Fire and Ice

Myranda stretched into the air after she was surprised with a restful night's sleep. Her leg had even healed a great deal more, and she felt a lot more like herself. This was the first time in a long time that she hadn't woken up in the middle of the night with intense pain that overtook her body. It was like she had been held by Metas all night, (or at least pretended he had to help her sleep).

More wolves stopped by today than they had in a while. A few soldiers, some workers from the other merchant packs, and her favorite couple in the entire world - Joss and Jyriah who had come hand-in-hand to check on her.

Her big brother looked especially pleased with her bright expression. "Wow, who is this young lady who looks more like my baby sister? Sleep well?" Jyriah mused out with a grin.

Joss echoed his mates' sentiments and commented, "you really are glowing. How's your leg?"

"It actually feels great. I... well, can we talk about it at dinner? Just the three of us?" Myranda hoped with a smile.

Jyriah seemed surprised, and little offended. "No Syrana? Are you two having a fight?"

"What? Never! I just don't want her to have to hide things from Silas, that's all." Myranda reassured and waved her hands in front of her body to fend off his looks of judgement.

"Ooooh, got it. Can do," Jyriah understood and played along with that same grin, and gave her a quick thumbs-up.

She turned the subject elsewhere as she realized she had needed his help.

"Are you going out today? I could use some more cinnamon and clove if you can find any. I'm running low on a lot of oils, really. I'll take anything you bring back if you're making the trip," Myranda followed up with a wide, innocent smile that she knew charmed her brother into anything she asked for. She even whipped out the old 'puppy dog' look which glassed her mismatched orbs over with feigned tears

The eldest sibling looked down with pitty and uttered, "ahg, come on - the eyes, too?" He whined before he relented to her expression. "Okay, okay. I'll bring you back whatever - but don't blame me if you don't like my choices."

"Don't you dare grab nonsense," she warned back with a soft glare as the act faded once he agreed to go out.

"Fine, fine - edible stuff that isn't garbage, then....and one rock," he jested as he leaned into Joss affectionately.

The cool-headed mate at her brother's side shook his head and looked to Myranda with a pleased nod. "He'll behave, I promise - If we're lucky we can find more peanuts."

"If you bring me enough peanuts and some honey - I'll make peanut butter for dinner...fresh, warm peanut butter for dessert rolls," she offered in hopes it temped them.

"That is an easy deal to take. I won't come back without enough - how much do you need?" Jyiah asked. His look was so happy that if his tail were present, it would have wagged.

Joss chuckled at the scene, and when Myranda saw his orange eyes filled with joy and love - she knew that Jyriah had found the perfect one for him. Most who approached him treated him more like a trophy, or a celebrity due to his good looks and talent, but Joss looked at him like they were the only two souls in the room.

'...Would if Metas would look at me like that, too?' She wondered, which caused her to feel a little sad. Myranda would do a lot of underhanded things at the moment if she could just see his beautiful golden eyes again. They were filled with so much fire and strength that she shivered just to imagine them as they gazed upon her.

After a moment, she realized that she hadn't replied and shook her head. "Okay, it's a date -- and what did you want to grab for breakfast? Get the good stuff before the royal servants get here to pick up their daily order. It's in the back."

"Yessss," Jyriah cheered with a happy hiss and jolted to the back like an excited pup.

Joss looked between the two of them, and uttered out an offer. "You know... we could always go out looking for something other than ingredients..."

Myranda's eyes sparkled at the prospect. "If you did - I'd make you guys an entire jar of peanut butter."

Jyriah couldn't help it and gasped at the idea of an entire jar of goodness to himself. "We'll add thet very important item it to the list," he assured her warmly, and then winked.

******

It was a bit later in the afternoon than either of them planned to be out, but at least it was much warmer than it had been in previous days.

In order to smell things better, and track things easier - both Joss and Jyriah came out of the complex den as their wolf selves. Joss was just as large as Jyriah, but his cool silver coat with a white underbelly contrasted against his mate's solid coat of warm reds, browns, and golds.

It was like fire and ice walked together in a dance of harmony.

"Let's go where I found those filberts the other day. I also smelled clove around there - I think. Sometimes the magic in the soil can really throw my scent off," Joss suggested as they entered the trees.

"That one I can handle for sure. My real goal is the peanuts, whatever we get on top of that is just bonus as far as I am concerned. She'll be happy with whatever" Jyriah replied with a little hint of truth in his words as he waved off the idea of doing actual work.

"Don't be mean to your baby sister - or make me force you to come back out here. She can't leave; we can at least bring her useful things," Joss sighed out at the end of his words and then nuzzled Jyriah playfully.

"Fine, fine - as long as you promise to love me forever," Jyriah bartered.

"How about for all eternity?" The silver wolf answered smoothly.

"That would be better. I'll take that," the auburn lycan swooned and moved in to run his head against Joss' with affection.

They traveled deeper into the woods where Jyriah took the lead. Since he had been out here literally yesterday, Joss trusted his direction more than his own.

"Hey, wait - stop" Jyriah hissed out suddenly and seemed to stare off into the trees as his bright, 'white' eyes focused on something in the distance. "...I think that's Metas..."

"What should we do?" Joss prodded as he too saw the large black wolf come into focus.

Jyriah gritted his teeth and bared out his words carefully. "We go ask him why he broke my baby sister's heart - and then you help me run after I tackle him and try to get a good nip."

Joss hadn't believe him, and merely chided his mates' idea with a cool-headed perspective. "Don't do that - let's just observe from here for now."

"No way - then he'll run off and we'll lose him. He hurt my sister, and if he won't tell her why, then he should at least tell me," 'fire' insisted and let out a growl from his throat.

"Honey, don't. We can track him just fine if he walks away, I promise." Joss insisted uselessly.

Jyriah was displeased by his mate's good advice and laid his ears back in agitation. Myranda had her flaws, yes - but how could Metas not see that she was still perfect? The thought boiled in his stomach and he tensed his paws in preparation to run at him in full speed.