Secluded Spring come out, come out

Her head falls, just the slightest then, enough to portray a dipping of her gray-rimmed muzzle to his words, her tail offering a delicate shifting over the earth's grass behind her in response to his own waving of tail. It is a silent thanks, which hopefully despite the meek nature, would be revealed as much by a lady as she. Her head lifts to him then at the mentioning of his brother's death, her silvery attention burning into his own with much passion of sorrow and understanding. Her silky, midnight ears fall to her skull, pressing to her crown in obvious discomfort to the news, despite not knowing anything about the young man in which Ruiko mentioned. The wolf was not one of her own, not even one of her allies, but it pained Ruiko and so, as being around the lines of a friend to Ruiko, it pained her. After all, despite what irrational visions and delusions laid within the hearts of others, Elettra was not a heartless being.
There was a moment of silence where she would only feel for him and only this. A 'sorry' was not necessary and a gesture she did not much care for herself. She had not done anything herself, after all, and the word would do nothing to shake the ill-feelings in Ruiko. Then he mentions something of good nature for the pack- a litter. His eyes turn to study her own then, and the pale of her gaze turns with a mix of emotions not recognizable to even herself. Was it jealousy? Realization of the obvious? Hurt?
Her gaze suddenly turns away from him, out around the lands around her and she breaths in deeply as though to calm herself and recollect her being. "Congratulations." She speaks it and perhaps even, she means it. Though there is something mechanical in her tone as it is said and within moments after only just sitting to talk, she is lifting again. Her attention draws to her paws for a moment, and then a moment longer before she looks at him once more, studying him as though to remember what she may never see again. And so fluidly then does she move to him in just a few quick strides, closing the space that had been fluttering between them. Her muzzle would attempt to push forth to his cheek, where it would glide along the side of his neckline and nape affectionately. She breaths him in for only seconds before her breath exits with a small "Goodbye" and with that, she turns and leaves as swiftly as she had come.

Something flickered in her eyes – though Ruiko found the woman to be a mystery and unreadable. His eyes focused upon her more closely then, noting the small bout of silence that stretched between the two and realized that perhaps, in some strange way despite their distance, he had hurt her. Her congratulations was well meant enough, but something underlined that, and yet before the tawny male could move forward to press his muzzle to her cheek in his own silent apology she moved to him.

Ruiko stiffened instinctively, but the embrace was gentle – had he been more poetic, he would have compared it to that of a downy feather. Her touch was sweet, and short. His eyes burned toward her, and before he could murmur a response, the warrior rumbled her dismissal – not just of her presence, but of him.

Stunned, the usually stoical male stood, his eyes regarding the dark she-wolf before she faded in the foliage and was gone from his view. His features grim, Ruiko turned then, the sudden desire to find and hold his mate a strong one. He had never and would never do anything to bring shame to his beloved, but all the same he suddenly felt the need to tell her once more just how much he loved her and how important she was to him.

And to push Elettra Archer from his mind for good.