[cen's stare did not waver from iglux̂. he breathed in the fragrances of evergreen needlework in her nape, bathed himself in the atramentous waterfall of her regard. it was cowardice to continue his selfish gloat; if cen did not speak now, he knew that he might well lose her. but more than that -- he would lose his chance to know himself. she did not wish to wait, but in truth he had no reluctance within him either. it was time, it was more than time. at last cen turned his determined stare to meleys. of this they had spoken before, thus his sister's understanding was assumed. around the three, the walls of caribou flanks shifted in a living morass of one flesh, and iglux̂ captured his regard once more. held it, held him. his heart thrummed boyish, and for a moment that almost narrowed his scarred brow in surprise, cen realized that some bleak thorn was loosening within him, replaced by the shimmering, sickening taste of hope. a breath took his chest before he was able to compose himself again, vulnerability fighting his own control. iglux̂ of crying wind, cen said aloud, for he had learned to walk through such valleys, i will hunt this blood for you. i will build your shelter of snow. meleys then, for as their witness she too might speak, chieftain standing enthralled before the silverstream who had run through his thoughts since their first meet.]

cen's stare did not waver from iglux̂. he breathed in the fragrances of evergreen needlework in her nape, bathed himself in the atramentous waterfall of her regard. it was cowardice to continue his selfish gloat; if cen did not speak now, he knew that he might well lose her. but more than that -- he would lose his chance to know himself. she did not wish to wait, but in truth he had no reluctance within him either. it was time, it was more than time.
at last cen turned his determined stare to meleys. of this they had spoken before, thus his sister's understanding was assumed. around the three, the walls of caribou flanks shifted in a living morass of one flesh, and iglux̂ captured his regard once more.
held it, held him. his heart thrummed boyish, and for a moment that almost narrowed his scarred brow in surprise, cen realized that some bleak thorn was loosening within him, replaced by the shimmering, sickening taste of hope.
a breath took his chest before he was able to compose himself again, vulnerability fighting his own control. iglux̂ of crying wind, cen said aloud, for he had learned to walk through such valleys, i will hunt this blood for you. i will build your shelter of snow.
meleys then, for as their witness she too might speak, chieftain standing enthralled before the silverstream who had run through his thoughts since their first meet.