The same confusing mixture of relief and disappointment Mazikeen felt earlier, when Gale did not close the gap between them, floods her again when he looks away and says he needs to think about what his prize would be. She still watches him as he looks down the shoreline and her orange gaze softens as it traces his outline in the near-dark.
She laughs a little when he mentions her state and how it wouldn’t be fair to fight now but the sound feels faint to her and she cannot figure out why.
The truth is that although she’s craving space in order to be able to breathe and think clearly again, she’s sad they've come to the end of this day. Even though she’d been hoping there would be more excuses to delay their fight, even if only to have a reason to find each other again, she knows would fight without hesitation no matter what her condition. Maybe he knows that too. If it is pity that inspires him, she does not feel the usual bitterness associated with that feeling.
“Okay. Yes, you’re right, of course. I... I should go home… and rest.” Mazikeen is aware that she does not necessarily want to leave but it makes the most sense. She’s spent a long time away from Hyaline as it is and she does have a duty to protect the kingdom and scout the borders before she could even think about resting.
When his eyes grow sombre and he mentions talking to his family, she nods her understanding. Words tumble out of her practically of their own free will, and they are such a small pathetic thing for her to offer compared to what he may be facing. “I hope you’re not cursed, Gale. But if you are - I’m not afraid of it.” The gentle and stubborn way she says ‘it’, she really means ‘you’. She means there is no Curse that could keep her away from him. But those exact words she is too nervous to say out loud.
Before she can let her nerves completely get the better of her, Mazikeen closes the gap between them and reaches out to touch her muzzle to his once more - and if he’ll let her, she holds it there for a few (annoyingly shaky) breaths. Her orange eyes flutter closed at the contact, and she savours it. She imagines what it would be like to touch more of him, to caress the slope of his neck and see if his muscles would twitch beneath her touch the way hers did just under his gaze. She could trace the lines of his brindling across his powerful body. Inexperience and uncertainty keep her to this simple touch though - one they’ve already shared.
It takes more effort than she’ll admit, even to herself, to open her eyes again and step away. The black osprey wings are back on her sides in a blink and a smile lights up her expression again. She prepares to leave, unfurling her wings, but her gaze does not break from him for a moment longer.
“I’ll see you soon.”
It’s not phrased as a question - she does not want to allow the possibility of a ‘no’.
@[Gale]