One More Adventure (Arctic)

[Vexa Blueclaw]

Serena knew fully well what Arctic wanted from her. He wanted an admission, for her to admit she loved him, hear her say it. If someone had asked her months ago if she would say she loved the first male to successfully charm her off her paws, Serena would have easily said she would do it. Now though, she felt thoroughly tongue-tied. How to say it and not sound like a swooning maiden? Oh the trials of being female! Biting her lip a little, despite her sharp fangs, the fem watched Arctic rise and wade into the high tide. She had little fear of the undertow, knowing Arctic would be fine. He was a captain after all, surely he knew how to swim? Her on the other paw? Well, Serena hesitated.

The words bubbled on the back of her tongue but Serena could find no good way to say it. It was hard to deny Arctic what he wanted from her but, why was it so hard to give? Perhaps it was her clan? Declarations of love weren't common things, romances were kept as whispers in dark rooms when no one was listening, mothers didn't give advice on how a daughter should admit or show her love. Mothers taught daughters how to show affection and loyalty to their husbands by providing and caring, not showing true love through words and declarations by moonlight.

Slowly, Serena got up, dusting sand from her skirts though she didn't put any real effort into the motion. Waves lapped at her footpaws, the rhythmic motion oddly soothing, almost encouraging. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Serena slowly, oh so slowly, waded into the water. She eyed the deeper water with trepidation, seeing as she didn't know how to swim.

Stopping just out of Arctic's reach, Serena was in just a little higher than her waist since she was shorter than Arctic, even though she hadn't gone quite as deep. Letting her paw dip into the saltwater, the fem bit her lip again, watching the water swirl around her paw. The light fabric of her skirts swirled in the push and pull of the ocean waves, not quite floating. It was a good thing it was spring, the heavier skirts Serena wore in the winter would have dragged her down.

"I...I don't know what to tell you Arctic" Serena admitted, not looking up to face him, still watching the water. "I don't know what to tell you other than...I...I think I love you."

Serena's ears twitched, a sign of her discomfort and embarrassment at the clumsiness of the confession. Though it wasn't much of a confession, the less drunk members of the crew would say it was painfully obvious. Two days of knowing someone. Was it possible to fall in love that fast? Some part of Serena doubted it but another part hoped it was true.

[Arctic Fang]

Arctic's eyes darted open when Serena said what she did. He was a skeptic though. He wasn't fully sold on the whole love at first sight kind of thing. But he wouldn't tell her that he wasn't totally sure that she loved him. Arty wondered if they were just tantalized by the different feeling that meeting someone that one actually had an interest in gave to them both.

The brute of a male turned. His size and muscular stature very impressive. He wondered at times if he didn't actually scare the femme race away from being attracted to him in a deeper relationship sort or way. In truth Serena was the first that didn't seem to be intimidated by him. This in itself gave Arctic a sign. There had to be something more in their meeting then just coincidence. Right?

Arctic took a step forward, toward lower water, and took her paw in his own large one. He wanted to say the right things to her. Oh how he hoped that all the right words would come out. "I'm not sure that love is possible so soon but I do know one thing. So far there isn't a thing that I don't like about you. I am totally positive that I can fall in love with you and if you say that you think that your feelings are that strong for me already then it can only get better." The male cleared his dry throat.

He pulled her into his body and held her tightly. "I feel that it has to be fate that we met like this. I do not wish to tempt fate and allow this opportunity to pass. Porter told me that if I did, if I let you go, that I was a fool and I think that he's right." His index finger pressed down her temple, over her cheek bone and then to her lips. "I also know that I've never met a female like you and one that I feel such a strong attraction for. And it's not just physical." Art smiled down at her. She was so beautiful.

Deeply he breathed in and then in one full swoop he bent and wrapped his strong arm around the back of her knees and the other on her back until he was holding her like a sleeping babe. "I have seen arranged marriages bloom into something beautiful and they didn't even have what we do. I doubt that I'll ever meet a female that I feel this way about. Everything about your peaks my interest. I hope that you feel the same about me." He didn't give her time to answer but instead he applied a rather full kiss to her delicious looking lips.

After the kiss ended Art waited for her to answer him. He looked rather silly standing there in the waves as he was holding her and waiting eagerly for a response but he didn't care.

[Vexa Blueclaw]

What had been strange about Serena's home was the fact that even though marriges were arranged, seldom were they ever poor. The reason wasn't just because the wife was taught to be obedient but Serena had always felt there was something else there as well. No sane fem could give herself to a male that did not at least make her feel safe. Maybe it was tradition that made such things so. Maybe so many generations of fems were used to the arranged marriages, that they didn't start to love or look for it until they were married and when they did they found and nurtured it in their chosen husbands. Serena had watched the two most unlikely of wolves come together and than the male weep like a newborn when his wife died in labor. There was a trick to it and Serena was sure that some part of her subconcious knew it.

Maybe it was a trick of fate that she'd been stolen from and than met Arctic. Maybe it was just a fluke that he happened to find her interesting and enchanting rather than an offensive heathen beast. Whatever it was, they appealed to each other. Others found Arctic intimidating, too rough and grumpy but Serena knew his grumpiness and roughness was just part of his charm. It was just a little thing that told her he would make her safe, that he could provide for her and others and could lead rather than just command. Serena was a modest beast so, she seldom acknowledged her own atributes toward anything. She disliked boasting and being vain but, the fact that Arctic saw something in her he liked, well, that made her hold her head a little higher.

Giving a soft yelp of surprise when Arctic whisked her off her paws, Serena instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck loosely to balance herself. Blushing thoroughly as he spoke, the fem couldn't help but notice she felt quite content in his arms. His words were a bit gruff but, just in the way that assured her he hadn't spoke to a fem like this before.

Before Serena could flounder up a response to Arctic's words, he kissed her. Instinct took that part, letting her react in what she hoped was the right way. Had she been kissed before? Yes, a kiss on the paw, cheek or forehead as a babe and when males tried to win her favor. This though, this was different, so much more intimate and sincere.

When Serena found herself able to breathe again, the fem rested her head against Arctic's chest just under his chin. Moving her head a little, Serena kissed his neck lightly.

"There will come a day when I may grow to bore you" Serena pointed out softly, not liking the idea but knowing it was true. With time she would become something mundane. Surely all his exotic travel would give him something more to seek than a fem trained to be a housewife with a strange culture?

[Arctic Fang]

She may not have had the experience in regards to the male gender but she sure did know how to knock Arctic for a loop, especially so when she kissed his strong neck. It sent shivers up and back down his spine and yes even his frame tensed a bit. "There will come a day when I may grow to bore you." He laughed, a rather hearty laugh as he shook his head. "Oh... Oh my beautiful Serena. I doubt that you could ever bore me. Life is a grand adventure in itself and I think that sharing it with someone else only makes it that much better."

He adjusted her in his arms and began to walk back to the shore and then alone the beach where the long boats were. Arctic leaned over and placed her down on the wave smoothed sands and then did something very surprising. "Serena..." He got down on one knee and then smiled up at her, taking her paw. "I know that this is rather sudden but I feel that I must do it before it's to late." Softly he kissed her paw. "We have an eternity to get to know each other but right now I want to make sure that I secure a future with you. Will you teach me the mating dance? There is nothing that I want more."

Arty looked around and then looked back up at the femme. "The ship will be empty. The crew will remain here on the island until tomorrow. We will be alone there I promise. Please allow me to do the dance with you." The white wolf stood and kissed her again, this time with a bit more thirst behind the action and then he whispered. "This is the craziest thing I've ever done but I know that it's the right thing." Again he kissed her and then watched her lips for her next words.