The older lady was feeling different that afternoon. After waking up to a late morning, Silent's body had felt more energetic than it had in a long time. She had taken her morning dose of lavender before stepping out of her new den and her joints hadn't hurt with every movement. After finding breakfast at the den's open mouth, she had eaten it and shared with Mercury. It had been awhile since her last breakfast date with her dark-furred son. The brief reunion was worth the memory it would make. After that, she had decided to explore. Her black paws had found the warmth of the hot springs before her mind had caught on to the new location. Happiness spread across her face in a worn smile as she giggled like a young pup. "Oh, how wonderful!" she exclaimed. The nearest spring she came across looked so welcoming and relaxing...she couldn't resist! Silent immediately jogged from where she stood, tongue lolling out of her mouth as she got closer and closer. Finally, she leaped into the air and dove with front paws first into the deep and very warm pool of water. Silent rose to the surface in a small timeframe of two seconds. She breathed in the cold air as her body happily welcomed the heat beneath the water. The black wolf gave a happy sigh as her eyes dreamily closed while her head rested above the surface. Never in her life had she been so happy to get wet and hot at the same time. She started to move her legs in the water to propel her in a circle...and became surprised. Her joints weren't stiff and she didn't feel the usual aches that resulted from sleeping on the firm ground. In Seracia, her den's floor was kind of hard, but then again, that was nature for you. "This feels amazing," she said to herself, words filled with a tender grace. "I cannot believe I didn't find this sooner." She rolled over in the water, sending stray droplets to rise and fall on the cold ground. Laughter rolled from her old frame as she spun around in the spring before submerging again. It felt like she was more different than when she had first woken up...and she loved the change. As she broke the surface again, she paddled towards the edge and rested on top of a jutted piece of earth beneath the water. It was there that she folded all four legs and breathed in the cool air. If only Bronze were here to enjoy it, too... "talking"

So this would be their new home. Perhaps even until they passed on -- and Bronze was okay with that. Here they would be taken care of, Song had assured them, and they would given given a comfortable place to rest and to enjoy whatever remained of their lives. Even Bronze did not know how much longer they had left, but he no longer cared; he and his wife were happy, and he would be content to die whenever it happened. Of course, he wanted so badly to reunite with all of his children, but he knew that would not be possible.

He drifted in and out of sleep as he heard Silent and Mercury talking in hushed tones. The scent of food was fresh in the air, but he did not yet awaken fully. He was content to rest there, listening to his wife and son talk, to lay with closed eyes and a peaceful heart. Soon he drifted back to sleep, overtaken by sweet dreams of days gone by, when he awoke with a start, realizing that his den was silent once again.

Slowly he rose, stretching his limbs slowly and deliberately. He longed for easier days, when his joints were not so stiff, when he was not overcome with fatigue and exhaustion so often, but he knew that he had no choice. A yawn escaped from his lips as he parted his jaws widely, slowly letting sleep slip away from him.

Slowly he trailed after his wife's scent, eager to spend today with her, just as eager as he was every day. After being away from her for so long, he knew
that life was a treasure and he no longer took his time with her for granted. She quickly came into view as he loped forward -- it seemed she had found a spring, and judging by the way the steam rolled easily off the water, he judged it was quite warm. A smile spread over his rugged features, a bark escaping his throat at the sight of her. "My love," he called out happy, his eyes still hazy from sleep, his voice deep and husky. "What have you found?" Carefully he walked toward the pool of water, gingerly placing a paw in the warm water. The water was warm -- almost hot -- and it soothed his aching paws. A smile formed on his lips, and he paddled toward her, eager to greet her with a gentle nuzzle and a lick on her cheek.

Bronze's presence was not startling, for his muffled steps didn't stop his scent from riding on the gentle breezes. Her wet nose twitched at his natural cologne and her heart began to quickly race. Emeralds were hiding behind closed eyelids when Bronze had appeared, causing them to push up the curtains and gaze upon the older male. Nothing but adoration and love for the man twinkled in her green gems, for that was all she knew when it came to Bronze. All her life, he had been the one and nothing had ever changed that. As he walked into the spring she occupied, there was a change of atmosphere in the water. He got closer and the heat radiating from her body rose in temperature. It had nothing to do with the small pool they had picked. Silent's heart rate increased in speed as he touched her cheek, even though she kept a calm appearance. She smiled warmly back to her husband and nuzzled his now wet right cheek. "A wonderful solution to the aching bones and joints we deal with every day," was her answer. Wet ears pricked forward as she scooted closer towards the rim of the pool. Where she currently lay was big enough for two wolves and she wanted to make sure he had plenty of room. Her tail lazily moved beneath the water, its tip creating small bubbles on the surface. "I don't think I will ever want to leave this spot, my love. It is so wonderful, to not have pain whenever I move my long and elegant limbs." A light teasing tone was obvious in her words and she met Bronze's gaze. "With you here, it would make due for a lovely new den." "talking"

A gentle yawn stretched his jaws wide, his back arching as he tipped his head slightly toward the sky. The brute was still quite sleepy, and the warm water lapping at his paws only made him further relax. Brown gaze glimmered with adoration and hope as he gazed across the depths at her, a smile beginning to toy with the corners of his lips. Oh, how he loved her; he had left her not once, but twice, but he had returned to her in time, and he now knew he would never do it again. Even if he had the strength to leave, his heart was hers for eternity.

He padded a bit closer to her, slowly lowering his frame to rest beside hers in the shallow area of the water. The warm water seemed to breathe life into him and he let a laugh escape his throat at how pleasant it felt. "We are not fish, my darling," he reminded her teasingly, leaning to nose the side of her face tenderly. "It seems you may have forgotten that." Another low laugh would sound from him, and he shifted to press closer against her side, his own tail swaying happily through the water. "But it isn't a bad spot to rest for awhile, not at all."

Emerald green eyes watched Bronze as he moved through the water. His cares seemed to fly away with the aches he had previously endured. Seeing him smile with that gentle, wide grin made her heart flutter in her ribcage. No matter how old they got, Bronze would always the one. She adored watching him, whether he was sleeping or simply enjoying a bite of fish. Whatever he did, there was something about him she couldn't shake. Love lasts throughout time, and they were the perfect example of how long time takes. He moved towards her and lightly curled up on her free side, something she didn't mind in the least. He spoke of them not being fish and a gentle laugh sounded from her chest. "Sadly, we are not, for they don't have joint aches that we endure as we get older." Her smile remained on her face as she gently returned his nuzzle, adding a small lick to his cheek before speaking again. "I propose an idea: you, me, and the hot springs every morning when our joints affect us the most. It will be quite the enjoyable time before the day begins." Even as she thought about their personal time involving the hot pool, she couldn't help but yearn for it more. Twinkling green eyes met his brown opts as she waited for his response. "What do you think of that, mi amour?" "talking"

"How do you know?" he retorted quickly, feigning a challenging tone, though a smile would peek through the stern face he sought to show her. "When was the last time you talked to a fish about their aches and pains?" Bronze could not keep the jest from his voice, no matter how hard he tried; he knew he did not have much time left in this world, and he had learned to enjoy each moment like it would be his last -- as it could easily be.

The warm water was more soothing than he had realized, and the elder brute let a sigh escape his throat, a sound of relief. Winter was harsh on him, though he had craved the cold and the snow when he was younger. Silent finding this spring was nothing short of a miracle. She suggested they come here each morning, and he nodded readily. "We will have to tell Song we claim this place as our own," he teased again, his words playful and light. "And anyone who dares bother us will have to pry this place from our paws." As if he wanted to fight even one more time -- the siege he had attended had been more than enough for him. He knew he could fight, if he had to. If his family were to be threatened, he knew he would find strength he didn't know he had left in him, but simply lying here sounded so much more pleasant.

"I love the idea," he reassured her, nipping gently at the side of her throat. A low rumble built in his throat as he lapped at her fur, happy to be with her, even though he spent nearly every waking moment with her now.

Silent gently chuckled and decided to muse her husband with her own retorts. "I have that power, my dear. You know good and well how great I am with words...and other species." It was a bogus retort, but a good one all the same. She truly wasn't able to speak to fish or anything related to them, but she did enjoy a funny spat between Bronze and herself. His sense of humor was one of the many things that hadn't aged with time, and she was grateful. As he moved around her in the water and nipped at her throat, a low grumble could be heard from his chest. She closed her eyes and immediately felt her skin prickle. Even at ten years of age, Bronze made her feel like a yearling. That was also one of the great things about being with your true love for so long. You never have to worry about them expecting you to change in some aspects. She gracefully moved her head to meet his gaze, emerald greens burning into his handsome browns. Silent couldn't help but smile seductively as thoughts of past moments between the two of them came to light. "As long as no one disturbs us, I think we can figure out how to use the time wisely," she agreed. Her tail gently swayed beneath the water as she nipped at his throat in turn. Soft hums could be heard from her own ebony frame as she rubbed her nose against his cheek. "talking"

They had been through so much together -- had it only been ten years? It seemed like eternity, and yet he wanted to spend even more time with her, as long as the world continued spinning on. A chuckle left his throat as he pulled himself closer to her, so grateful for the shallow part of the water she had found, content to be able to rest beside her. They could lie here forever, and he was certain he would be content so long as she was at his side. This was true love, if such a thing existed -- he couldn't even dwell on the other men Silent had lain with, nor on the children she'd had with them. He, too, had strayed from her during their times apart, but she was the goal for him, and he had finally made it back to her.

He watched as she responded to his touch, eyes soft as they danced over her features. "I think you're right about that," he murmured softly, feeling his muscles tense slightly as she nipped at his throat. He would never grow bored of her, and even now he felt his heart pounding inside his chest as she touched him. He would turn to lean into her, inhaling her scent. So intoxicating, yet so familiar all the same -- a soft growl rumbled in his throat. Though they were older now, he couldn't help but crave her presence; especially now that the possibility of children was almost nonexistent, given their age -- and he suddenly grew eager at the thought of two becoming one again.

Silent couldn't shake the desire any longer. It had been more than a year since she had felt him in the way she craved...the love she had for him had no boundaries and she wanted to prove it to the man she adored. Green eyes met his and she gave a soft smile as she gently moved around in the water. Once she got comfortable, she gave him a loving nuzzle on the cheek before bumping her rear end against him. Hopefully, he would get the message. If he did (for he was a smart wolf, despite old age), she would lick her damp lips as she felt him caress the desired parts of her. She softly groaned, eyes closing at her husband's loving touch. Once she felt he was in the right place, she softly said, "I love you so much, Bronze..." Nothing would keep her from doing so and she made sure to tell him every chance she could. "talking"

Once, when they were hardly more than children, they had loved so fully and passionately that he wondered how it had been possible at all. Slowly, with time, the fire between them had dulled, but it had never completely gone out -- and it never would. Time had certainly changed them, and he would never feel like he once had, and yet she still made his heart feel light and his spirit feel free as he lay beside her.

The warm water still soothed his tired bones, breathing new life into the elder, energizing him slowly but surely. "I love you more," he told her with a low chuckle. His jaws would trail down her spine, nipping gently at her skin, with alarming delicateness for a man of his stature. Slowly he would lift himself onto all fours, eager to feel her again, careful as he lifted himself over her, tongue lashing out to caress the fur between her ears loving as two became one.

- fade to black-

Words didn't follow Bronze's as Silent felt him moving. His touch, kisses, and attention were enough for her to fall quiet in the pool. As the bubbles continued to rise and pop in the water, she felt the familiar sensation of lust and desire sweeping over her former glorious body. Before she knew it, Bronze was behind and above her, holding her firmly as he merged with her into one body. One body, one mind, one soul...it was all she had ever wanted from the handsome, tan man. She felt more than lucky to have him in her life, and as she surrendered to his dominance, she gave a loving moan and felt her eyes close in ecstasy. -fade- "talking"