Stone Circle transcendence

it was not that she was ignorant to the fact that Murdock was much older than she was, nor was she deaf to the fact that, at times, his breaths seemed to drag themselves in and out of his lungs. it was when she turned the corner and saw Valette nudging her sleeping mate that she paused, and unease settled heavy in her gut. 

the mournful howl had her skitter forward, ears folded down and eyes wide. "stop!" she bade the woman as her howl filled the air with its terrible formality. she moved beside him, paying no mind to the coldness of his pelt and instead poking him, prodding him, preening frantically the fur behind his ear. "you didn't try hard enough - you can't -" she fell silent, actions becoming more fevered as Murdock's head lolled to the side, his flank still as she peppered his face with increasingly desperate nips and kisses.