The surroundings were lovely first thing in the morning. The sun hit the water and beach at the lowest level, causing shadows of passersby and tall objects to stretch out. They resembled long, thin fingers that were tempted to grasp a priceless object, one that was shiny and had sentimental value. Alas, as the sun started to slowly rise, the shadows retreated, bit by bit. During that time, a part of the sun hit a sliver of the entrance of a nearby cave. It wasn't the cave that was so interesting, rather what was within it. Although the sun couldn't reach the entire depth of the cave at that time of day, the warmth from its ray was enough to be sent across the cool floor. Along with the winter breeze that found itself to the Southern atmosphere, the duo were enough to stir the thoughts of a sleeping wolf. Curled up in the center of the cave was a female, fur as dark as night and never changing. With her tail across her nose and hiding her features, she could have blended in well. The only exception was the silver outline of her body that stood out against the blackness of the large cave. When the sun's small bit of warmth and the cold breeze swept into her refuge, she awoke. Silent's eyes fluttered open, revealing the emerald jewels that were set beneath their lids. She raised her head, slowly yawned, and looked around sleepily at her surroundings. The cave wasn't lit by the sun yet, so she knew that she had awoken way before noon. The faded glints of the stones set in the walls winked at her from the dark and a soft smile appeared. She loved the place since she had found safety from the storm a few nights ago. If it hadn't been for Bronze, well...she would have been off worse. As she raised her hind leg to scratch behind her ear, she then noticed the vacant spot next to her. Where was Bronze, anyway? The large male had been beside her before she had fallen asleep, but she figured he had returned to Seracia for a bit. She often wondered what it was like there, since he deemed it a wonderful place to stay. It didn't take long for the hunger in her belly to consume her thoughts. Bronze was lightly pushed aside in her mind and she pulled herself up to all fours. Stretching each leg slowly and timidly, she allowed her muscles to wake up before she went anywhere. Sniffing the air in the cavern, she took in the slightly faded scent of Bronze in. She inhaled and closed her eyes, reliving the night before when they had talked, ate, and just enjoyed each other's company. Her heart silently ached, but she bore it as she decided to step to the entrance of the cavern. The ocean's noises came to her ears and her hunger returned, making her eager to begin an early morning hunt for fish. "talking"

He had reunited with Silent in autumn, and how quickly had the season changed. Beautiful arrays of leaves -- orange, yellow, and red -- had dappled the landscape, bringing stunning beauty to the land. Slowly the leaves dried and fell, covering the land; but not for long, for soon snow dappled what seemed like every inch of the earth. The vibrant display of colors soon turned into a brilliant display of white, as though the snow was purifying the earth. But with each passing day, Bronze felt anything but pure. He had admitted to Silent that he loved her, but the conversation had all but ended there. For now, he was bound to Seracia, confused as to why he longed to see Loccian so badly -- and yet felt compelled to shy away from seeing her for long. He had grown attached to her rather quickly, and now he felt almost guilty for slipping away to spent time with Silent. It was not infidelity, or anything like it -- and yet he couldn't help but be reminded of every time after Silent that he had begun to feel attached to any other female. It felt wrong, and impure. And so he shied away from the ashen-furred woman, only occasionally giving into his temptations to once again visit his long-lost love. His wanderings took him south, toward the den that he and Silent had shared the night before. He'd slipped out in the night, making his way back to Seracia to silently scout the borders. Now, although the sun was low in sky, he wondered if Silent had left her den already, perhaps looking for food or simply exploring. It wouldn't be surprising at all ... she'd always had a bit of wanderlust in her, hadn't she? A short trip towards the south brought him a pleasant surprise. Trees thinned, dirt giving way to sand, and a vast expanse of ocean spread out before him. The sea had never been his preferred domain. He was much more content to wander the treacherous terrain of the mountains, trudging through snow and ice. But he did not feel altogether strange here, as a light dusting of snow caked the earth, the ocean waves bringing frigid gusts of wind to the beast, ruffling his dull gray pelt with its delicate fingers. He wandered for a long time, wondering where Silent might be, until her scent was brought to him on the wind. Slowly he raised his muzzle, tilting his head toward the sky to catch a better whiff of it. His paws took him even further east, toward the den. Perhaps she was still resting, as she deserved to be. Quietly he approached the near-darkness of the cavern, letting loose a gentle bark so as not to surprise her. Behind his massive frame, his tail wagged, eager to see her again.

The current weather conditions promised a better chance of catching breakfast than the past couple of days. Rain had washed away the potential scents Silent had looked for when she had eagerly hunted for her dinner those two nights. She had ended up being empty-handed and with disappointment, she had returned to her den, hungry and feeling beaten by the rain. It wasn't until Bronze had appeared later on, with a couple of rabbits that looked appealing. Her hunger had been silenced and their time together had made another memory. It didn't seem like it had been in autumn when they had reunited after so many years. The season had swept by and had brought the winter wonderland theme with its departing farewells. Silent enjoyed the winter weather, especially when the winds swept up and around her in the bleak sunlight. A mixture of the warmth and cold combinations made it perfect, and perfection was something Silent rarely had in her life. Although, the older she got, the better she realized her life was with those imperfections. So, here she stood at the entrance of the cave, letting her mind wander around what had been and what may be in the future. This was how Bronze had found her, standing there and thinking. His bark of welcome brought her back to her physical being, and without thinking, she turned her head to face him. Her emerald eyes, which had been dark and sleepy the night before, now danced with growing excitement as she realized he was there. Bronze had returned and she was more than happy to see his features. Well, she was happy to see all of him, but his features were what she noticed first. Silent raised an eyebrow in his direction and perked an ear to his bark. She couldn't help but play, explaining what she did next. The black fae then growled and barked back, making it short and sweet. She lowered her front legs to the ground, rump remaining in the air with a wagging tail. With her front limbs bent, she closed her eyes and looked as if she was going to fall asleep again. After a few seconds, her opts snapped open and up she sprung! Her reflexes were still fast, even at her age, explaining why the sudden race towards Bronze. Silent got close enough to the large male to lightly tackle his side, pushing her weight into his with ease. The aftermath included him and her rolling a few times, making her clutch to his body for the slight fear of losing him. Finally, they stopped rolling and could be found a little ways away from the cave's entrance. Silent opened her eyes and looked around. She was on top of him, her bottom half resting on the ground with her front half across his upper right. A mischievous grin appeared on her lovely maw and she leaned across to nuzzle and kiss him on the cheek and neck. "Good morning, Bronze," she cooed, her eyes filled with a tender love that no one could ever believe existed. "talking"

Despite the frozen earth and the snow that seemed to cake the entirety of the land's surface, the southern coastal region was an entirely different story. Here, the sand was still loose and crumbled beneath his paws as he wandered. Still, winter's presence was not at all unnoticed. Still, small amounts of snow caked the area here and there, and the waves that crashed against the shoreline brought huge gusts of frigid cold wind to the land, pummeling anything that stood in its way. One particularly large gust of wind made Bronze's skin crawl, though the sensation was comfortably familiar, despite being a bit uncomfortable to the older wolf. It his younger years, perhaps it would've been a bit more refreshing -- but alas, it was still nostalgic to feel such bitter cold seeping into his very core. Upon arrival at the den she had been staying in, immediately Silent returned his bark and he found himself grinning ever so faintly in her direction. To his slightly surprise, she feigned relaxation, the leapt forward with startling swiftness for her age. She seemed to never grow old, at least not in spirit -- that was something he'd always loved about her. Though she was much smaller than him, she tackled him and he fell to the soft sand, rolling a few times. Finally, she hovered slightly above him; his tongue lolled from the side of his jaws, the slightest hint of a smile toying at the corners of his lips. How flawlessly her presence affected his own, making him seem years younger. Fatigue that he felt so often seemed to simply melt away. His tail wagged beneath his form as he lay on his back, gazing up at her. She was the only one he would allow push him around so freely, so playfully; he trusted no other to hover above him in such a compromising position. And yet no hit of fear or aggression was evident in his soft brown gaze. Only admiration. "Good morning to you, too," he greeted her, his voice deep and solemn, though was accompanied by a tender smile. The ebony-furred beauty leaned in, showering him with nuzzles and licks. He would oblige, content to take the affection while it was available. It soothed his soul, made him feel wanted, for once. No, not just wanted, but needed.

Happiness was something that Silent wasn't afraid to show around Bronze. Why would she, when he was one of the key reasons for being that way? Living and breathing with minimal physical problems for her were blessings, 'tis true. There was just something about having her first love beside her and knowing that it wasn't a dream anymore. Silent continued to softly nuzzle his cheeks and neck, stopping at his chest and taking in his scent. Nope, definitely not a dream, but reality. Her claws flexed and relaxed against his chest as she breathed him in, fully retracting when she pushed herself up from the sand. Her back legs had pressed into the sinking foundation, causing her front half to be pushed closer toward Bronze's cranium. Silent gently pressed her forehead against his, looking cross-eyed and feeling like a pup before she licked his cheek. "It most certainly is, love," she softly said, chuckling as she slowly stood on all four paws. Her gaze moved from the male below her to the beach that stretched out past her field of vision. She silently wondered how long it would take to reach the end, but she figured it would be a trip for a future expedition. Silent then turned her head toward the ocean, ears perked as she listened for any extra sounds that didn't fit with their surroundings. All she could hear were the waves hitting the shore and the wind whistling every other tune. After being alert for a few seconds, she relaxed and flicked her tail lazily behind her. A fleeting thought of the sea life that swam freely in the ocean brought the image of her eating a large pile of lobsters to her mind. She shook her head and then returned her gaze to Bronze. "Are you hungry, or is it too early to think about eating?" she asked, meanwhile thinking of potential breakfast choices. "talking"

How could he have ever guessed that he and Silent would find one other again? Not in a thousand years would he have expected such an outcome. Always had he envisioned dying at her side, surrounded by her comforting presence; but never had he thought it'd be an actuality. Now he found himself slightly stunned, confused as to how she would fit into his life again. The last time they had reunited, he had changed everything instantaneously to be by her side -- but he had slipped off in the middle of the night, abandoning her and Alione for fears that he would grow distant, even angry around them. The mere possibility of growing violent around the woman he loved the most had been unbearable, and so he had fled, never once looking back. She leaned in to sniff his pelt, and he took the opportunity to inhale some of her own scent. How deliciously familiar it was, so soothing to his tired soul. If only the afterlife consisted of nothing but soft black fur and Silent's sweet aroma, he would be a content man. She spoke then -- implying it was a good morning indeed -- and he couldn't stop the grin that threatened to engulf his normally serious features. It was then that she pulled herself away from him and fully upright, gazing down the beach. With a soft huff, he rolled over and pulled himself onto all fours beside her. The beach was certainly a beautiful sight in the summer, despite the frigid cold air. "I suppose I could eat," he mused softly. His voice was deep and serious -- he was not a small male, and he often ate more than her to maintain his bulky size. Luckily, his muscles had not yet begun to fully degenerate. He felt fatigued much more often than he had seasons ago, but he supposed that was the normal progression of things. "What were you thinking we eat today, Silent?" There was still the elephant in the room, the untouched territory between them -- they were not yet mates, no, simply lovers who had been reunited. Still he resided in Seracia, and she was merely a rogue -- and he was unwilling to take her there quite yet. He still found himself caring for Loccian as she returned to her former self, though he'd been slacking quite a bit on the mental care side of things. Ah well, there was only so much he could do, and had the patience and sanity for, and catering to the emotional needs of two women was not something he was able to do.

Silent had often thought of Bronze and her future dying days. Being wrapped in his arms, taking in his scent with her last breath in, letting her soul go with that final exhale. She had sometimes imagined them doing it at the same time, departing together and in sync as they rose to their future afterlife. Yes, Silent's thoughts went so deep at times, she was more than happy to retreat from them and return to her current state of solitude. That wasn't the case now, however. She had reunited with Bronze, and that was the priority in her eyes. She knew that he wasn't officially back with her like she wanted. A majority of him was attached to Seracia, and who knew what else that was there...or whom. Her ears briefly flattened at the thought of another female, nuzzling his neck and curling up against his warmth at night. Silent's tail twitched in annoyance at those images and she pushed them away with one more flick of her black plumage. Her eyes had been looking out to the ocean as she thought of such things and Bronze's voice brought her back to the shore. "Lobster...if you didn't mind me getting wet," she chided teasingly, letting her eyes meet his. A bright glint shined in them and she fluttered her eyelashes at him in that same playful matter. "Or, if you would prefer something else - fish, octopus, shark - we could try for those, too!" Silent couldn't help but grin as she saw his own widen from her antics. She knew that he wouldn't mind whatever she caught. Bronze wasn't hard to please, even if his exterior was tough to strangers. She gracefully ran a front paw in the sand, making swirls and jagged lines in unpredictable motions. Her gaze lowered to the mindless shapes that she made, following the paths she had formed. Her tongue ran across her upper lips as she realized those swirly paths resembled shells of hermit crabs. Seafood was one of her favorite types of prey to hunt and she looked up to Bronze again. "Let's go hunt for some breakfast!" Silent gave a quick nip and nuzzle to her lover before she began to race down the beach. "talking"

He knew he'd have to soon make a painful decision -- and it was weighing heavily in Silent's favor. How could it not? The one woman he had vowed his heart to, and left -- twice, though he had realized his mistake so painfully both of those times. Fate had him in mind, it seemed, when Silent had stumbled here and he had happened to scent her down by the river. It would be difficult to deny such an opportunity when it was presented to him. Soon, he would need to tell Loccian about her, and even confront the fact that Silent might be joining Seracia with him. Just maybe. For now, he would push those thoughts aside again, content to deal with more pleasant things whenever possible. "As if we could kill a shark," he chuckled, finding the idea ridiculous. "Not with one of us, or both, getting torn to shreds." Unless they found a baby one, but who knew if they would get that lucky? "Lobster sounds tempting. Or maybe even some crabs." At the very least, it would be fun to swim in the waves as they pummeled the shoreline and search for the stragglers. It would be cold, though, so their hunt would have to be rather quick in comparison to how it might be normally. Bronze gladly returned the affection, turning to nip at her tail as she went. He would follow her likely to the ends of the earth of she so required, and his undying loyalty to her was evident in how unhesitatingly he padded after her, eyes brimming with adoration.

His nip to her tail made her gently yip, adding another bright smile to her face. Silent's laughter rang clearly into the brisk air, flowing with the wind and around each other's ears. She looked over her shoulder, slowing her pace and fully turning a whole one-eighty to face Bronze. "With your cunning mind and my amazing skills with catching fish, I think we could pull off a full grown tiger shark." Her eyes flashed with merriment as she watched him catch up to her. When he was within her reach, Silent nuzzled his cheek and gave him a lick, which cooled from the cool winds of the beach. She enjoyed teasing him, letting him see a playful side of her that not many had witnessed over the years. Being herself in the open, with no one judging her, was something she didn't do very often. Silent and Bronze were alike in so many ways, it was uncanny. And yet, sometimes they were different people, but still connected. Fate definitely knew what she was doing when the star-crossed lovers reunited. Now, as they stood together on the beach, Fate also tossed hunger in their wake. As Silent kept her gaze with his, hunger rolled in her stomach again. Her gaze broke and she looked down, then out to the ocean. She knew there was potential breakfast there, which caused her to look back at Bronze and say, "Lobster and crab...both sound amazing." Smiling softly, she pulled back and turned to face the distant shore. Her paws began to carry her towards the part of the beach that contained tide pools. Sometimes, however, those tide pools didn't contain the desired meals, so hunting deep in the waves would be an alternative. Silent didn't mind; as long as she knew Bronze would save her if she couldn't swim back, she was fine. "talking"

The smile seemed reluctant to ever fade from his masculine features, a low chuckle escaping his own jowls in delight as he followed after her. "Maybe," he replied simply, with a small grin. Maybe they could kill a small shark -- they certainly could in their younger years. But, maybe not. Luckily, she seemed content to search for smaller prey, and he was more than willing to assist her in her efforts. His own stomach growled, demanding food. Tail lashed out behind him, a display of unadulterated joy. There was no need to control his emotions around her, to contain anything he felt; she knew. Simply understood. "Shall we?" He offered, but began to head toward their hunting ground before he even got time to finish. Rapidly he began to follow, large paws beating against the frozen earth as he followed after her, toward the tide pools. As they drew near, he began to wade in the shallow depths of the pools, paws searching for the shells of crustaceans among the sand and water.