Things were settling down for the girl and her companion, the threat of that band of males no longer in the back of her mind. No longer would Amaterasu have to glance over her shoulders at every little sound she heard, ears always up and alert, trying to pick up the faintest of breathing or lightest of steps. But that didn't mean she would be able to completely relax and grow comfortable with her new woman with the bear, no, that feeling of being watched would not be able to completely go away. Not for awhile.

Zanire requested the girl to go for a walk near the bottom of the falls to relax a bit, perhaps gather a few herbs lingering around before the true cold came in for the coming Winter. So without resistance she did just that, slinking from the den behind the rushing waters and climbing down along the side till she was finally at the gathered water below. But once she was down here, the young lady would sigh and sit in the grasses, facing away from the falls.

These lands were entirely new to Hiraeth, and he was still discovering them. He had traveled idly for days, avoiding lines of territory and sleeping in places he deemed safe enough. Not that most creatures would seek to harm him. He was a total stranger here, an outsider who had yet to make a name for himself. This was a new start for Hiraeth. To others in this land he was neither good nor bad, as his actions had yet to define him. So he tread carefully, speaking to few and spending his time innocently sating his curiosity with a little sightseeing. Today the man stumbled upon perhaps one of the most beautiful sights this land had to offer. Water, bluer than any he had ever seen before, cascaded downward with a thunderous roar and settled in a calming pool below. He ached to take a swim, as his feet were tired from the days of walking. But as the large male padded closer to the beautiful pool, he saw that he was not alone. Several feet away, a young woman sat in the grasses, her back to him. Hiraeth looked at her for a while in thought, and then he quietly came closer. "Milady?" he said in his gentle, accented voice. "Are you alright?"

Amaterasu had learned keep her guard up, always listening to what was going around herself even if she was deep in thought. And so when the man had come into the area she would know of it almost immediately. Ears slightly turned away from her face, directing themselves in the direction the faint sound of footsteps was coming from. The hairs along the back began to raise, eyes widening and breathing coming a little faster and heavy. A stranger, too big from the sound of it to be prey, especially with the way it was moving through the vegetation.

And before she knew it, the stranger was around the pool with her, speaking. Toes and claws dug into the soft earth, slowly raising to her paws and turning to face the male. Head remained low while mismatched eyes looked up to him, tail tugging beneath her stomach as she took a few small steps back. He asked if she was alright, to which the girl would just stare at him in silence for a few moments, awkward. And then she would slowly nod her skull, ears pulling to the sides, not taking her eyes off.

He continued to approach the woman until suddenly she stood, ears pinned and tail tucked, and he immediately stopped in his tracks to keep from frightening her. "Mae'n iawn," he said quietly. "I'm not going to hurt you." Hiraeth had seen this before. His own mother had lived her life in fear, and he had always striven to protect her and make her feel safe. Because of this, he immediately felt a sense of kinship and affection toward this young woman. She nodded in response to his earlier question, but based on her reaction the man could assume that she wasn't entirely alright. "Don't be afraid. If you wish for me to leave, I will." Of course Hiraeth wanted to help, but if him leaving would make her feel better, he would be more than happy to do so.

He muttered something she couldn't understand, but what he said next she was able to. He wouldn't hurt her... Amaterasu would not move even when he said that, mismatched eyes running over his body briefly then going back to meet his own gaze. Anyone was capable of doing damage, whether it was physical or mental she had come to learn. She also caught on to how they could do it both ways, the non-physical ones going for a way to manipulate the world till you felt as if you were trapped in a box that only they could protect.

The stranger didn't want her to be afraid, but he would leave if she wanted. That was where she would become conflicted, feeling herself wanting him to stay nearby but also wanting him to leave so she could be in peace and do as she pleased. But Zanire wouldn't like him here, no, she would probably go charging the moment she woke and caught onto his scent in the area. Should she warn him? Or let him linger, let him walk into a ticking bomb?

"O-others?" She questioned in a hushed tone, single brow raising as her maroon colored eye turned towards the vegetation, followed by the green as she turned her head to the side. Maybe if there were others then she would remain quiet, watch as the bear threw them into trees like the others males she had escaped. Head swung in the opposite direction to look around, nostrils flaring as she searched the air for other scents. And if he was alone, then he could stay a little bit to get what he needed then leave her in peace.

The young woman still didn't relax, but he didn't blame her. She didn't trust him, and why should she? All he had were words, words that could easily be false. He truly meant it when he said he wouldn't hurt her, but she had no way of knowing that. So he continued to respectfully keep his distance from her, doing everything he could to keep his body language non-threatening. She looked around and asked if there were others. "No, I came alone," he said. Now he moved, but not toward her — his paws slowly carried him closer to the water. "I just came for a drink. I've been walking for a long time." he casually looked away, not wanting her to cower under his stare. He moved forward until his front feet were submerged in the water, and then he dipped his head to get a drink. The woman could do as she pleased, he wasn't going to try to get any answers from her. She was allowed to be as trustful or distrustful as she wished to be.