Stavanger Bay losing feeling's getting old

something that wolves did so often -- and dalia could count multiple accounts of when she'd done it to him before -- felt so sacred now. it was something common, something simple, but as he carefully began to preen gently at her ears and then the fur along the top of her crown, dalia realized the act felt like something entirely new. something she'd never experienced before. he rumbled, a sound that dalia was not used to to hearing. instinctually, she pressed closer into his side, twisting her head so that she could gently groom the fur at his throat. 

it wasn't that dalia didn't understand how she felt -- because she did. she'd felt it for a while, naturally, it was only a matter of time before anything happened because of those feelings. it was just that she didn't know what to do about them. she was so convinced that she was so broken, and that she couldn't make it much further than something as innocent as grooming. she tried not to ruin the moment for herself with such anxiety-ridden thoughts. 

a gentle sigh fell from her maw as she groomed, comfortable and quiet. there was no need for words. and as she settled further and further into the idea of being with him, just in this moment, dalia's lids felt heavier and heavier. 

unless you have further plans for this thread, i don't mind wrapping it up in the next few posts <3