Into the Woods

Natalia

Natalia watched the path below her, eating cloud-cherries from a large sack. The sweet, tangy fruit was one of her favorites, but almost impossible to get from the ground. They only grew in the tops of the highest trees in the forest. Most of them never made it past the first large branch level and the animals waiting there.

She glanced up at the sun, dappled so near the forest floor, which had been hidden by clouds all day. She sighed. "Why is it always cloudy here? And cold." Natalia pulled her jacket tighter.

She heard a twig snap. Natalia froze, then smiled. "You don't have to let me know you're here," she commented, popping a cherry into her mouth.

An enormous wolf padded around the tree, and she lifted her head, smiling. The wolf's tail swished back and forth, angry, frustrated, and curious.

Natalia shrugged. "I'm not going anywhere. Cherry?"

He turned into a man, unashamed of his full, naked glory. He grinned, showing off his sharp teeth. "What are you doing out here?" He snatched the cherry she tossed down from the air and popped it into his mouth.

Gods, the guy was gorgeous. He was tall and muscular, with a lean face and sharp eyes. He had thick black hair, broken by a single streak of white shot through his temple. Natalie's eyes wandered lower, unable to help but notice the muscles in his chest and arms. Lower still, taking in her fill. The man was not lacking anywhere. Too bad he stayed in his wolf most of the time he was in the woods. She would love to watch him patrol.

That stupid grin on his face only grew the longer she looked.

"Eating cloud-cherries. Do you like them?"

He licked his lips and nodded. "I love them. Rare to find."

She hefted the bag she held in one hand, bouncing it several times. "There's plenty more where these came from. You can have as many as you want."

His eyes widened. "Really?" Then they narrowed. "What's the catch?"

"Two things. One, tell me your name."

"And?" the warg asked, sitting on the ground. He leaned back, then folded his arms behind his head, and left everything on display like he didn't have a care in the world.

Natalia slipped slightly, but caught herself. The bastard laughed. She took a deep breath and ran a calming mantra through her head, trying to push down temptation. One last stray thought, a daydream of her running her hands over the hard planes of his body, popped into her mind before she pushed it away.

"And two, tell me everything you know about the little black rodents that nest under the trees."

He easily snatched the cherry she tossed him from the air and popped it into his mouth. He watched her as he chewed. Then he moaned, his eyes closing the smallest amount. Natalia took a deep breath and tried to ignore the burning between her legs. She couldn't allow herself to get distracted. This was not the time.

"Okay," the warg said, licking his lips. "I'll give you my name and answer your questions." He opened his mouth for another cherry, and she obliged him, aiming slightly away from his head. She didn't want to have to jump down there and try to perform the Heimlich maneuver.

"My name is Grant Stone."

"Really? Your name is granite stone? Did your parents hate you?"

Grant glared at her, his upper lip rising in the smallest snarl. "You're one to talk, gnat. Named after a bug."

She laughed. She couldn't help it. It was just too ridiculous.

He smiled, though she could see the hint of frustration in his eyes. She had no idea what his problem was.

"Nat, no silent g on the beginning. It's short for Natalia." Natalia played with a strand of hair that had fallen from its bindings on top of her head. It was one of the nervous gestures she couldn't get rid of.

She tried to contemplate all the reasons why he annoyed her, yet she still craved his company. She looked up at him and sighed. There wasn't anything to dislike. Outside of the whole wanting to kill her if he ever got his hands on her thing.

Grant stood and stretched, then scratched his stomach. His chest rippled as he did it, and Natalie licked her lips. She tossed him the rest of the bag of cherries.

"The little rodents are called lemoes. They burrow under the forest floor, nesting where the sun makes star patterns on the ground. I don't know how many colonies of them there are, but I've seen a few different groups. They're not a threat to anyone, really. Just an annoyance to be avoided. If they come across a person, they'll run away or hide."

"Can you show me where they nest?" Natalia tried to keep the excitement from her voice. He seemed like the kind of guy who would say no just because he could say no. She didn't want him to think she was excited, then he would never agree.

"Sure," Grant said. "If you want to go."

Natalia nodded, smiling. Then the bastard laughed. "Ah, gnat. It's going to take more than a bag of cherries to convince me to take you anywhere."

God damn the frustrating man. She shook her head and tried to keep the smile off her face. "I'm serious. I need to find them before the snow comes down into the valley and forest."

His eyebrows shot up. "Why would you be interested in lemoes. You can't eat them. Their bodies are so small they are not worth killing for the fur."

"Ok, somewhat barbaric. That aside, I'm studying the rothmaru, those little colorful birds in the bright shades of oranges and reds and purples."

He nodded. "I know the ones. They hide in small patches of the forest. I hear them when I patrol my territory."

"You know more nesting spots? Is it the one that's about two miles from here, that way?" She asked pointing. She couldn't contain her excitement. It was only a theory that the birds nested above the lemoes, but if he knew where they were, he could save her weeks of trouble.

"Again, gnat, going to cost more than a bag of cherries." He toasted her, popping another one in his mouth before wandering away.

"Wait! Grant!" The way he pronounced her name irritated her, but there was little she could do about it.

"Next time, pest!"

At least she got to enjoy the smooth baritone of his stupid laugh as his stupid ass walked away. His stupid, tight, round ass with the twin dimples. Natasha sighed. Now she was frustrated by more than just his attitude.