RETH
Behryn disappeared into the trees and Reth turned his nose to the wind. Tensions were high indeed. He could smell it on every Anima on the breeze.
Even on Elia, though the scent of her was so sweet to him, it was near intoxicating. He'd never forgotten her smell, but now that she was no longer a child, the smell of her that he'd enjoyed as a cub—the smell that made him feel safe, accepted—had bloomed, from a single, frail flower, to an entire bouquet.
"What were you two talking about, flames and smoke?" she said cautiously. The fear in her voice broke through his thoughts and grated on him like fur rubbed the wrong way. No woman should be afraid to walk among the Anima—most especially when she was on his arm! But not only was it completely understandable that she was terrified, it would have been a lie for him to tell her the risk was passed.
