[he should not have said it. lestan's ears wilted as kirain protested, but not in fear. she was correct, and he was truly relieved to hear it. she was not helpless. i should not have s-suggested it, he said soberly, moving to brush her cheek with his lips. never again. finding her eyes, lestan held them for a loving moment and then glanced north, where the waterway curved around high mountains. i s-suspect at least five days of walking, said the tracker in preparation. we sh-should eat first, if you c-can, lestan suggested. then we will s-set out. but now he hesitated, looked to her; if one of us should f-fall ill, we sh-should return. if we n-need to leave the rise for a t-time — it must be. it is still our own. and we are together. our l-love is here. he touched her face. we can come back. as much as he loved this land with all vital portions of himself, kirain's life mattered far more. he backed from the water, turned, and began to stride back toward their caches, already making mental note of the best meat they had collected and how long it might last if they took some to spare the energy of hunting. the mayfair was prepared in time, and looked into kirain's face once more, assessing for any fear or reservation his mate might possess.]

he should not have said it. lestan's ears wilted as kirain protested, but not in fear. she was correct, and he was truly relieved to hear it. she was not helpless. i should not have s-suggested it, he said soberly, moving to brush her cheek with his lips. never again. finding her eyes, lestan held them for a loving moment and then glanced north, where the waterway curved around high mountains. i s-suspect at least five days of walking, said the tracker in preparation. we sh-should eat first, if you c-can, lestan suggested. then we will s-set out.
but now he hesitated, looked to her; if one of us should f-fall ill, we sh-should return. if we n-need to leave the rise for a t-time — it must be. it is still our own. and we are together. our l-love is here. he touched her face. we can come back. as much as he loved this land with all vital portions of himself, kirain's life mattered far more.
he backed from the water, turned, and began to stride back toward their caches, already making mental note of the best meat they had collected and how long it might last if they took some to spare the energy of hunting.
the mayfair was prepared in time, and looked into kirain's face once more, assessing for any fear or reservation his mate might possess.