Otter Creek You would have to be half mad to dream me up

A moment of absurd spontaneity almost swept Aventus up when he realized Arielle was breathing just as hard as him. what does that mean? he thought to himself in a dopey haze, and imagined himself ushering her off to somewhere more private, or maybe leaving this whole war behind and returning to Bearclaw Valley with her, and ... and then what? It wasn't like he could just squirrel her away like some prize. She was too good for that.

Aventus stared into her face intently, scouring for her thoughts, some tangible confirmation of her feelings, and then she looked away. He was a silly boy reading too far into things and yet unable to read what was plainly there in front of him. The moment waned as quickly as it came. War beckoned. They had a job to do, and he was only imagining things, after all. She was only out of breath because the water was cold. The reminder set his teeth rattling again.

Right, he said, letting his breath out in a slow whoosh and willing his heart to quit galloping. It was only the cold water, he told himself, pulling his body from the stream before turning and offering his wet shoulder to steady her as she climbed the bank. It will be colder in the mountains. Maybe we should go somewhere and dry off first? That set his pulse to racing all over again.