Zephyr was changed now. He was a different man, and he'd spent years telling himself that he had moved past it all. But Caelum shattered that illusion so easily. In her face, he saw their children, in her eyes and in her smile -- it was hard to forget when he looked at her, even now. He tried to ignore the way he felt his heart skip as she called him darling, lips twisting into a feigned frown though he enjoyed it more than he wanted to admit, even to himself. "Maybe later," he quietly teased, before they slid into the other room of the den. Zephyr hadn't expected the mood to change so quickly. If he'd known, he wouldn't have spoken up at all. He'd never been particularly good with emotions, not like some, but he'd had a soft spot for his family, Caelum included. It'd been a long time since he'd told anyone how he felt about anything, and seeing Caelum's posture crumble made that same frown appear, this time coming naturally. Her words trailed off, and something akin to worry furrowed his brow as he tilted his head in her direction, examining her. He pressed against her for a moment, remembering how sweet her scent was. It grabbed hold of him like a vice, making it hard to pull away, making him want more despite how badly it hurt at the same time. Her voice jolted him out of his temporary stupor, and he pulled his head slowly away from her, eyeing her with his sea-green stare, suddenly brimming with confusion. "Okay," he breathed before he realized he'd said it at all. He could stay with her. What else did he have to do, anyway? Félicien hadn't been present for some time and he could find him if he had work for him to do. He felt his heart sink at her plea, at how vulnerable she suddenly seemed, knowing it took a lot for her now to admit she needed him. She'd gotten stronger over the years. Last time he'd seen her, she'd been the one to leave, to tell him she needed time. And now she was asking for him to stay. "I'll stay." His voice was husky and soft, hardly audible at all. Exhaling gently, a breath he'd been holding without realizing it, he leaned to press his head against the back of her neck. "As long as you need me to."  It felt right, somehow, to stay with her. Caelum felt right... she'd always felt like home to him and he couldn't deny it even now, no matter what he thought he should or shouldn't do.

She loved feeling his closeness. The last time they ran into each other it was all she could think about, and now those same feelings were beginning to bubble up within her, though they were dampened by the somber tone this conversation had taken on. He'd always felt... safe. Being near Zeph felt like she was somehow more. Oh, how she missed that feeling. Would they be able to go back, to fully rekindle the good parts of what they had together, and banish the negative feelings from their lives? The more Caelum pondered it, the more she realized that was what she wanted more than anything.

It felt like she was turning to mush every time they held one another so close like this. She wanted to just let all their problems melt away, as she melted when he pressed so close. She knew from their time apart that she didn't have to be with anyone else to survive. No matter how bad things got, and how much she wanted to sink into the depths of her sorrow and just give up - she couldn't do it. Surely she wasn't as weak as she accused herself of being, not totally at least. But being with Zeph felt like everything could change for the better, like she could be stronger then she was alone. They'd been a team once. Giving that up... well, it seemed like too tragic an end to a relationship that they'd previously treasured. His answer set her heart to beating faster. He would answer her call, say yes to her plea. She didn't have to be alone.

White tail tapping gently against the dirt floor, eyes wide, heart beating hard in her chest. She almost couldn't believe it, yet it was true. He would stay. She leaned further into his touch, murmuring, "Thank you..." under her breath. There was a difference between being able to survive, and feeling like you were really living. For Caelum, it seemed that right now Zephyr was what made the latter possible for her. She'd reach up and attempt to plant a few kisses on his chin, sighing softly in contentment.

Moving to a sitting position she gave him a smirk, hoping to lighten the mood just a bit. "So... What do you wanna do?" she began, nipping at one of his ears before adding, "It's nice here but a little lacking in entertainment, so we'll have to make our own fun." It was hardly late enough to curl up in the den, but she wasn't really sure what to do now. They could talk, but she preferred to ease into that. What now?

Being with her again made him wonder how he had ever let her walk away. How had he not fought for her, no matter how much it had hurt him to see her leave? It'd nearly been torture, when he thought he had lost her and his family; he had contemplated ending it all for a long time after that, but he'd found some source of comfort in his meager existence. He wondered now how he had lived for so long without truly living. He sighed at her touch, familiar and welcome, and wished she might never move away from him. Part of him felt he might grovel and plead for her to stay right now if she tried to leave, and he only hoped it wouldn't come to that. A soft sigh left his own lips as she thanked him, shaking his head. There was no real need to think him when he was doing this out of his own desires, not only to comfort her though she had asked. Her question only made it easier for him to do what he knew he really wanted in the first place. Why else would he be spending so much time with her? It brought up painful feelings, nostalgic feelings, but more than that.. he felt his heart ache for her. She was the only one he had ever loved, and he wasn't sure those feelings had ever left despite being shoved deep away inside him. A grin touched his lips as she placed kisses on his chin, feeling quite silly for the sudden flurry of butterflies that assaulted his stomach. The feeling wasn't one he could control, and he was caught off-guard by the sudden emotion. Another contended sigh fell from his lips, audible this time, as he relaxed against her. Zephyr was grateful when she changed the subject, the ear that she'd nipped at flicking gently. "I'm not sure," he admitted after a moment of hesitation. Much of the last few years had been spent simply surviving -- he hadn't had a lot of leisure time, let alone time spent with someone he cared for. "What about you, love?" He hadn't meant to call her that. Her familiar touch had eased his anxious mind and he had slipped back into old habits. Nervously he shifted his gaze away from her, wondering how badly he'd screwed up, and cringing internally at what he'd said.

His smile and sigh almost melted er heart into a little puddle at her paws, oh, how she missed seeing him happy and by her side. Things weren't easy, that much was certain. They had to try though. The warm happy feelings she felt whenever they were close only served to push her to want their relationship back, however long it took. She'd found something special in Zephyr, Caelum didn't intend to let go of all the good things just because things they couldn't control made their lives harder, made it more difficult to look past the bad...

He didn't know what to do either. Hm. She tilted her head to the side, absent-mindedly moving to lean against him and nibble at the side of his neck with gentle nips and kisses. It was hard not to fall into the closeness of the past. Maybe that was a good thing in a way. Her chest felt tight at his next words. There was silence between them. Awkward silence. Why on earth did they have to be so awkward, anyways? She'd had pups with this man, yet the slightest misstep sent them into uncertain silence like a couple of yearlings who didn't know how to express their feelings. Deciding that light-hearted and playful seemed to be the way to go, she sidestepped a bit so she could eye him and smirk, "I kneeew you liked me, can't hide it now," she teased with a flick of her tail. Prancing around him, Cae giggled, occasionally darting over and planting a kiss before hopping out of reach, grinning nearly ear to ear. Suddenly, she dropped into a play bow and chirped, "Catch me if you can!" with a devious glint in her eye.

She was off like a shot, bounding through the twists of the den and out into daylight, making a sharp turn and racing up the slope over what would be the roof of the den they'd been in, making her way through the thick foliage with excited bounds. She was sure he could catch up to her quickly if he tried hard enough. With those long legs of his, it shouldn't be a problem. The thought encouraged her to pick up the pace, racing through the trees, laughter bubbling up from the depths of her lungs for no particular reason until she came to a small clearing. The ground was covered in moss and small white daisies sprouted up from the forest floor. Caelum flopped down on the soft ground, rolling and kicking her legs up in the air, breathing hard.

Zephyr felt his heart racing wildly in his chest. He'd spent years building up his walls, in learning how to protect himself.. and she made them crumble so easily. Feeling so vulnerable was strange for him, though he hardly considered the fact that Caelum herself probably felt even more exposed by asking him to stay with her. By doing that, she was admitting in some way that she not only wanted him, but maybe even needed him. It was something they'd both accepted years ago, that they were two halves to a whole, but now? Things were so different after all the time that had passed, and he was finding it difficult to wrap his mind around it all. Though he felt a moment of panic after speaking, fearing he was being too open with his feelings, he felt something akin to bliss when she leaned into him. His smile returned, soft and genuine as he eyed her. She spoke after a moment, partially teasing him for the word he'd used. His gaze softened, though he feigned a look of confusion at the same time. "You mean that I tolerate you," he teased her with a soft chuckle. "That was merely a slip of the tongue, and nothing more." It was clearly more than that. Zephyr was slipping back into old habits, and that included the pet names they've used for one another. He watched as she stood and moved around him, bowing playfully, obviously coaxing him to chase after her. He frowned now, another forced expression to counter her own lively one. "Do you enjoy me chasing after you, or something?" Zephyr asked with a grin, though he had a feeling he knew the answer, no matter what she told him. She'd led him here first, and now seemed to want him to chase her again. He was happy to comply, happy to fall into a more playful mood once again, finding it easier than anything else they tried to do. He quickly rolled to his belly and clambered onto all fours, quickly shaking the stiffness from his limbs and bounding after her. He marveled at how young she made him feel, moving with ease through the den and slipping out the entrance after her. She moved the opposite way from which they'd come, making her way to the top of the den and deeper into the woods. He stumbled over vegetation as he ran after her, his heart beating harder in his chest as his pace quickened. The adrenaline coursing through his veins was a welcome feeling that he reveled in, as it took hold of his mind and pushed the other confusing thoughts away. Once he reached the clearing she had already flopped down, and he slowed to join her, chest heaving as he let his limbs give out beneath him as he settled down hard beside her on the mossy earth, grinning all the while.

She'd roll her eyes at his reply, leaning in close and whispering, "Prove it." Sauntering away with a giggle, she continued her dance around him, legs stepping in an intricate pattern that reflected the life that his presence breathed into her. No matter how much she grew to become more and more self-reliant it would continue to become apparent that she also needed more to feel alive like this. Zeph was what she needed, as much as she'd long been reluctant to accept it. Odd how these deep feelings surged on in her heart even after all their troubles and trials.

Glancing back at him, the pale woman only allows him a casual, "Maybe I do... Would I be wrong to suspect you enjoy the thrill of the chase as much as I enjoy being chased?" She managed to betray her enjoyment of these types of games. Likely a side-effect of her inner leader type she often managed to hide. There was just something about being in the lead, forging a path through the land and having someone on her heels that was just exciting sometimes.

When she'd found her spot in the clearing, she awaited his arrival, amused to find it took him a few moments to show up. Looks like I'm still pretty quick, huh? His grin was infectious, quickly being mirrored on her own lips. "Well, that's much better," she mused before adding, "You look even more handsome with a smile on your face." Cae couldn't resist wiggling closer and planting some kisses on his cheeks, overwhelmed by a sudden desire for closeness.

It was so much easier to temporarily forget all they had lost. They had built a perfect life together once, a perfect family -- Zephyr had never wanted anything more than to build a life with Caelum and they had worked so hard towards what they had achieved. All it took was a single day to shatter it all into a million irreparable pieces. Their children had been so innocent and pure; he hoped they hadn't suffered, that they had been sleeping during the attack, that they hadn't known fear during their last moments of life. These thoughts came to him more often now that he'd reunited with Caelum, now that he was revisiting so much of his past, but he still tried to keep them at bay. It was painfully hard to not remember but the act of remembering was even worse. In fact, it was torturous. It was just hard to keep those thoughts from his mind when he saw so much of his children in her face. Her features were so similar to Avani's, her eyes mirror images of many of their children. For now, he would forgot. A grin teased his lips at her playful words, his eyes narrowing slightly. "When you say it that way, you make me sound like some sort of.. deviant," Zephyr jested with a soft snort. He had never been the sort to enjoy following others -- he'd been born with the heart of a leader, and it had flourished once he had met Caelum, who had complemented him so perfectly. For her, though, he would've followed her to the ends of the earth. Even now he wasn't quite sure if there was anywhere he wouldn't follow her to. He panted as he tried to recover his breath. Though he felt young, running with her, he knew very well he was getting older and the fact that he was already a bit fatigued only proved that to him. It wasn't long at all before he was grinning again, pushing against her to lather her own face in licks. "I've seen you move faster," he admitted playfully, his tail batting gently against the earth. "But you still impress me. Even after all these years." It was hard to fight the warmth welling up inside him at her familiar company, at how easy it was to be with her again. "And I'm still quite handsome, apparently."

If it's a dream, it's the best dream I've had in far too long... She shook her dark-capped head gently, guilt washing through her in a sickening wave. Her dreams were never good anymore. Sometimes less painful than usual, but never good. She felt guilty. This whole experience was as strange as a dream to her, yet it was so good and she wished all her dreams were as good as this day had been. She shouldn't, though. His earlier final words had been met with only a soft laugh before she was off. Cae had to admit, she did enoy their banter every so often. If there was anyone she was inclined to joke around with Zeph would be at the top of the list, though he often beat her in rapid fire witty responses. Admittedly, she was just starting to reach the point where she was feeling her age. Maybe it was good genetics that spared her until this point, but watever kept her feeling healthy and moving easily was on the verge of failing her. She supposed in another year or two she'd start feelin' it a whole lot more, though. For now, it was just taking the form of a bit of heavier than normal panting from her running today. Admittedly there was some small comfort found in the fact that Zeph was clearly feeling the effects of her newly recovered obsession with bounding off all over the place. His smile really did make her happy. Huffing with feigned indignance she replied, "When?" sitting up a bit, she crawled closer, moving so she could try and lay with her front half on top of him, queen of the furriest mountain if he'd allow it, nibbling at his cheeks absent mindedly between words. "I'm glad, I mean, I am pretty impressive sometimes you know," she murmered, "Well, I've yet to find anyone more, handsome around here. One could say you're the best looking male around." Actions   "Speech"   Thoughts

It'd been so damn long since he'd felt so.. at peace. It was strange to feel so comfortable in Caelum's presence after so many years had passed, and after all they had gone through. He had resigned himself to never seeing again, had convinced himself that he was better off without her. Now, though, he wondered how he had ever left her. He still had some animosity towards her and all that had happened, but it was hard to ignore the affection for her that suddenly welled in his chest. He shook his head, brushing off her question with a soft chuckle. He could list a thousand times that she'd impressed him -- though he'd spent so much energy trying to block out every memory he had of her, he'd never truly been able to. Everything was resurfacing now, like a long-frozen lake finally thawing in spring.  "Maybe I'll give you some examples later," he assured her, her voice playful, as he let out another laugh.   Zephyr's smile only grew as she climbed nearly on top of her, complimenting him. He enjoyed the physical affection between them, and his body craved more.  "Well, I don't doubt that," he replied slyly at her words, nudging her tenderly.  "Do you think you'd enjoy taking a nap with such a handsome man?" The clearing that they had found was quite peaceful, and as well as being slightly fatigued from their brief play, he also longed to feel her against her for longer. A yawn parted his jaws as his forepaws stretched out in front of him.

She quirked a brow, mumbling, "Hmm... That sounds like something someone who didn't have examples would say. But I suppose I'll let it slide just this once." Nipping at his cheek, Cae playfully scolded, "Don't go getting a big ego there, now." Settling in close against his warm fur she sighed gently, eyes sliding closed she hummed softly for a bit before answering his question in a quiet, warm tone, "I suppose I might like that, if only because you are so terribly handsome." It would be a lie to say she wasn't tired after all his racing around. Shifting around she'd snuggle up close to him, letting out a long breath, muscles relaxing all over her body as she let herself be at ease. It felt so nice to be so close to him, to just relax and be and know he'd still be around later. She loved this, and as hard as it was to put into words even in her mind, she still deeply loved him. These moments of closeness were becoming so dear to her heart, she wondered how she ever lived without this. Well, maybe that hadn't even been really living... Sleep was taking over her mind now, though, it was too difficult to continue mulling over emotional subjects. Cae could feel her eyes growing heavier even though they were closed, and soon she would surrender to sleep. -Exit Caelum- Actions   "Speech"   Thoughts

Zephyr wore an easy grin as she leaned into him. God, her scent was so comforting, and he felt his eyes drifting closed as he inhaled slowly against her fur. How he had survived all these years without her at his suddenly, he suddenly had no idea. Leaving her seemed painful, impossible even, and he could imagine nothing more pleasing than lying beside her for the rest of his days. "Thanks," he replied gently at her compliment, his grin widening as a soft chuckle started deep in his chest. He'd always been a proud man. His looks, though, had never really been something he'd been excessively confident about. He'd found Caelum when he was rather young, and had never really thought about other women that way - and therefore didn't really think about if others saw him that way, either. "I think you mean a bigger ego," he quipped quietly, mumbling into her fur, implying that his ego was already big. He stretched to curl more tightly around her, his breathing slowing as sleep grabbed hold of him. Any anxiety or nervousness he'd felt creeping up earlier slowly faded away as his body relaxed and darkness settled over him. For now he was happy to simply relax and let sleep take over, tugging her a bit closer as he drifted off. -exit via. sleep-