...proud, perhaps." But she wasn't.
"I don't want to be," came the quiet confession then. "I didn't ask for this, any of it." Then her voice hardened. "But I will not lie down and allow them to destroy me, either." Velvet ears flattened, and her low snarl echoed in the quiet. "We are not their tools, to mold and use as they will."
But that was a battle not to be fought here. Not yet, anyway. So Natalia simply huffed another disgruntled sigh, letting her brief bout of anger fade and returning the soft nuzzle with one of her own, turning her head so that their snouts rested against the other. She coiled her tail with his, gently licking at his lips.
"I will be yours," she agreed quietly. "I would have no other. Only you."
A part of him recognized the feeling, her resistance to this title, and the life that would occur because of it. She thought that she had been a prisoner before; with a lofty title and direct government orders coming down the line, she would be wrapped in as many webs as she was supposed to be weaving. She would be forced to perform on all stages, and in the end, she would be nothing more than a weapon while doing so. Her life or any chance at having one would be over. Perhaps that continued streak of defiance would serve her well as she cut her way across Russia.
He nuzzled against her at her confession, and such an admittance only made her stronger in his mind. She knew what was to come, but she didn't fear it. She would stand for and against it. He groomed her muzzle, ignoring her snarl. It wasn't for him. "But we are," he said simply, a part of him having accepted this life as his own. It was better than... the cold. "Perhaps you will break the mold, show them a strength they have no idea how to deal with. Time will tell. I will be disappointed if they find a way to destroy this spirit."
He hummed at her agreement and it seemed that they strangely had an odd accord. He stretched his paws out and rose, butting his nose against hers before he began to shift forms, his back arching as his form was forced to compress and warp to allow himself a human appearance. His size made his transition take seconds longer than hers, but he flowed naturally from his paws to his hands and feet.
He threw his head back to remove his shoulder length hair from falling into his face before he looked at her. It was his turn to shuffle in to press against her fur, mismatched hands stroking over her body, getting to know her on a different level. Worship her. She wasn't old enough to put on considerable bulk, but she was large for a wolf. Time would allow her a mane of her own to go with increasing size. She would be beautiful indeed.
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maskirovka) wrote2018-04-08 02:44 pm
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As she wafted her scent at him, his nostrils flared to drink it in and he was not immune to the twist of his guts in response and the way his eyes zeroed in on her with less casualness than before. "Because you're currently more useful alive," he said before he narrowed his eyes at the mischievous look on her face.
He growled as she took off, quick to move himself even as she moved fluidly from a human form to her wolf one. She made it look easy, like it was all second nature. His footfalls were heavier given his bulk and size, and he by no means hid them as he chased her, his long mane catching on low hanging tree branches.
She was quick on her paws, but he had the advantage of knowing the ins and outs of this territory. As she disappearing into the deepening gloom, he picked up his paws more, set them down more precisely so that the sound of his motions tapered off so that he could move near silently as he left her direct path to move to circle around and drive at where he estimated that would meet up if she continued on her current path. After all, he needed to take a more spaced path to allow his bulk to move without giving away his location and in the dark, his advantages increased.
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But she had to give him a good chase, meet his expectations - and surpass them - therefore she wove her way in and around the slender pines, her slim frame allowing her to skim through tighter spaces much easier than his larger bulk. She was careful not to brush against the foliage as she slipped through the snow, but here and there she did leave a distinct mark of her scent, just to urge him on.
Senses so much keener in this form, Natalia pricked her ears, listening for even the slightest sound in this white landscape; nothing stirred. Even the breeze had died down, leaving the silence loud, stark. She lowered to her belly, just low enough to not disturb the blanket of snow, and crept on elbows and haunches beneath the low bushes, coiling her thick tail around herself as she hunkered and waited. Her muscles tensed, she watched with sharp eyes and a twitching nose, waiting.
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He drove through the trees to the outskirts, circling around his den on silent paws and using the closing cover of darkness to his advantage as he moved down wind of where he thought that she was. He eased through the bushes, listening and sniffing the air for her tantalizing scent. He paused but all was silent, and he lifted his head higher to seek out her tawny form amid the snow.
She was good. He eased forward, nostrils continually flared as he made slow progress in search of her. There was soft shush of snow falling from a tree branch, but otherwise all was silent. He continued, taking his time until he came upon her quite by accident, picking out her hiding form in the snow. Down wind as he was, he had the advantage but her spot made it so that he would have to make noise to get to her. He held his breath, inching forward until he could jab out his nose to sniff his way around her hind end. She smelled... better than even minutes ago.
He whined, mildly confused. Was this her manner of being able to best him?
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No. She was not his bitch, damnit!
So focused on denying that growing primal instinct was she that she failed to notice the dark movement to her left, and his presence crashed over her like a breaking wave, resulting in her shrill bark, followed by a whirl around, a snap of teeth, and ears flat against her sleek head, ignoring his puzzled whine.
She crouched in the snow, green eyes glowing, then bared her teeth and darted once, twice, swift little snaps as her teeth clicked dangerously close to his flesh. She wasn't actively trying to hurt him, but if he wasn't quick enough to avoid her fangs, then so be it. She wanted a reaction - wanted a scuffle, if she was honest - a chance to prove that she was worthy of both him and the hell-bred organization which had created her.
A mix of frustration and ever-growing lust had her snarling in defiance, and quite suddenly, Natalia dropped her shoulders and rushed at him, endeavoring to use surprise and her swiftness to send him sprawling backwards. She barreled right into him, a flurry of red fur and white snow.
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He... wanted her? It was such a foreign sensation. Previously, he had seen her core value, the skills she had, the wolf she was, how she could be the first success after a long line of failures. He trained her, wanted her to succeed even as he reduced her to failure time and again as she strengthened up her body while proving to him that her mental level was beyond the other candidates. A part of him had even acknowledged that she was pretty. Right now, she was more than pretty or skilled or successful... she was radiant, and it proved confusing that he warred with his mission and his instinct to be close to her.
Much like her own concentration leaving her open for a poke of his nose, his own internal confusion left him open for her daring stampede into him, throwing him backwards as he crashed onto his back in the snow, even if his limbs rose to kick and beat against her. Instead, if she made the mistake of clambering onto his large body, his limbs would try to wrap around her, hold her close so he could nip playfully at her.
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But she knew he wasn't to be bested so easily, and she hopped to and fro to avoid kicks from those massive paws. One avoiding leap took her over his large bulk, and Natalia yelped as a well-timed flail brought her crashing down across his belly, and before she could even roll to her feet, she found herself entangled with long dark legs and sharp but surprisingly gentle teeth nipping at her ears, her jaw, and the back of her neck.
The playfulness she hadn't expected, but it set off a needy whine in the back of her throat, and she arched her back out of pure reflex, driving her haunches into his groin without thought. But a snarl simultaneously rippled her lip and she squirmed in effort to get away.
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With her squirming, he released her quickly and kicked her off of him entirely. He rolled up to his paws and growled, the hair along his spine rising in excitement. Then he jumped forward, driving his paws into the snow and kicking it at her.
Then... he took off through the snow, half running, half prancing, showing off his prowess to her. He dodged between trees, looking for an entirely different kind of chase as he showed off, even shouldered down a sickly tree to let her see how strong he was. He wasn't all brute strength either, as good a showman with a flicked up tail and his long tendrils of dark hair swishing against the snow as he looked for her to chase him instead of the other way around.
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She blinked in puzzlement as her gaze followed him, watching him push over a leaning tree, darting aside as it crashed down a little too close for her comfort. His behavior was...strange, but intriguing, and curiosity began to worm its way into the fog of lustful aggression, prompting her to trot cautiously forward, long tongue lolling out slightly as she caught her breath once more.
Her own long tail flicked lightly, and Natalia tilted her head, coy, watching his display with interest. He certainly knew how to present himself; head cocked, tail up, and eyes gleaming as they met hers, smoldering with embers beneath thick warm fur. An imp of mischief struck her, and Natalia slowly arched her neck, ruffled her mane, and approached him on soft paws, delicately extending her snout to just touch her nose to his, a brief but profound nuzzle, followed by a coquettish lap of her tongue along his upper lip.
Then she bounced to one side, hindquarters wagging as she crouched playfully, giving a light, girlish yip of challenge.
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He tipped his nose, sniffing at her as she nuzzled him and licked, and he licked back, surprising himself. His head extended on his neck to follow her as she bounced aside, and he hopped backwards himself, lowering himself in a playbow to accept her 'challenge', though he made a big show of stretching the curve of his back and wagging his tail.
Then he charged her, but his head was held high to give her sight of his throat so she knew it wasn't a serious charge. He skidded in to bowl her over, his mouth wide as he grumbled and growled playfully as he moved to nip and mouth on any part of her anatomy that happened to be available, mostly tugging on fur and occasionally sprinkling in trying to lick at her ears.
A part of him found this so... strange. He'd never done this before, but she smelled... like it was the right thing to do.
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He sent her tumbling through the snow once again, but Natalia regained her feet quickly enough, barking at him in a high voice. She swung this way and that, giving her own series of nips and mock-bites, tugging gently on one dark pointed ear then leaping out of range only to dart back in for a teasing bite on his left hamstring.
Then she was gone again, scampering around in the snow, pausing to sinuously rub her body against the rough bark of a nearby pine, all the while gazing at her new "playmate", the curve of her neck a blatant invitation. She arched her tail into a perfect curve, giving him her flank simply because her body demanded it. Furred ears flicked, and she huffed a small laugh, tongue curling over her nose.
"You wanna play some more?"
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For a wolf of much larger size than her, he could move himself out of the way of her jaws well. He snapped at her and buried his nose into the fur of her neck on more than one occasion, drinking her in. He snapped at her retreating hocks as she darted away, holding his ground and lifting his lip in a wolfish grin. He flicked his tail at her then shook out his coat to remove some of the snow but more to show off how handsome his shaggy mane was. Who could resist?
He pranced over, moving to rub along her body before he used his weight to force her aside as he flopped onto his side and lifted a paw to bat at her. "Is that what this is? You haven't bested me yet."
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She cocked an eyebrow, however, when he flopped over asprawl in the snow, tapping at her with one large paw. Not about to be lulled into a false sense of...well, anything, the smaller wolf stepped a little closer, tense but not rigid, lifting her own forepaw to bat right back.
"No?" She lowered her head to rub against his, leaving her scent thick in his fur. "You are on your back, are you not?" A lupine smirk, and she licked at the seam of his lips, flirtatious. "And your throat is mine, Soldier." Quick as a flash, she opened her mouth on his thick neck, canines pressing but not biting, and she gave a human-sounding moan, lowering her body over his bulk.
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He growled in mock injury as she went for his throat, rolling more to his back and letting her settle on him as he wrapped his paws around her shoulders. He wriggled in the snow, his tail sweeping up to bat against her own playfully. He was not concerned. In fact, he hadn't felt this free in a very, very long time, and he let her keep her jaws on his throat even as he swept the sides of his forelegs over her shoulders and back.
"You are... beautiful and fierce. You smell very nice," he said, the last part being added. "I... have a den. It's safer than the trees."
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Natalia tightened her jaws just a bit, giving a little tug at his ruff, but finally lifted her head, bright green eyes gazing at the prone male beneath her, lip curling in their version of a smirk. "Your scent is very potent, as well," she observed, almost clinically. "But it is...mmmm, delicious." She again licked slowly along his jaw, her rough tongue teasing. "And you are such a handsome wolf, my Soldier." Although she figured he knew that.
Hearing the latter, her ears pricked. "A den? Will you show me?" Getting out of the weather would be ideal, and, "Would you keep me warm, then?" Since they weren't going to kill each other, not now.
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He rose to his paws and shook the snow out of his fur, his tail giving her a wag as he leaned his head down to lick at her muzzle and forehead. He then nuzzled her for a moment, drinking her in, finally processing the idea of a 'mate' for the first time.
"Follow me," he said, looking towards the way of the compound entrance, but there were no signs that anyone was going to enter so far. He picked up his paws and headed for his den in a straight-line approach, large bulk moving the branches aside as he passed. It didn't take long for him to step into the open space around it, sniffing the ground but all it was happened to be his scent. He looked back towards her and then eased down into the concrete bunker that easily allowed him entrance. "Come, the furs will keep you warm." And so would he if allowed to. Otherwise, he was committed to guarding the entrance.
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She wasn't entirely sure what this pull was, down in her belly, but it just seemed right to follow him, demure and willing, slinking through the low branches in the wake of the larger wolf. She held back when they approached his den, waiting until being invited to slip within, sniffing about in her own lupine curiosity before quietly settling down on the bundle of thick furs near the den's back wall, curling her tail around her haunches and lowering her head to her paws.
Natalia watched him carefully, silently hoping he would come lie with her; his scent was both arousing and calming at the same time. Her belly twinged, but not with hunger for food, and it prompted a low, needful whine. She lowered both her lashes and her ears, gently thumping her tail in invitation.
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He watched her settle in, laying his great head on his paws and studying her. It might be dark, but their eyes allowed them to see much better in low light than their human forms. He wagged his tail in return when she invited him to join her, gliding over on soft paws and then settling down next to her so that their flanks touched and he could turn his head to lay it across the back of her shoulders. His tail moved against her own and he very much cuddled up next to her.
Her smell was easier to concentrate here, and he breathed it in, the way that it began to seep into the furs that he normally slept on. That heat in his belly hadn't dissipated. If anything, the quiet privacy made it stronger and he had urges.
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She lolled her head to rest it next to his, gently grooming his ears and nuzzling against him with sweet softness. The closer they became, the more she wanted, the human in her still a little bit shy, but the wolf that she was had no compunction about mating and bonding. It was an instinct born deep in the both of them; he was a powerful Alpha, worthy of a strong Omega, and she'd have nothing less for her own bonded mate.
"They keep you here?" Her husky voice was soft in the dimness. "Always alone?"
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He closed his eyes as she groomed him, sighing through his nose. That was... very pleasant, not like the baths he had alone or the rough scrubbing after a mission if he were injured. Once she had taken a pause in grooming him, he returned the favour with slow and affectionate strokes of his tongue, finding each ear and her forehead, even licking at her muzzle. She smelled like she should be his, but he had not properly won her, not yet. He had to prove himself first.
"In case you haven't noticed, there aren't any others like us here," he rumbled softly. "This is my... space. I test the candidates here because it is mine. Otherwise, it's the only place that is considered to be mine. A wolf needs a den after all. It pleases you?"
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And now that she'd experienced it, she knew it'd be difficult to relinquish.
She huffed a small snort to his initial response, all but rolling her eyes at his stating of the obvious, even giving his jaw a light nip in remonstrance. She knew that none who had ever entered here before had not left alive, thus her initial defensiveness and readiness to strike first, before she lost what small chance she'd had.
"It pleases me," she replied softly, because it was true. Outside of here, she only had a small cell with a cot and a barred window. Rare was it that they allowed her this form, and so often it itched like fire, the clawing beneath her skin. "It is...comfortable, here." Natalia wiggled even closer, rubbing her head beneath his jaw. "With you." Then she sighed, resigned. "I wish I could stay beyond tonight...but they will come for me, or for you, either one."
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He had to chortle in amusement at her sigh, returning to grooming her ear. "Not tonight," he replied as if whispering a secret at her. "You are mine until I approach the door. They will leave us be, since I'm testing you and your preparedness," he remarked. He sighed and laid his head on his big paws for a moment. "One candidate stayed here three days because she wouldn't come down from a tree and I waited beneath it that long." And by waiting, he meant he had chewed it down so it toppled.
"So as long as I am here, you are mine and they will not bother us."
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"Really?" She could believe it, too. But Natalia just shook her head with a wolfish little laugh, tipping her snout away and ruffling her mane to settle back again. She curled close into his big body, craving both his warmth and his scent, both slowly washing over her.
"And what will you tell them?" she finally had to ask, tucking her tail beneath her. "I want to know."
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He issued a low wolfish rumble of agreement to her question. No one would come for them; they hadn't yet and he didn't think she would be any different.
"I will tell them that you will make their first and more successful Black Widow," he remarked simply. It was the truth. "But before that door, I think I will say to you that you are mine, and I am yours." He nuzzled at her ear and cheek, breathing her in. The urge to shift forms was starting to press at him.
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"I don't want to be," came the quiet confession then. "I didn't ask for this, any of it." Then her voice hardened. "But I will not lie down and allow them to destroy me, either." Velvet ears flattened, and her low snarl echoed in the quiet. "We are not their tools, to mold and use as they will."
But that was a battle not to be fought here. Not yet, anyway. So Natalia simply huffed another disgruntled sigh, letting her brief bout of anger fade and returning the soft nuzzle with one of her own, turning her head so that their snouts rested against the other. She coiled her tail with his, gently licking at his lips.
"I will be yours," she agreed quietly. "I would have no other. Only you."
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He nuzzled against her at her confession, and such an admittance only made her stronger in his mind. She knew what was to come, but she didn't fear it. She would stand for and against it. He groomed her muzzle, ignoring her snarl. It wasn't for him. "But we are," he said simply, a part of him having accepted this life as his own. It was better than... the cold. "Perhaps you will break the mold, show them a strength they have no idea how to deal with. Time will tell. I will be disappointed if they find a way to destroy this spirit."
He hummed at her agreement and it seemed that they strangely had an odd accord. He stretched his paws out and rose, butting his nose against hers before he began to shift forms, his back arching as his form was forced to compress and warp to allow himself a human appearance. His size made his transition take seconds longer than hers, but he flowed naturally from his paws to his hands and feet.
He threw his head back to remove his shoulder length hair from falling into his face before he looked at her. It was his turn to shuffle in to press against her fur, mismatched hands stroking over her body, getting to know her on a different level. Worship her. She wasn't old enough to put on considerable bulk, but she was large for a wolf. Time would allow her a mane of her own to go with increasing size. She would be beautiful indeed.
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gdi sorry this is so late :<
♥♥♥♥♥ Ditto
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