The moments of silence that ensued were like glue, slowly dripping its way into their lives and binding the pair to one another as each second passed. Was this to be expected? How easily she had crept her way closer, and he without an inkling of intent to shut her out, nor a want to do so. Subtly shifting his weight so as not to disturb her, the ebony male stretched the muscles of his back and shoulders before settling ever more closely, if there were much space left at all. What would become of them? It seemed she was well adjusted, and happy in her new home. He, on the one hand, was grounded, loyal only to Grizzly Hollow which had been his true home for some time. He'd given his blood, sweat, and tears to ensure its survival, and with the hierarchy restored it would seem matters were in place to facilitate a healthy recovery. A grin played on his dark face as he thoughtfully considered what the future had in store for them.

And so he would let go of his worries with a quiet sigh, listening as Ava spoke of future meetings. Perhaps they'd be drier, though he didn't mind the fact that she was always sopping every time they'd ever touched. "But, darling...I've already laid claim to your pretty little head," he toyed to her, though there truly was no play in his words. The honest truth was that he did want her, for himself, and it may not be the time to start making promises, but he knew without doubt that he could give her everything there was left of him, as much as he ever could. Whether or not it would culminate in his uprooting from the Hollow, only time would tell. For now, they would have to remain as they were - happy.

It would seem the worst was over as the storm and mountain scene grew quiet, the pattering of rain against stone now like a lullaby, though it wasn't as soothing as the drumming of her heart. Should she ever venture westward, the stoic Guardian would intercept her without a second thought. It was then that she easily dropped a name he'd heard before - Rhysis. It was a name he'd been called in the past, twice, mistaken for someone who he was not. Apparently mistaken for the now-leader of her own pack. How very curious - perhaps in the future he would run across he man, though for now he would be pleased not to. As for the River wolves, well he'd never come across a one of them, nor did he know anything of the Tainn dynasty, on the river or to the north, though he was curious why they were forbidden from crossing paths with the mountain wolves. Naturally, he figured there was some sort of confrontation, and felt no need to pry for information, but he wondered if the wolf who'd injured her belonged in their ranks. "Perhaps some of your leisure could be spent with me, in that case" he spoke smoothly, inwardly glad that she had it in mind to see him again.

Though the sky seemed a thousand shades of navy, the brooding, silver-lined clouds held the moon's pale glow just so. The man could not have asked for anything more, and nothing less. Aside the woman he envisioned, above the Lake that had brought them together, the Attaya embraced the urgency that tore at his heartstrings. The fact was that he now could not fathom a world without her in it, and the day he would have to say goodbye to her - or suffer a worse loss - would be the end of him. He would abandon their easy small talk now...His heart raced at the culmination of their time together and what it had birthed - a blossoming romance that could be made to last a lifetime. "Ava..." he whispered gently, lowering his wide head to get a good look at every inch of her. Fiery, silver eyes would peer into the amber depths of the gaze of the woman who'd, in many ways, charmed him to the core.

"Oh but love, that was my plan,"

Plan. Plans. As much as he would have enjoyed embracing the notion that either of them had truly planned for this, in his swelling heart he knew it was not true. What they had was nothing if not spontaneous, without premeditation. It was...fate. In retrospect, it was as if destiny had pushed her from that damn cliff that fateful evening, and flung her right into his path - a path that, at that time, he'd abandoned to nonexistence. If a trail had remained in the face of his despair and self-deception, then he was thrust from it, into the shadow. Little had he known, they had found each other in the dark.

His head lifted with the ebony woman's, and he craned his neck to reach for hers, once more sliding the shiny tip of a wet snout through the drying layers of her cashmere touched fur. If he were still drenched, he would have been electricuted by the current they shared. At a pace rivaling that of the ice melting from his dripping heart, his lips would rove over the curve of her shoulder before gracing the musculature between the blades. He would ignore the tickling of the hairs upon a sensitive nose, indulging in her scent which he found was strongest, and most tempting, along the dorsal aspect of her neck. Intimately, the awestruck man would exhale a soft breath just behind the shewolf's ear, leaning his body from her as if to invite her nearer.

"I'm yours."