Was this it? He couldn't quite remember. But was he even thinking? Probably not. For some reason he had this burst of energy, of emotion. He had never felt this way before. He was excited. Since when does Caeto get excited?
Anyway, he would come almost to a sliding halt, just inside the willows. Not even a thought of if Titania would still be in the willows, his nose would raise and howl for her. A sudden urge to tell her everything about his life, what had happened and anything else.
But then a downfall. He had forgotten that he left her, they were no longer friends. He thought of leaving, walking no - running away. But he already called, he couldn't just leave now.
She had almost forgotten about him. After getting over her mood swings and finding time for herself, her mind had seemed to wander away like she usually did herself. How long had passed? A season? Many things had happened in her season, exploring, healing, all of her important Titania matters. What was Caeto doing? Much more exciting things? Not even bothering to think about her? Ah, it didn't matter. She certainly wasn't thinking about him lately.
It was familiar. Too familiar. Where had she heard that howl before? Answering the call to investigate, her eyes rested upon the familiar face, searching for those oceanic sapphires.
"Caeto." Is all she would say in a monotone. Why should she be relieved to see him? Why should he even be here? What was the point in leaving if you come back later? There was no point to this. None whatsoever.
His burst of energy clearly gone now, and her tone nearly shutting him down, he thought dearly of just turning and walking away. But he wouldn't do so now, Titania was his friend. Was being the main point, he left her.
"Um, Titania, hey."
Still awkward as always. He would take a step forward but not another, not sure how close he should come to her or her home. His eyes would look a moment to his crooked snout, but then back to her instantly. What had she done since he was gone?
Her own awkwardness seemed to be rising. In fact, she was surprised that he had actually remembered her name. How had she been? How had she been? What a question to ask!
"Oh fine." She replied harshly, her voice unsympathetic. She merely couldn't be bothered telling him what had happened over the season.
Until you showed up, She hastily bit back that sentence before her mouth could speak it. It certainly was not normal for her to be experiencing such a change in her mood...had she ever been this angered? This was probably the worst swing yet.
"What about you?" She demanded unforgivingly, her stern gaze meeting his. Answers were all she wanted. Why was he here? "I thought you left."
It was at that moment she had finally gained a better look at the man. Were there puncture wounds on his snout? Had he gotten himself into a fight? Since when does Caeto fight? She was pretty sure after her own time spent with him he wasn't that sort of wolf. Or perhaps she just didn't know him well enough.
Caeto would pull his ears back to her tone. Not of aggression, but of disappointment, in himself. He looked down in response, moving impatiently with his front paws back and forth. He didn't know what he was supposed to do at this point.
"Um, heh," a nervous chuckle would come to his voice, "Maybe I should... go."
He turned away, without looking back at her, but then he was reminded of their last meeting. When he turned away and didn't look back. He stopped in his tracks, head held low as he turned it around with his body still facing forward. He looked for her gaze, a hurt expression but not for himself; for her. He hurt his only friend.
He pulled his ears back before letting out a chuckle. A chuckle? Was this a laughing matter? Her eyes widened with a concerned look. Had she offended him? Or was he just upset and disappointed? Well what did he expect? A welcome back party?
He turned to leave, just like their last meeting. Thankfully, he stopped to face her again. She mentally breathed out a sigh of relief. She was that close to losing him again.
Go ahead, leave. I'm pretty sure leaving friends is your field of expertise. An angered voice hissed in her mind. She refrained from snarling that out to him. Luckily, there were other thoughts that won her words. Don't leave me again. I promise this anger is nothing.
After gazing into his sapphires, she snapped her head away with her eyes looking at her paws. She was nervous and unconfident. What was she supposed to say to make him stay? She didn't want to sound desperate or obsessive.
"You don't have to go," She finally managed to choke out, lifting her head. "You're my friend."
Well done, Titania. That'll probably make him leave even more.
Caeto stayed still as she looked into his eyes, he returning the favor. She would drop her nose, and Caeto would tilt his chin, the same hurt look he had. Though he still didn't move. Before she spoke again, his gaze turned to look at the skies, which seemed pretty odd to himself. He wasn't sure why he did, if he was looking for the time, or if he was just being his normal, awkward self in this situation. He didn't want Titania to think he was obsessive either, staring into her like he had laser eyes.
But she would speak, giving him a little relief. He finally turned and closed some more distance between them but hesitating every step to see if she was uncomfortable at all. It was kind of like they were strangers again.
"And you are mine."
He seemed so gentle, a tiny grin grew after his words. But his eyes never changed. He was unsure on how to react. Titania didn't seem to want him here, more like she didn't want to be rude. But inside it was if she didn't want to lose him again, though Caeto couldn't see inside her.
He was close enough now that his fang markings on his cheek showed, they weren't as bad as his nose though. Maybe the two were strangers, Caeto still wasn't up for telling her about the reason for these injuries, if she even wanted to ask.
I'm sorry. Was he really? Or was he just saying that to get it over and done with? Sorry is a word that tends to be overused lately and has perhaps lost its meaning. What point was there in saying it? She couldn't forgive him like it was nothing. What did Caeto wish to achieve by being forgiven? Her trust? Either he was lying or that was how he truly felt.
So which one should she believe?
"I don't know if you are..." She stammered softly. It's not like she needed him to complete a test for him to prove it. She only needed a few more words and even a small risk from herself.
And what would happen if she did happen to forgive him? What next? Would their friendship return to normal, like those days in the past? How? How could it become normal when they seemed to be strangers?
She would question him, and he would take another step slowly forward as he took in her body again. What was he doing? This was nothing like Caeto, he had never acted this way. But it was almost like he couldn't control it. Through his words, he would slowly take another step, closing as much space as possible between the two, that was unless Titania backed away.
"Why do you think that?"
He would gently push off his breath searching her eyes as well. His head would tilt slightly as he waited for her to react, but he wasn't done speaking. If she started to talk, he would talk over her. Or through her words because his voice was soft and careful.
"What do you want me to do?"
He asked for her forgiveness, but only by paying it off. Would she be mad? Would she push him away? Because his eyes may have been too soft. His voice may have been pushed off too gently. Would she get where his body language was going?
He came closer to her. She kept her position, finding it rude or weak if she were to back away. His tone was aware, soft and gentle. Was he actually taking this seriously? He demanded to know why, why those thoughts appeared in her mind. If fact, she didn't know herself. Maybe those were her thoughts because of her faint fear of losing him again and finding herself so attached. She would have answered that question, but his words continued with another inquiry. He really didn't have to do anything. She didn't want to force him to do anything because of her doubts.
I'm just going to have to take his word for it, She thought to herself before letting out a sigh. Her gaze trailed back to him while stuttering words left her throat. "You don't have to do anything. I...I forgive you."
He took a breath in, letting her voice sink in. But he would only lean in when he exhaled to start speaking. "Do you..." He tilted his head before looking down to the ground at his paw as he slid it across the cold ground and over to hers. He would reconnect their eyes as he started to speak again, "Really?"
He thought he had moved on, but maybe it was because he hid those emotions before. In the short time he had been away, he was out of his shell now. The silent prince had bloomed into a spoken, but quiet unknown heir. He didn't even announce himself as an Adravendi-Mathias anymore.
Was it Zaria? Or could it have been Titania? He wasn't sure what the reason behind it was. But he had started to learn things that he never knew of himself. Just like this moment. Would Titania really forgive him?
Did she? Of course she did. She spoke honest words, not foolish lies. A true friend forgives another whether the dispute was great or small. She found there no need to end her friendship with Caeto. Now, she wondered why she was disappointed before.
He shifted a paw towards her and her heartbeat picked up its pace. She stared down at it in silence while her mind buzzed with bewilderment. She felt so close. Lifting her head to face him as he spoke. She reassuringly smiled as she whispered energetically, instantly answering his quarrel. "Yes...yes."
She didn't want him to talk about this anymore. She could easily lock that memory away in her thoughts. They were friends, were they not? Friends shouldn't have to waste time discussing this silly past.
Caeto would look into her emerald eyes just a little longer. And then he would start to walk to her side, lifting his paw that was against hers last. He dragged his gaze away from her, and looked up at the willow trees as he continued to walk. He remembered the first time they met, staying under the single willow in the west that was now claimed land. But he would begin to talk, not really saying much as he entered her home in the willows.
"It feels like forever..."
He would drag his voice as he stopped thinking of Zaria for a strange, odd moment.
"Since I've been here I mean."
He would turn his head to see if she was even following him, he wasn't paying much attention anyway.
He walked deeper into the willows while she stood still and watched intently. As he turned his head to face her once more, she realized it would be best to follow him into her home. Quickly trotting towards him to regain the distance between them, she continued to amble beside him. Her look was glazed, silent and deep in thought. She was unusually...quiet. Although, she wanted to speak.
"It has." She murmured with agreement, not knowing was else to add. She faintly wondered where he has been during this time. If it wasn't with her, then where else? She couldn't recall him informing her where he was going. He would just be gone. His scent wasn't exactly how she remembered it, something else clung to his pelt. What was it? Should she ask?
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