Nova Peak Skeptic

Like clockwork, there she was at the foot of the pathway. Her orange eyes were obvious, lit in the darkness like lanterns. Evening, he returned, nuzzling her neck briefly to greet her. I would love to, he said, knowing now that they were of like minds, at least in respect to their desire to speak.
She led the way up the pathway. It was the same as that which led to Asra's cave somewhere along the ridge. The ledge they sought was just the same as it was the last time they had talked. They were both falling into a comfortable pattern of behaviour, and he liked it, no matter the circumstances.
The way up was largely silent. As they neared her "place," he felt noticeably calmer. Something about her company and the familiarity of it all kept him feeling stable and okay. It felt like, even if the world fell all around them to ashes and dust, they would prevail as a pair. It was all quite romanticized, but being based in reality, he had trouble shaking the feeling.
Finally, he spoke. Where he might have started with a gentle "how are you," instead he went right into it. I went to talk to the wolves at the cliff, he said. He wasn't sure how she would react. He knew that others might attack him for treason, either physically or verbally. They might accuse him of disloyalty. He stood there, watching her carefully, hoping she would understand.