He was near her before she had a chance to spy his moment, but it was a fault of her own for looking at her paws. It was not by her name that she raised her head to look at him, but the sudden rush of warmth passed from living body in motion against the brisk air. He did not touch her, but she felt his presence as if the physical barrier had been breached. And in the same regard she felt the hairs of her nape stand on end, her heart quicken and breath still, as if the slightest movement would be the catalyst of some unknown event. In her stillness, she might have forgotten the reason for his visit had the gravity of it not weighed itself so heavily. She had to remind herself of it, as umber and gold caressed the contours of his muzzle to rest at its bridge.
Did he really believe that? Did she for that matter?
But then, had it not been the act of one that effected the two wholes so completely? Perhaps something positive could come from the continued interaction, as long as it was tended to gently and moderated with care. She was a perhaps a fool to believe that such things could happen simply because they were said. But rather she struggle with a glimmer of hope to hold fast to, than surrender to pessimism without so much as trying. Only time would tell if this slim possibility became a reality. And looking to him, as the corners of her lips rose faintly, she hoped the fates would be willing, and the minds of the others open.
“I suppose, we will see then,” remembering to breathe, she exhaled softly, and she smiled lightly in her relief. Feeling the tension ebb somewhat, she even went as far as to extend her muzzle and tap it lightly against a whiskered cheek. A friendly gesture, one she shared often with her superior. A sign of trust and care, and a solidifying bond that indeed they would still remain friends. |