Her body flinched at his growl, her heart jerked in her chest as he pulled further back from her. Relief flooded through her, coupled with a sickening sense of loss. All she wanted, all she needed was the touch of someone who loved her, the touch of someone who knew they loved her.

Ears plastered themselves against her neck and her eyes narrowed, concealed behind his back and by her face turning away from him. She had cared enough to hope he would take her up on the watchful nature of her friends. The gypsies would not entirely leave one of their own, and they would step in only when life was on the line. It had been the most she could offer with the nothing she had. Seeing him before her, real and so close to her memory but clearly not true was painful. Taika could not live with something that could not be true. She believed in dreams and chased the worlds of fantasies, spoke with fairies and spirits, let her soul soar on the wings of bliss and magic, but her mind fractured at seeing her lover stare sightlessly down at her. She dreamed to return to her children and tell them tales of their brave Fairey Prince who continued to face the world with a nature they could love.

Taika ducked her head at his suggestion, wishing beyond dreams he had never voiced it. They had never traveled together to the forests of Taviora, they had never shared a den under the protective canopy. Los lingered by her side and watched the pups who almost died on their birthday. All she had come to live was in the forest, and none of it shined her life with Edrick, save the sparkling light in her daughter’s lilac eyes.

She looked around the fields they had found each other in. The days of play and chasing each other with sticks and twigs, fighting battles against monsters of the creeks and streams. Together they had freed unfortunate souls and basked in the delight of their play and the delight of each other. Here were the memories of Edrick, of the life and love she had known. Where she would return, with or without Eldritch, held little to nothing of who this man was. Edrick was a gypsy among them. She said softly. He stayed with us, and with me, here. The fields were where we denned, and lived. We played by the river, and roamed through the valley. If there is anyplace that would help you remember, it would be there. If she did not bring back recollection of who he was, her rented place in the forest would do little to help.