Noctisardor Bypass I think I’m doing alright.

I’m fine. Anselm grit through his teeth, burying the tips of his toes in the loam so Etienne might not see the damage. He resisted being touched again, moving away as Etienne reached for him. His heart pounded in his ears as he replayed that moment over and over — how Etienne’s paw had touched him in a gesture almost too intimate to bear. 

Another storm of emotions threatened to break the bulwark that was his composure. He steeled himself as Etienne cursed, hiding a smile at the old epithet — he could play willing patient. But he could not mask his feelings. 

Go get the reeds then, He said more coldly than he wanted — waiting until Etienne was turned. 

Rather than stay, Anselm began to walk away — carefully at first, so that Etienne would not hear him — but then once he was on flat ground he opened into a gallop, ignoring the stabs of pain as his exposed claws slapped the earth, ignoring everything except for the angry pulse of his blood that beat in ruthless staccato against his skull.