Sleeping Dragon is 'i love you' a fact or weapon?

The Heda said her name in a way that kept her grounded, the urge to flee still loitering in the background but not so great as to overwhelm her. Wildfire waited to see if there was more, ears flicking in slight surprise when Thuringwethil did, in fact, continue, admitting that there were things she hadn't told the young Sjötta. Wildfire's brow furrowed, lips parting wonderingly, a question forming on them only to be swallowed back when the commander motioned her away from the den, momentarily distracting her.

When they came to a standstill again, Wildfire faced Thuringwethil even as the quintessential words—ones she had not so secretly hoped for but nonetheless not actually expected—tumbled from the Heda's lips. The yearling's heart skipped a beat. She almost couldn't believe her ears. Could the other woman really feel the same way? Hope swelled in her chest once more. But then her brow furrowed yet again as she realized the significance of those last four words: "I'm not supposed to." The same heart that had begun to soar began to crash.

"You do?" were the first clumsy words that tumbled from her tricky tongue before, rather desperately adding, "Why?" It was meant in reply to that cursed admission, though Wildfire belatedly realized it sounded like she was questioning the commander's very feelings for her. Well, it just figured that Wildfire would pull a Wildfire at the most crucial point in the conversation.