Northstar Vale breathe in your fiery air

a protracted chase along the edges of the vale, even up into the narrow shelves of stone that reared sentry around the mountain jewel, had rewarded mona with a pika. dispatching it quickly, the girl carried its round body back toward the den she and @Nathaniel shared.
if anyone had misgivings about the relationship that had openly flourished between the pair since tindome occupied the king elk forest, not a word had been said. and mona felt no such reservations, only the restlesness that had surged in her ranger's heart since they had come to the vale.
with a purling croon, mona dropped the pika to the snowy ground and padded to where her eagle stood, arching catlike along his shoulder and reaching high to nudge the plush fur of his cheek. "hi," she murmured, unable to keep the smile from her voice. such feelings he engendered in her, this tall rochester who had taken her for his love. and his firebird, so truly dazzled by him. "i brought lunch."

It wasn't entirely out of character for Nathaniel to brood alone, but lately something nagged at him. He couldn't pinpoint it; the feeling gnawed at him daily, leaving him irritable and with few clues. The only hint given to him was, of course, somewhat ominous-- it seemed to involve Mona. The restless energy, the agitated feeling that there was something he needed to do; it drove him mad, and his firebird inspired it.
Beyond that, he was dissatisfied with Tindome. Delight had proven himself an able leader, but something was lacking here. Nathaniel desired something else, something more suited to his own lifestyle. All these things bore down on him at once today-- so the natural reaction was to retreat to the den he shared with Mona.
He had only just arrived when his firebird appeared, prey hanging from her jaws. Her presence alone made his day better by degrees, even if it also caused a strange tightening in his chest. Nathaniel's stomach flipped when he met the girl's rainforest eyes.
"Mona." He kissed the top of her head, feather-light. A beat later, he started to speak-- almost. "I--"
And then he stopped, realizing he didn't know what he wanted to say-- but whatever it was, he suddenly knew it was related to the feeling that plagued him. Frustrated and confused, he began again.
"Nice catch." Nathaniel settled on something easy, pressing a bit closer to his firebird. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was making a mistake by not pursuing the source of his agitation-- but Nat is dumb so he ignored that.

mona noticed immediately nathaniel's consternation. the smile faded from her jaws and her ears swept back in worry. nathaniel's features worked in a way that revealed his struggles; she pressed herself against his broad shoulder as he settled, ignoring for the moment his compliment on her hunting skills. he drank her focus — mona was devoted to every emotion that swept the handsome planes of his striking face.
perhaps showing for a brief moment the way in which the stern rochester had grown close to the young mayfair, nathaniel tucked his large frame closer to her own, and mona nuzzled into the richly colored fur just at his elbow, in time tilting her crown to regard him with soft, somber eyes. whatever weighed on him was a burden mona wished to share, but for now she did not speak, merely waited for nathaniel to find his words.

Though he had not always been this way, some part of Nathaniel knew that without his firebird he would be more content with inaction. That much was apparent now; he hesitated for another moment, still unwilling, but the worry in her eyes urged him on. He leaned down to press his muzzle to hers. It was several beats before he could convince himself to pull away— and suddenly he knew what he wanted to say.
Something has been on my mind. He began, studying her with an uncharacteristic vulnerability to his gaze. You— us. Do you—
Nathaniel paused; emotions were always more difficult than he anticipated. Do you regret any of it?

she leant into his touch gratefully, warmth flooding her limbs. and yet mona was woefully unprepared for what it was nathaniel said in the next moment. her breath caught; she peered at him with a surprised gaze. "no!" the word emerged more stridently than she had intended; the druid-child shook her muzzle. "no," she repeated in a gentler tone. "i regret nothing." and her eyes searched the sea-tides of his own, begging that he see the fierce truth of her answer.