Ouroboros Spine momentum

He wanted to weep at the look in her eyes. He'd imagined this many times over, but never once had he imagined her confused. Delirious. It felt like a betrayal to come crawling back while she was ill, unable to react with a clear mind. He wished for strong, sharp-eyed Vairë, for her towering fury —

but he could not help another quiet, abortive sob of relief when she reached for him. He leaned closer to make it easier for her, his tears wetting her dry paw pads. He shuffled closer on his belly, burying his nose just briefly in the fur of her throat to breathe in her scent. He allowed himself a moment to squeeze his eyes shut and blink his tears away.

"I'm not goin' anywhere," he told her, trying to ease her mind as she shifted, mumbling words he still struggled to understand. He sniffed at her muzzle, as if he might divine the source of her illness from scent alone. All he found, however, was that she was dehydrated. That seemed almost like a given, considering her state. "'Cept maybe to get you some water," he spoke the thought aloud.

Valiant did turn his head when she looked past him, but it was only the sky at his back. His attention quickly returned to Vairë, and the sorry sight of her struck him anew.

"You've been dreamin' a long time," he said, the truth of it slowly sinking in.