They were both wrapped up in their own worlds, he in the dreams that might haunt him while she was focused on both the simpler past and the much more complicated future. Her gaze was unfocused as she stared in to the brilliant oranges and golds that began streaking across the western horizon even as the eastern darkened. It was the magical hour of twilight, when it seemed the world was split between night and day, somehow sharing two such different things equally amongst the broad sky. If they could do so could not she? At least for a little while she might have her cake and eat it too. Consequences be damned they could wait while she allowed herself a happiness she had not experienced before, and put off the compunction that would no doubt come later as long as possible.

She didn’t notice him any earlier than he spotted her there on the banks. The sound of wings catching the air followed by the gently ripple of water cause by his movement finally shook her from her reverie. She blinked her sea-green eyes a few times, trying to refocus on the world around them and finally locked on his black form chest deep in the water. For a moment she simply stared at him, head cocked slightly to the side in confusion as to why anyone would wade through the waters as night approached and the temperatures dropped quickly. He didn’t seemed phased however as she looked him over, noting the extraordinary pattern of white flecks across his face and chest, the likes of which she had not come across before.

His deep words made her across the shallow water and made her painfully aware that she had been staring rather obviously at him. She managed a sort of sad smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes at his rather astute observation. Was she so obvious these days? There had been a time she was much better at concealing her emotion, but this place seemed to bring everything in her to light. Thought she laughs lightly at his recommendation for her ailments, she cannot help but appreciate being able to talk to someone entirely removed from the situation. “Definitely troubled,” she says almost solemnly nodding her slender head as her aquamarine eyes once more lock on to his opalescent ones. She had never been one to open up about personal issues to complete strangers, but she searched for the words to sum up her current conundrum.

“As it turns out life has the infinite capacity to be overly complicated when it comes to matters of the heart and soul.” The words were still somewhat vague, but he seemed sharp enough to catch on to the abbreviated version of her story. She adjusted on the damp shore as the wind picked up momentarily around them fluffing her tawny coat and she repressed a shiver. “Won’t you come out of the water? You must be freezing!” she exclaimed finally in exaggeration, for at least here was something tangible that she could deal with: not allowing this stranger to catch his death in the river.

She knew nothing of Angels and Demons, nothing of the dreams that caught him up or the issues they brought to his family, but she saw a wolf with a dreamers eye not entirely unlike her own that was willing to listen, though he would take nothing away from it. It was a comfort akin to having a friend, something that she had not felt in quite some time. She sighed, fidgeting again as her small paws scratched lamely at the sand again. “I’ve never had to make the hard choices in life before,” she muttered almost more to herself than to him, finally admitting her fatal flaws out loud. That was the first step to recovery right? Acceptance. For in truth she is thoroughly flawed.