No matter how hard she tried, sleep continued to elude her. Nova twisted and turned beneath the shelter of the fallen log they had bedded down under, on the bank of a creek. She wondered if the bright blue glow cast over the forest by the shining face of the moon was what was keeping her up. Her skin felt much too hot, burning beneath a winter-coat that seemed excessive now that they were no longer in the mountains. That had to be it... Yes, she was just overheated, too close to Camio's warm, heady scented flank.

Nova reached towards her love and nipped the base of his coppery skull, her tongue flicking out to smooth over the russet fur along the side of his face. She quietly whined at him, not even entirely sure herself what she was trying to communicate, other than that she was moving. Knowing she'd never get any sleep at this rate, she slipped out of the make-shift den. It was a brief jaunt upstream to a pool, fed by a short waterfall. She wasn't sure why, but she really hoped Camio would follow after.

Nova picked her way over the slick jagged stones that lined the pool, her toes dipping into the icy water. She waded in further, submerged up to her ankles to sap away the excess warmth that seemed to be plaguing her. It seemed to help little, but at least it was a distraction from the static she felt tingling up and down her spine. Nova gazed up at the moon's face, it's light catching the fall's mist like a thousand crystals. Perfect. But something was missing. Nova looked back over her shoulder, her sable black tail swaying.

Somehow, she knew he'd wouldn't stay behind for long. Her topaz eyes lit up as his earth-tone form materialized from the shadows, giving an innocent smile in response to his dashing toothy grin. It was torture waiting for him to approach, though she stayed rooted to her spot, wanting to see if he would. She whimpered as he moved up alongside her, her tail swishing a faster pace as her heart thrummed quickly in her chest. Fur against fur, the contact was nearly overwhelming. The electricity that had been coursing through her settled white-hot in her gut. She ducked her head downward with her batty ears folded against her neck, to brush the crown of her head against the underside of his throat. "Darling," She breathed, inhaling his familiar musk.

"Sorry for waking you up, I couldn't sleep." She mentioned softly, explaining herself. Deep down, she wasn't too sorry. She was glad he came after her. It was hard for her to say why, though. She felt so peculiar, but she didn't have any words for it. All she knew was that it felt right to have the eyesome male with her. "I feel like I'm going crazy," She admitted, pulling her head away from the shelter of his strong jawline, but still lowered. Tilting her head slightly, she gazed up at his striking eyes, seeing something primal stirring in those mahogany depths. That was something she loved about him, his oftentimes gentle exterior harboring something more wild.

Nova was a little bit relieved to hear that Camio was feeling the same way. So it wasn't just her. In the back of her mind she remembered something. A conversation about spring-time that might as well have been eons ago. It hadn't made much sense at the time, and now it was simply facts to be disregarded by the instincts that had clawed forward to the front of her mind. Nova knew what she wanted, and she was going to get it.

As Camio started off Nova moved in step with him through the shallows. Like his shadow, the dark-coated female stayed close at his side. She found her broad jaws parted, pink tongue lapping as she panted, tasting the air. She wondered where he was taking her, surprised when he slipped behind the curtain of the falls into a small alcove behind it. Obviously she hadn't been paying too much attention to the environment, instead totally captivated by her mate.

Moonlight filtered through a screen of shimmering water, lighting them in an ethereal glow. It was like their own little corner of the world, and at that moment Nova cared about no one or nothing else. Her core felt like a pit of fire threatening to consume her and leave behind nothing but ashes. Half whining, half growling, she reached towards Camio's tawny face. Tongue flicking, she lapped at the corner of his mouth, her dark lips lifting to bare fangs that would graze along the top of his muzzle.

Nova couldn't say she was surprised by Camio's surly reaction. She gladly accepted the weight of his forelimb, submitting to his possessive tendencies with a lowering of her head and folded ears, a soft whine heaved from her parted maw. Try as she might, he wasn't a man that could simply be tamed. Nova shivered under the pressure of him leaning into her, his teeth and tongue grazing the delicate skin of her ear. All too quickly the touch vanished, Nova blinking in momentary surprise. 

His deeper tone called to her, and Nova leapt forward, bounding after him. Still his shadow, she stopped alongside him at the hidden pool, the tips of her toes skirting the rough stone edging the frigid water, black claws clenching with tense energy against the hard surface. She, too, dipped her head down for a drink, glancing at her mate from the corner of her eye. If he was watching closely, he might have seen a glint in those yellow irises. That was all the warning he would get before Nova leapt forward. She landed with a grand splash in the small pool, a surge of water rising up to soak the pair. Icy cold, but it did little to quench the heat that had been growing within her.

With surprising speed for the gangly girl, Nova leapt back up onto the bank with an excited bark. She nipped Camio's shoulder before speeding off back towards where they entered. He could have her... But he'd have to catch her first.

A joyous laugh tickled its way up Nova's throat as she ran, Camio trailing not far behind. Not that she was really trying, just putting on enough speed to stay just the slightest bit out of reach. The thrill of the hunt, but this time she was the prey with Camio's playful growls behind her. Water from their pawsteps and the spray of the falls coated her sides, but she didn't mind one bit. His voice, tender, called to her and she came to a stop, pausing just before the edge of the silvery curtain that separated them from the rest of the universe.

Nova whined as she turned towards him, panting from much more than the short run. Her tail swayed stiff and level, her nerves getting the better of her as she slowly approached with measured steps. First facing him, coming close to hold her face alongside his, near enough to feel his warm breath on her cheek. She gave a longing whimper as she pressed her face against his neck, breathing in his intoxicating scent. "I love you," she whispered.

Previously her core had held a smoldering fire, now turned to an all encompassing flame that she willingly sacrificed herself to. She knew she wanted this, she wanted Camio, wanted him woven into her life with all the new changes that would bring them. She knew she was ready. With a final swish of her tail, fanning her scent towards him, she raised it and held it to the side.