Redtail Rise rockfall

his lips moved over her sunheated fur; he felt his pulse quicken with the spicehot zinging of instinct and territoriality over the way she did that to him. "not with them," he mumbled. "alone." he licked his lips and finally sat down near her, slumping bonelessly in the manner of a young lion. 
"i lost. to relic."
he'd won lilia's affections, of course, but not over that, ancelin hoped. because that would mean it was like — pity, for them to be together. 
and she wasn't like a cool rock or pelt, something you could win. she was — her.
"i lost and i'm not sure if i can actually win. so," ancelin went on, taking a deep long breath, "i'm gonna go see if i — can."
his mouth twisted. his indigo eyes flickered toward her. did she get it? "what happened to you anyway?" ancelin asked all the same, stomping over his own point as his gaze narrowed on her wounds. "fighting?"