She silently guards her surrounds under the full moon’s radiant light by her river awaiting his return. She knows he is near. She knows he is on his way back. She always knows.

Claws bloodied and muddy, fur matted and damp, body aching and numb he slumps down next to her by the river and rests his weary head onto her thigh. He is exhausted. With broken hearted tears in her eyes she sits with him smoothing her hands up his nose, over his head and down the back of his neck. She cleans his bloodied eyes for him with the bed of her thumbs and tenderly gives him a loving kiss between those tired eyes of his.
She lays herself down next to him on the cool moist grass by her river. His weary head now rests on her bare naked chest and she holds him there, stroking his face. They close their eyes together under the full moon’s watchful sky by her river.
It is her river. She has been dwelling here since before time began. These two ancient souls. Her, his breeze. Him, her light.
She knew he was returning. She could feel him and she could hear him in the wind. She always hears him in the wind. She always feels him. It’s when he is very close by that she feels him so intensely she can almost taste him approaching.
Here they are together once more at her river, after yet another full moon battle that he is forever destined to fight. So many bone tiring, soul torturing, blood thirsty battles that she has seen him wage.
Lately though, she noticed that each time he returned to her he was much more battle weary than the last and it is taking longer for his healing and renewal to take place. This saddens her greatly. The thought of him not being by her side is unsettling for this ancient Warrior Woman. Feeling him near is not the same as him being near. There are absences, yes. A necessary evil. However, he always returns to her. Always. He has been her light as she travelled the shadows alone. She has been his soft breeze as he battled the brutal fields. They had always known each other, even before they met.
They had fought, battled and slayed for each other over many thousands of years. At least 600 years this time around. She knows his light will forever guide her through the darkness. And he knows her breeze is his guide in the battles on the fields. He is of the Moon. She is of the Earth. Apart yet never separated.
He raises his Earth weary head and gazes directly into the very depths of her timeless soul. She smiles, inviting him to linger and play there for as long as he desires to. His look is familiar and it comforts her.
He slowly begins to lift himself up from beside her and is unsteady as he does so. He is undeniably world weary. She sits up. Sliding her right arm over his shoulder, her hand rests on the back of his soft fur neck. She kisses his soft fur cheek. She places the palm of her left hand in between his two front legs. On his chest. Where his heart is. She closes her eyes then takes a deep breath through her nose. His scent stimulates her to her core and she exhales slowly through her mouth. Repeating this as she lovingly pours into him all energy of hers she can until she herself begins to sense that he has regained enough strength again. This time their ritual of renewal leaves her feeling somewhat much more drained than the last.
Strength regained, his gift from her, he bellows an almighty howl at his moon as he shapeshifts into human form. He picks her lifeless, time weary body up in his arms and carries her into her river to bathe her under the healing magic of his moonlight. His moon and her water – strength and healing for her. Her soul and his moon – strength and healing for him.
She is in his arms in her water feeling her own strength return. They both now are rested, revived and together have refreshed each other. As they have done many, many times before. They hold each other in the water looking into each others ancient souls. Without words they lean toward each others faces to caress each others delicate mouths with each others tender lips. A tear tickles her cheek as it trickles down her face. They hold each other a little tighter, a little closer. Exchanging the most treasured kisses. Them both knowing.