There is some force between us, an energy that pulls us together and pushes us apart within the same breath. His words resonate in my ears as he questions the ideals that I have presented to him, the principle that he must make his own decisions, blaze his own trail. My warrior asks me questions, questions that I cannot possibly know the answers to. And then again, I am the only one who could know the answers that he seeks. My paw? What was he asking, here? In the silence that grows between us, I try to factor out a reasonable answer to his inquiries, but the passion and fire gets in the way.

Then he is there, pressed against me, and all I can do is revel in our closeness. Before I can truly appreciate his embrace, he is gone again. His nose stretches forth to close the distance I was unsure if I should breach to softly lift my jaw. I close my mouth, hoping to achieve a composed appearance although I know that really isn’t possible, or necessary, at this point. The way he shifts from being hard as stone and soft as feathers confuses and irks me. “My paw is my own, and no one shall demand it,” I say, doing my best to get a word in edge wise before he launches into another speech that is sure to perplex me further.

And so it does. Unmet wants? On some level I understand what he means, for there is some guttural beast within me that wants only to join him in the shadows and stalk the territory together forever. But it seems that whenever I imagine being alone with Leonidas, the memories of moments with Meryl intrude upon my fantasies. “I will never not want you, Leo. You are mine,” I whisper, my eyes searching his. Perhaps it was something I should not have said, but I could not contain it.

His touch renders me useless, my stronghold against my emotions beginning to crack. I shudder softly, and the hairs along the back of my neck stand as he speaks into my ear words that I never imagined hearing. I hardly wish to end our embrace, but I pull my head back to look into his eyes. Before I can truly get a good look at him, though, he turns and launches from our perch. I step forward, the claws of my fore paws gripping the edge of the boulder. “Leo!” I call after his retreating form. Though I yearn to follow him, I know that I should not.

I am panting as though I have run a mile, though I stand only here were we have stood for the last long moments of our conversation. Worry causes my brows to pull together, and I continue to watch the spot in the brush where he disappeared. I know he will not return, not where I can see him. After some time, I step backwards and allow myself to lie down upon the rock’s surface. I know he is out there, watching me from some secret spot. And so I simply lower my head to my paws and wait. Wait for what, I am not sure. But here I will wait, for as long as it takes.