192: Secluded
192: Secluded
When Ambershanks came upon Samhuinn, his legs were dangling over the edge of the bluff, his hands were pressed into his chin, elbows on his thighs. The lion's pace slowed to a stop a few yards from the bull, in that moment questioning the wisdom in bothering the bull this evening. Samhuinn did not stir, seeming unaware of his mate's presence. Ambershanks hesitated a moment longer before stepping forward, no longer masking the scuff of his paws in the dirt.
Samhuinn stirred, but did not otherwise move until Ambershanks sat on his haunches beside him. The plains of Mulgore were dark this evening, for the great moon Mu'sha was hidden behind massive gray clouds. Only the occasional specks of bonfire splattered from the bluff to the horizon gave life to the land. They sat in an infrequently visited area of the tauren capital, with only faint firelight some thirty yards behind them.
Samhuinn spoke first.
"It is... a dark night. ... A-and cold. I... did not expect you would come."
Ambershanks nodded slowly, not looking up at the bull. His gaze took him down the face of the bluff, trying to adjust his sharp eyes to the dim light. "I know. ... I am sorry, love. I know how precious these hours are to you, but I... was lonely. Too lonely." He smirked, his whiskers flickering with the gesture. "Forgive an old bull. I needn't bother you long."
There was a long pause. A breath of cool air rushed by, stirring the mane of the quiet druid. Finally, Samhuinn spoke.
"I... c-cannot fault you, love. ... I will never balk a-at your presence. Come." He reached out, putting his great hand upon the lion's paw. "... S-sit beside me, let us wait out this dark night together."
Ambershanks complied, shifting a little closer. He placed his head down upon his mate's lap, trying to make himself comfortable on the cold ground. Samhuinn ran his hands through the lion's mane, causing Ambershanks - quite against his will - to purr very quietly in his chest, felt more than heard.
"What do you think of... when you are out here anyway, Samhuinn?"
"You," Samhuinn replied immediately. Shaking his head at his forwardness, he added, "... Our love. The... state of the world, a-and my efforts for it. M-my parents, E-earthmother rest them. ... I think... about myself a-a lot... as well."
"Your strengths?"
Samhuinn nodded. "And my weaknesses... V-very much so, my weaknesses. A-as well as those qualities that do not... ... Y-you know, those... characteristics that... defy value."
Ambershanks rubbed the top of his head against Samhuinn's stomach, his great horns barely touching along the druid's leather armor. "These are things that you need to think of alone? We too speak of you and who you are."
"It i-is different," Samhuinn responded. "I think... d-differently when I am... alone. I do not... like to talk about myself, I-I do not like to hear... others speak of me, whether with praise o-or... ill intent, or... ... um, anything. Here, I do not feel that... ... t-that... t-that guilt, I suppose, though this is not quite t-the, um, the right word for it. My mind is more clear."
"So I distract you, then," Ambershanks replied. As Samhuinn breathed in to protest, the lion laughed, a raspy, throaty sound in his feline form. "No, no, do not worry, Samhuinn. It is... It is like when I hunt. I enjoy hunting with you. I enjoy your presence, I enjoy having you nearby to heal me up after a scrape, I enjoy that feeling of safety, the safety of having you keeping me safe, the safety of knowing you are near. I... gods, I love watching you grow, season by season, into a better hunter. But sometimes, love, I just... need to be alone. I need to hunt by myself, to feel that feeling of danger, to let my mind sort out the mess, to... how to put it, to simplify the world. I cannot fault you for doing the same, even if... you do it more often."
Samhuinn leaned forward and planted a kiss upon Ambershanks's forehead.
"I am sorry... if ever I leave y-you lonely."
"But I know you will let me stay should I desire your company," the lion said, staring up at Samhuinn in the darkness. "And you always... always come back."
When Ambershanks came upon Samhuinn, his legs were dangling over the edge of the bluff, his hands were pressed into his chin, elbows on his thighs. The lion's pace slowed to a stop a few yards from the bull, in that moment questioning the wisdom in bothering the bull this evening. Samhuinn did not stir, seeming unaware of his mate's presence. Ambershanks hesitated a moment longer before stepping forward, no longer masking the scuff of his paws in the dirt.
Samhuinn stirred, but did not otherwise move until Ambershanks sat on his haunches beside him. The plains of Mulgore were dark this evening, for the great moon Mu'sha was hidden behind massive gray clouds. Only the occasional specks of bonfire splattered from the bluff to the horizon gave life to the land. They sat in an infrequently visited area of the tauren capital, with only faint firelight some thirty yards behind them.
Samhuinn spoke first.
"It is... a dark night. ... A-and cold. I... did not expect you would come."
Ambershanks nodded slowly, not looking up at the bull. His gaze took him down the face of the bluff, trying to adjust his sharp eyes to the dim light. "I know. ... I am sorry, love. I know how precious these hours are to you, but I... was lonely. Too lonely." He smirked, his whiskers flickering with the gesture. "Forgive an old bull. I needn't bother you long."
There was a long pause. A breath of cool air rushed by, stirring the mane of the quiet druid. Finally, Samhuinn spoke.
"I... c-cannot fault you, love. ... I will never balk a-at your presence. Come." He reached out, putting his great hand upon the lion's paw. "... S-sit beside me, let us wait out this dark night together."
Ambershanks complied, shifting a little closer. He placed his head down upon his mate's lap, trying to make himself comfortable on the cold ground. Samhuinn ran his hands through the lion's mane, causing Ambershanks - quite against his will - to purr very quietly in his chest, felt more than heard.
"What do you think of... when you are out here anyway, Samhuinn?"
"You," Samhuinn replied immediately. Shaking his head at his forwardness, he added, "... Our love. The... state of the world, a-and my efforts for it. M-my parents, E-earthmother rest them. ... I think... about myself a-a lot... as well."
"Your strengths?"
Samhuinn nodded. "And my weaknesses... V-very much so, my weaknesses. A-as well as those qualities that do not... ... Y-you know, those... characteristics that... defy value."
Ambershanks rubbed the top of his head against Samhuinn's stomach, his great horns barely touching along the druid's leather armor. "These are things that you need to think of alone? We too speak of you and who you are."
"It i-is different," Samhuinn responded. "I think... d-differently when I am... alone. I do not... like to talk about myself, I-I do not like to hear... others speak of me, whether with praise o-or... ill intent, or... ... um, anything. Here, I do not feel that... ... t-that... t-that guilt, I suppose, though this is not quite t-the, um, the right word for it. My mind is more clear."
"So I distract you, then," Ambershanks replied. As Samhuinn breathed in to protest, the lion laughed, a raspy, throaty sound in his feline form. "No, no, do not worry, Samhuinn. It is... It is like when I hunt. I enjoy hunting with you. I enjoy your presence, I enjoy having you nearby to heal me up after a scrape, I enjoy that feeling of safety, the safety of having you keeping me safe, the safety of knowing you are near. I... gods, I love watching you grow, season by season, into a better hunter. But sometimes, love, I just... need to be alone. I need to hunt by myself, to feel that feeling of danger, to let my mind sort out the mess, to... how to put it, to simplify the world. I cannot fault you for doing the same, even if... you do it more often."
Samhuinn leaned forward and planted a kiss upon Ambershanks's forehead.
"I am sorry... if ever I leave y-you lonely."
"But I know you will let me stay should I desire your company," the lion said, staring up at Samhuinn in the darkness. "And you always... always come back."