[P]erhaps now we are free

The waters would be good for her, he knows. Cool, refreshing, they'll take the bite from their aching muscles and soothe the cuts hidden under their fur. He sighs warmly as she slips into the spring with him, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. For a moment, just one moment, he can relax. The scents of other wolves are distant, and the forest around them is stilling as the moon begins her watch.



"I'm fine," he assures her after a moment. "They're sore, but nothing worth needing a healer." The pain is familiar in an almost comforting way. If he isn't aching from fresh wounds, he's anxious. Relaxation always means a calm before the storm. He turns his gaze to her, settling down into the spring so that the water laps up over his back. "Are you okay?" He means physically, of course. Emotionally he knows they're both beyond exhausted, and that simply can't be helped.