Dawnlark Plains rhythm romancing

The wildness in the eyes that looked at her stung the way cold, salty water made a wound sing. She lowered her head, turning her ears back in friendly deference. There was no mistake to be made- it was Val. She was sure of it. Every inch of her being begged her to bound toward him and pounce him, grab his ear and drag him to the ground with it so that she could wrestle with her brother as they had when they’d been children. But the chilling fear and apprehension she saw when he looked at her held her back. If she scared him away…She might never see him again. Such a thing was unforgivable. 

A name was coaxed from his lips and she sighed immediately with relief when the recognized it. Her tail spun in full circles and her eyes filled with happy tears. She nodded, and the motion caused a tear to streak down her cheek. ”Brot’er,” she croaked hoarsely, and swept toward him with as posture as non-threatening as she could possible manage, hips and head held low. 

But when she heard a sudden thud and saw a patch of ferns rustle in the corner of her eye, she flinched and froze. She could hear wheezing, hacking breaths. She could smell fear. 

While at Sapphique with her mothers, she was a leader- fearless enough to chase strangers and confident enough to fend off a foe- her surprise made her feel vulnerable and insecure. Val had always been her shield, her protector; innately, she trusted him. She went to mouth his name, but nothing came out. She wilted to his side, to become his shadow once more, and peered past him nervously.