Otatso Wetlands in the end the waves will discolor me.

Harlyn's words echoed painfully in her mind after she'd said them. She swallowed down the sobs that rose again to refuse them permission to come. She was stronger than to fall apart completely. But, try as she might, the Druid could not control herself completely. So finally, She closed her eyes silently and at last, gave in to allow her thoughts free access to her memories of Luke.

In retrospect, she had loved him almost instantly. She'd fallen for his carefree nature, optimism, and innate charisma. She had built the pack at the Hollow almost as much as for him as for herself and Mordecai. He had been the one to discover it with her, and he had been at her side to claim it. Never once had he shirked from her when learning of her dreams of a place of her own. Mordecai had accepted her desires and nonchalantly agreed to help her accomplish them. Luke had actively pursued them with her and encouraged her to take the steps she may otherwise have never taken for fear of what they might lead to. 

Her heart ached for those memories - for her friend the way he was meant to be. The demon cat had sent corruption through his very soul, for the wolf she remembered would never have abandoned his family to take up with some other pack. He would never have forsaken his commitment, no matter how bruised his ego may have been at her rejection. But this one had, as was evident by the markings on the borders she stood near now. Harlyn felt the bitter sting in her heart. She had waited for him, faithfully ascertaining that he would be back. When he had been here the whole time, forgetting them, forgetting her.

The nose that pressed against her cheek was cold, and yet the touch felt warm. Harlyn did not open her eyes, but leaned into it, selfishly absorbing whatever comfort was available to claim from it. She turned without thought to brush her nose against the other woman's, her tongue reaching to glide across Thuringwethil's muzzle as it was withdrawn. It was a comfort to make a move of such intimacy with another, particularly someone she did not know and had no real feelings for. A wild rebellion rose in her and she felt the powerful impulse to pursue this flickering flame, but instead she let it smolder and stood to leave.

"I hope our paths cross again," Harlyn said quietly to the dark female, even then fighting her baser instincts that were so very tempted by the desire to be careless and free from troubles, if for only one stolen moment that would only lead to more pain and strife. A smile flickered across her muzzle before she turned to go, her fiery eyes lingering on the younger woman for as long as possible before settling on the landscape ahead.