A Proposal.

More Valkyrien, of a genre that my friend The Redjay and I, alongst with she who is the inspiration for Laure De Bruis, tend to term 'Squee'. The events chronicled here were a long time coming... and will lead to some... interesting... effects. Copyright belongs to myself, Jared G. Juckiewicz

I have been weeks in the planning. And weeks in the preparation. First my scouting as both man and wolf until I found an appropriate place. A grove of aspen on a hillside, next to a babbling brook, its banks littered with wildflowers. Then, digging a depression into the hillside, building a shelter over it of pine and cedar limbs, and lining the inside with soft moss. Concealing a small supply of food, table settings, blankets and firestarting gear next to the shelter, and gathering and covering some dry firewood. And doing it all without drawing attention to myself, or revealing what I was doing. Luckily, I'd been in the habit of long solo hikes and runs since I arrived here, so I was able to do much of the work when I was out, supposedly, on those. I had even set up a few snares alongst a game trail not far from my glade. Last night, I had finally rigged those snares such that they were active. Now, I am guiding Vixen through the forests to the place. She still doesn't know what I intend. Which is all to the good. Although it is difficult to ignore her questions, her entreaties. Wait and see, I tell her. All will be revealed. Patience is a virtue, that last earning a snort and a "Virtuous? Me?" We arrive at the glade, and I see to it that she is comfortable. We build a small fire, and I pile the firewood beside it. Wait here, I tell her, and shift, vanishing off in my Wereform to check my snares. As I check each one, I break it up, so it is no threat to anything. The last one has served its purpose, a large hare dangling from it. Excellent! Good eating, Hare. After disabling the snare, I shift the rest of the way to Wolf, carrying it back in my jaws. I drop it a few feet from Vixen when I return, nudging it towards her with my nose, and then hopping back to sit on my haunches. I look from her, to the hare and back, and she strips out of her hiking gear and shifts to join me. After a moment a female red fox is standing in front of me. She looks at me curiously, and then steps forward, sniffing at the hare and then digging in. She glances up after a moment, seeing that I haven't moved a muscle. Her gaze flits from me to the hare and back in invitation, but I shake my head, and lie down. Waiting for her to finish her meal. When she has, I wander over to where I left my clothes, and reaching into my trouser pocket, pull out a small box with my teeth. I walk back to where she is, and crouch low a few feet from her, letting the box drop onto the grass. My ears go flat back against my head, and my tail rests on the ground as I crawl forward, belly dragging on the grass, and push the box towards her. She steps forward, and hooks the claws on one of forepaws into the bottom of the box. Her fangs catch the top and tilt it open, and there, lying on a satin bed, is a ring of white gold, inlaid with patterns of red and yellow gold according to the mammen style, with a chain of titanium steel running through it. There is no stone, but the ring is beautiful without it. Engraved on the inside of the ring is the inscription w i k s e n  m e d  k a r l e k  g o r m.. Vixen, Med Karlek, Gorm. Vixen, With Love, Gorm.  She looks up at me, her eyes seeking mine, full of hope, questioning. I nod, and those deep yellow eyes glow with love and joy. She steps forward, crouches low, and nuzzles my nose. I stand back up, and rub my muzzle alongst hers, until we are rubbing necks, inhaling the scent of each others ruff. We spend some time trading those caresses that take the place of kisses and hugs amongst those lacking lips and arms, and then I hook the fangs of my lower jaw through the chain, lifting it over her neck. Tomorrow, we will begin planning for the wedding. Or at least, consider planning. For now, we have each other, and that is all that matters. I should, I think, have seen to this long, long ago.