Gilded Bay curry western

he liked how close the grove was to the bay. he had become quite fond of the view here, especially at sunrise and sunset. and while there was nothing wrong with the palms--he preferred their shelter, especially as winter approached--govinda had always appreciated a bit of variety. spice in the mix, so to say. kept things from getting overly dull.

the man trotted the beach, weaving in and out of the surf. soon, his paws and legs were spattered with wet sand, his normally well-groomed pelt windswept and salt-kissed. he was happy, though out of breath. he drew to a stop, panting, the water pooling around his ankles, then retreating again.

it was night, and a crescent moon hovered over the horizon, given a moment's reprieve from the suffocating clouds. the ethereal light glinted pale gold off his hawkish gaze and sparkled off the waves. it was cold and breezy--

and perfect.

would you be okay with setting this after the amatsu thread? otherwise i can delete this!

she's grown unexpectedly attached to the bay, though she hasn't dared go out into the waves since that night with athris. she wants to — but something holds her back. firmly. instead she often finds herself lingering at the shore, staying out long after the sun has set. it makes her feel connected to her brother in a way, to glance up occasionally at the hovering moon. the tribes had taught of a connection between the moon and the sea, a partnership. she can't remember the specifics now, but she holds the knowledge tightly now; they need all the help they can get to mend whatever has been broken between them.
these are the thoughts interrupted by the other wolf's arrival. she flinches slightly, a little startled, though her expression changes when she realizes she recognizes this wolf. fresh shame rises up in her as she remembers her first encounter with him and she looks away, ears pinning back. he doesn't seem to have noticed her yet — or maybe he's ignoring her again. yeah, that's probably it. ugh, what an asshole — oops. whatever, she's allowed to think it; at least she's not saying it out loud, like some wolves.

of course!

his solitude was soon interrupted--though he always welcomed such interruptions--by the appearance of a silver wolfess. she grew more familiar as she drew closer, and with a small shock, he realized it was the girl from the other day, who had fled without a word. he turned and padded toward her, eyebrows raised in gentle query.

why did you run away? govinda asked, stopping a few long paces from her. i didn't even get the chance to say hello. the whole scene had been strange--the woman rolling on the sand, the girl turning tail. it stuck in his mind as one of those odd little interactions that eventually fade into the muddle of day-to-day life, but when meditated on, the strangeness of it was resurrected once more.

unexpectedly, the man approaches her. she tenses slightly, glancing to him and immediately feeling a little irritated by his presence, his expression — and especially his question. that he has addressed her at all immediately forces her to reconsider her assumptions, and she finds she's not a fan. i-i don't know... she mumbles, side-eyeing him resentfully for a moment longer before she turns her attention back to the sea. she's not sure what other answer to give; loathe as she is to admit it even to herself, she'd obviously made some error interpreting the situation, so she can hardly give her original reasoning. but she has to come up with something, right? i didn't think you were going to. she tacks on after a few beats, shifting uncomfortably. it's not a lie, but it feels odd on her tongue anyway.

he didn't know what was wrong with her--why would she think something like that? he shrugged it off, giving her a pleasant smile. i was sort of thrown off-guard by the woman rolling around on the sand, govinda remarked. but i would have gotten to you eventually, yes. i'm not a barbarian, he pointed out, sniffing as his grin increased. i know my manners.

he fell silent, then, gaze drifting toward the waves, then back to her, hoping to end the awkward silence between them. i'm sorry if i offended you, the other day, he said in gentler tones. i'm usually quicker with my greetings. she reminded him of raid in a way. quiet and fierce, with an undercurrent of fear.