it was like fire around the brim

He did not seem unphased by her approach as she now stood mere inches from him. The way his eyes darted over the landscape to examine recent animal tracks nearly perturbed her. Was she not intimidating? A force to be reckoned with? Did he not see how much power and strength she carried? How through her elegance and poise, she was a threat to any who crossed her path? Flicking both ears back, she watches him look back at her. The way his own gaze assesses her the same way she did to him. Two beings from different worlds meet as gods did in the heavens. Stoic and calm, able to shove down any feelings that rose inside. The same feelings that made them mortal.

What she wanted was to feel alive. To feel emotion, comfort, savagery, anything but this absolutely frigid cold that was encased around her heart. She wanted to feel alive. The long game was her revenge, but her body cried out for something to bide the time until then. Had he asked a question? He wanted to know her question. Would it even matter now? Standing there, ankle-deep in freezing mountain water as the feeling slowly faded from her paws, she wondered. It wasn't companionable silence that stretched between them, but silence only two such as themselves would be comfortable with. Any other sort of weaker being would be squirming by now, yearning to run away from the tension.

Perhaps that is what bothered her now. Or made her insides rile up, twisting into seething monsters. This shadowed man simply did not flinch at her presence and somehow that made her more attracted to him. Yet, she couldn't stray from her path. Revenge. Sweet, blissful, bloody revenge. Letting her eyes close for a brief moment, she inhaled deeply his scent once more. Forests, pine, a sweet underlying note of honey, and even a husky note of smokey leather. How lovely it would be to sink her claws into him and feel vulnerable. Emotions flooded her like a tidal wave on a shore, crashing over her in an overwhelming sense. Fighting desperately to keep herself afloat, she lets her eyes open to meet his bold stare.

"I search for the family by name of Hattori," her voice is a strained rasp as she finally spits the words out. "I will take my time to scout these lands, but I one day must seek out my revenge," Tenshi whispers hoarsely as every muscle in her body tenses. To finally speak the idea that has been tumbling about in her head for months is a relief, but not enough. Her entire world was taken from her and it was simply not enough to act out of blind hatred. No, the future would need to unfold in a lengthy process of biding her time and finding the perfect opportunity.