Life Among The Dead

She lay still, her ear pressed against his chest, lulled by the rhythmic cadence of his heartbeat. She could feel the tension slowly leaving her body, every muscle relaxing under his gentle, calming touch. As his paw moved rhythmically along her side, she could sense his emotions stirring, resonating with her own. The sky above them was like an infinite canvas painted with hues of night, the stars twinkling in the vast darkness. She traced circles on his chest absent-mindedly. The silence was comforting, enveloping them in its quiet embrace.

Listening to his words, Mariah felt a pang of longing in her chest. She nodded silently against his chest, her gaze fixated on the twinkling constellations above. Their shared moment, as fleeting as it was, was more intimate and profound than she could have expected. A tightness tugged at her heart at the thought of separation. Yet, she knew the truth of his words - they both had their own duties to attend to, loyalties that bound them to their respective paths. “I hope so too," she finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. Her words hung in the air between them like dandelion seeds waiting to be carried away by an unseen wind. Silence fell anew, wrapping them up in its comforting embrace once more. Even now, though their bodies were tangled together in this quiet corner of the world. At least, until she could stand it no longer. “Stay with me tonight?” She knew their goodbye was inevitable. She knew it was rapidly approaching- but she just simply wasn’t ready for it. If they stayed in her den, in his guest accommodations, if they didn’t move from where they lay under the stars- she didn’t care. Just as long as he stayed. Just as long as they had a few more hours together, a few more moments of this blissful peace.

"Mariah Mendacium"