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

Wildfire's heart skipped so many beats—first when Thuringwethil leaned into her kiss, again at the affectionate nip, a third time when the commander spoke—that she almost grew dizzy with it. She leaned into the dark leader's ministrations with a quiet purring noise echoing the earlier croon. She could only bob her head, almost absently, ready and willing to agree to any of the Heda's terms if it meant they could have moments like this.

Besides, she was in no hurry. She still hadn't fully accepted that she could feel this way toward a woman or what that meant for her vision of a family. And her earlier words skulked in the back of her mind, always: all relationships end in breakup or death. Wildfire didn't need to rush into anything or slap a label on it. Hell, she had done that once before, sort of, with Floki, and the yearling was definitely not keen to repeat history.

She enjoyed the headiness of their shared intimacy a few more beats before letting her head clear a little to really think over what Thuringwethil had to say. She didn't want the commander to think she didn't take her words seriously. "We don't have to tell anyone," Wildfire said slowly. "This is just for us," she added, tipping her head backward to plant a kiss at the apex of the commander's brow. Maybe, if things worked out well and they decided to commit more seriously, they could go public. But, for now, Wildfire was happy with whatever she could get.

She bit her lip a little at her companion's evident worry that they might not ever be accepted at all. Wildfire instantly and inwardly refuted this fact; surely, they could win the blessing of the Sleeping Dragon wolves? But Thuringwethil would know better than her, so the Sjötta said nothing, just turned and suddenly buried her face in the juncture between the Heda's sloping neck and peaked shoulder, smiling into her ashen fur, happy with her odds.