Phoenix Maplewood akele hum, akele tum

he'd slipped away from the main group, and his absence had not gone long unnoticed by the woman. for one who was barely able to hold his gaze, she noticed acutely his prescence (or rather, lack off), and had slipped away from the monotony of marking borders without a backwards glance. his trail had led to the maplewood, which was not surprising in the least. they had both loved the place, with the dense, protective canopy that would surely bloom in spring, the trees and all the places to explore. while dawnlark certainly reminded her of the cuesta, she'd never much liked the latter; preferering the wooded places, the cliffs, of the Plateau. 

here was the dirtied surface of a pond, and too wisps of her mate's scent. here she paused, wishing that she could somehow hurt physically, enough so that the hurt of her mistakes stoppped, enough so that things set themselves right. what she would not give for some physical retribution, that would somehow set right her guilt. but this was surely a coward's wish, and with a minute chuff that failed entirely to broadcast her presence, she slipped nearer to her mate. 

she had evidently guessed incorrectly where the borders of the pond lay, and a great splinting and cracking set of as she neared, leaving what she'd hoped to be a silent approach messy and loud, surely alert Adi of her presence now. awkwardly picking her way out of the churning ice, she disregarded the scummy water that coated her hocks and closed the final distance between them, ears flicking once as quite suddenly, words failed her.