Webs to be Weaved

"Babe...are you still in here?" Jyriah asked with some concern as he entered the little pod he and Joss shared.

"Yeah." His mate replied quickly, as though he didn't want to be bothered.

"I brought you something to eat. Are you sure you don't want to come to the end of the party? You missed the fight, you missed the dance - hell, you missed Myranda's first real act as a Luna. It was beautiful." Jyriah frowned as he watched his silver-haired love merely draw another circle in the dirt.

"No time. I'm close to making a shield. I've almost figured out the symbol for uranium, and from there I am pretty sure I can come up with Plutonium. Look - look look look look," Joss spoke very fast, as he had been up for far too long and was starting to lose it just little bit.

He pointed to a bunch of different runes, circles, and symbols that had been etched into the walls, the floor, and in the two books he had been looking at non-stop since he had been gifted them.

"If I combine 'shell' and 'wall' together- and add any element, I can make a dome-like shield that can nullify anything I put in the center ring. If I can carve something big enough like this, we could save a large portion of forest if need-be, but my better idea is to lure Harbinger out to us...." Joss didn't stop to breathe much as he twirled his finger around in the dirt to summon up a small fire, and then sent it towards another intricate rune that lit up in a bright white when the fire hit it, and extinguished the flame.

"Woah. That's awesome. Wait, you learned all this in the past two days?" Jyriah asked with worry and awe as he looked down to all the work his mate had been doing.

"Yeah - didn't Jhinto say we were on thin time? While Metas dealt with Silas, I wanted to do my part. How did the fight go, did Silas get his?" Joss inquired without looking up from his work.

"I can't even explain...It was... really intense, and weird, and creepy. I saw things I can't forget," the coal-haired male replied as he put a little rock-like plate on the clay desk Joss had made for himself. Once he didn't need his hands anymore, he took to four legs and came to sit next to the male he loved so deeply.

"You need to eat and sleep. You need a break..." Jyriah started and leaned in to give soft licks to the back of Joss' left ear. (He knew it wasn't going to work....but he still wanted to try...).

"Stop it," the cool-tone came from Joss and he darted his gold eye over his shoulder in warning.

"Gah, fine...but you know I am right," Jyriah quipped back with a pout.

"Honey, I love you deeply, and as much as I'd love to stop what I am doing and enjoy your company, I can't right now. If I fail because I've been lazy - I'll be devastated," his better half replied.

"I know...but you can't blame me for trying, right? Maybe I can help you? I miss you, and I want to do anything for you -- even if it's just to be your assistant. I'll do anything, even the smallest thing," the shorter wolf tried not to beg, but his ears bent back and betrayed his tough exterior.

"Actually, I really could use your help. I haven't done anything on actual living souls yet - would you be up to being said test subject ---er...volunteer assistant?" Joss turned back to look to Jyriah with a little glimmer in his eyes.

The soldier instantly regretted asking his intelligent mate to help out. He swallowed his worry, however and nodded with assurance. "Alright, count me in."

"Really?" Joss perked up with excitement.

"Really - but - you have to do something for me first," the fiery male stated.

"Oh no... what is it?" the cool headed male replied warily.

"Eat the food I brought you first.....and then tell me I'm cute and kiss me," Jyriah replied with a grin - but as jovial as his tone was, Joss knew he was serious.

"Alright, deal. ....My cute and amazing mate who I hope wants to marry me when all this is over," Joss answered with a smile, and then leaned in to lick Jyriah's cheek.

"Yes he absolutely does." the short of the two answered with pride and assurance.

"I'm so lucky to have you, Jyr. Thank you for bringing me something to eat, I just realized how hungry I am," Joss admitted and turned his head over towards the desk to take in little strips of meat still in his wolf form, and ate with a lot less dignity than Jyriah had ever seen.

Before Jyriah could question his mate's behavior, he darted his nose towards him and said, "this never happened. You never saw me eat like this."

"Absolutely, babe." Jyriah replied with a swift nod. A smart male, and one who knew when to never bring something up ever again - not even as a joke - he meant his words.

******

There was an audible yowl that came from Jyriah's snout as a piece of fire singed his tail. He hadn't meant for it to be so loud, but he also wasn't thinking he was going to lose part of the tip of his cute fluffy tail.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart" Joss let out with worry and immediately smothered the flames with water he summoned from the carving on the wall. He had been using them like a little dispenser, and each time he put his paw to a rune, it would light up and produce what the rune was made for.

"It's okay, I just wasn't expecting it....but it answers your question - without adding that shield rune to the wall and shell one, it leaves anything outside of it exposed. It was worth it," the victim-er-volunteer let out with a pout in his voice.

"Baby, I'm so sorry. I know you love your tail, I feel awful" Joss said with a frown and leaned in to rub his face against his mate's.

"Like I said, it was worth it. Better my tail than someone's arm or leg....or worse...." he speculated the thought of someone's face melting and made a big of a 'eugh' sound as he shivered.

"It's going to take so much more time to weave that pattern into the others without destroying the web it needs to attach to," Joss sighed.

"You'll get there, and when you do - we'll put your idea into motion on a wider scale. I'm sure you'll come up with something." Jyriah replied sympathetically and nuzzled into his mate affectionately.

"I hope so....but I'm starting to feel how tired I am getting." Joss yawned and stretched his head downwards why he pushed his butt and tail upwards.

"I bet if you take a rest and get some sleep to come back at it with fresh eyes, it will be a lot easier to figure out," the wounded volunteer let out in hopes it could convince his better half to stop for a bit.

"Yeah..." the taller wolf gave in and nodded with a heavy head. "Hold me?" He followed up with a puppy-dog gaze.

"Aw, of course. Come here, you." Jyriah replied and nudged his head towards the small little circle they had made to sleep in comfortably.

For once, Joss did not object - and with steps that were weighed down on his paws with fatigue. As much as his mate wanted to canoodle and snuggle, the budding magician was far too exhausted, and didn't even get the chance to say 'I love you' or 'good night' before he passed out in the warm fur of his true love.