Bad Weather, Good Company

Walk | Talk | Think

He moved, shifted upon the ground...and suddenly the spacious den felt much smaller than it had upon arrival. How had he managed to get so close without her realizing? Had she been so near that just a little shift from where he was lying could draw him close enough to touch? The den is shrinking. Ash knew better than to believe the thought, but it was an apt description of how she felt. She noted the distance with an absent attention, hoping none of her surprise showed upon her face or within her eyes, willing the shadows to hide it from view. And yet, for all their closeness, distance still separated them. The combined heat of their bodies could be felt warming the den, and she was certain her coat was just about dry for it, but still they did not touch, did not share space in that way. She was surprised to feel a little part of her that wished they did.

He laughed first, the sound echoing noisily yet pleasantly through the small enclosed space. It made her smile, especially as he tried to quiet it down when he caught how well the walls sent it back toward them. But his response caught her off guard. If he had thought his laugh loud, her own in response to his stampede statement was louder, so unexpected that she had no time to prepare or give it any subtlety at all. It rang through the stony den for a moment as she grinned, quieting only after the short initial outburst had ended and she had drawn in another breath for a softer chuckle. Only slightly was she embarrassed, but definitely more amused by Leon's reply than anything. Just the thought of it, combined with her statement, sent another little chuckle, nearly a giggle, slipping from her lips, and she was glad once again to have been driven here of all places by the rain. It would not have been remotely as entertaining or companionable alone inside her den waiting out the storm.

His compliments were taken in stride, her gold and purple eyes lowering with a modest yet thankful grin, secretly wondering how he had gathered so much about her. Were they just guesses or perhaps stolen observations? She was certain his job took him out into the territory often, to ensure that things were safe on all borders of the Valhallan land, but how often did they bring him near the hunting grounds that she had been scouting? How often might their paths had crossed while they were both out on the job? It had never crossed her mind until then, but she was sure to be more conscious of her surroundings when she hunted, more curious about the others that shared those locations with her. She replied to his assumption about her with a single word, "Guilty," and openly admitted that the role of follower suited her better. It wasn't so much that she detested the extra work put on those of higher ranks, those who took full responsibility for the actions of everyone who worked under them. If she had been given the Lead Hunter position, she would have had all faith in those who hunted with her, assured of their skill and strong senses to be successful more times than they weren't. But to have to make those tough decisions, to trust her judgment enough to guide others, that was what made her shy from it.

And, as Leon continued and answered the question as she turned it on him, it seemed they were of a like mind about this. The responsibility that they had, to those they worked with and the pack as a whole, was enough to satisfy them. It only made it that much easier to like him, and her smile gentled over the similarity between them. No promotion aspirations, he said, but his attention was set elsewhere. What exactly did he mean by that? Ash continued to watch him as he rested his head upon the floor of the den, meeting her gaze casually with his words hanging between them. He had other things he wanted? Other aspirations that he wished to gain? Curiosity drove her to ask as she blinked her eyes from where her head rested on the floor, though a small part of her grew inexplicably nervous over how he might respond. "Elsewhere?" she prompted, unsure whether he intended to elaborate or just simply leave it as it was.