He hadn't found her anywhere in the forest, and he tried not to let that bother him. It wasn't like it was their special place or anything, they weren't really together. It just happened to be the only place he'd ever seen her, or she him. She'd left it completely though, maybe to better hold to her promise. She couldn't accidentally run into him if she were never in the forest again... Why did that irk him so?
So he'd just have to look for her here now, that was all. She didn't seem to belong to a land, and he knew this was one of the last free territories. If she wasn't here... no, she had to be. She was too wild to sign herself over to some ruler's authority. Hah, yeah, he couldn't see her being submissive to anyone's wishes but her own. Or, apparently his. Sort of. She'd certainly kept her distance as she'd promised, hadn't she?
When he finally caught sight of her glorious body, he stopped in his tracks and stared. Should he really be doing this? He was old enough to be her sire, wasn't he? But damn she was so beautiful and wild. What did age matter anyway, it clearly hadn't bothered her when they'd -yeah, lets not go there just now, old boy. There's sort of a gentleman in there somewhere. Maybe. Or a facsimile of one.
There was certainly only the man left and not the beast. The fractured workings of his broken mind had sealed back in place with his journey to the past, to his roots. He stood a little taller, walked a little more confidently, even in this vast area open to so many strangers' eyes. The only feral mannerisms left were simply who he was. He'd always be a bit too wild.
He chose his path and made his way to her, approaching from behind. A light breeze teased his dark hair towards her, as if it too wanted to greet her. Had she caught his scent and tensed? Maybe he imagined it. He stopped.
"Revol..." he called softly, waiting for her to turn to him.
He maintained a deliberate distance between them. Like strangers. His amber eyes never left hers when she faced him, though his nostrils flared at the faintest hint of a man lingering on her skin. Some other man. His coat prickled but he did not comment or give any other hint that he'd caught it. Or that it... might have bothered him. She was her own person and he did not own her, had no claim to her. Yet, somehow, that didn't ease the annoying sting in his chest. Emotions weren't rational.
"Hello," he drawled smoothly, a careful, friendly smile playing at his lips. He hoped she wouldn't mind that he had come to seek her. Ah, who was he kidding, he hoped she'd be damn delighted but he'd be a fool to imagine such a thing.
"I'm Ainlif. It's nice to meet you," he added with a slight tilt to his head, mild amusement in his eyes. Strangers. Let's start over, shall we?
There was an unseen barrier between them, one he'd erected in his mind. Strictly acquaintances, or friends maybe. He could not take a lover, without also having the mate. But he also... couldn't go on so separate from her. He'd know her, even if he was imprisoned to a friend-zone. Maybe one day... maybe there could be more... but, one step at a time.
