He could hear her breathing even from where he stood-hidden to her untrained eyes. She was trembling, whether from cold or adrenaline he couldn't tell, nor did he care to. But it won't make a difference to him. In a matter of minutes, she would finally be his.
This forest he chose to pursue her through was almost magical. The soft moss on the ground made it that much easier for him to stalk without her knowing exactly where he was. The trees were dense enough to obscure him from view but not so dense that it would be difficult for her to run when she was ready to move again. Allowing her these few precious moments to catch her breath, he observed how the fireflies danced in the darkness and the moonlight bathed the forest in a soft light. It made it look so surreal, as if it was ripped straight out of a fantasy. How he wished to bring her here under much different circumstances.
His longing for those soft moments were forgotten as soon as she made her move. He watched patiently as she sprinted, unbeknownst to her, mere feet away from his grasp. So close he could practically taste the sweat on her skin and feel her heart beating out of her chest. He was somewhat confused, was she terrified or was she enjoying this thrilling chase as much as he was? He could easily end their little game in an instant, he only had to get hold of her. The sweet taste of submission when he pinned her to the birch tree next to her, the bark flaking off as she was pressed into the hard surface with nowhere to run anymore. However, he was quite enjoying seeing her struggle with whether she was ready to admit defeat and submit to him, or not.
A low rumble in his chest alerted her that he was near, much too close for her comfort. Just like a spooked deer she darted into the trees, running further in this forest of birch and maple. He decided in that moment to give her a bit of a head start before he would continue to give chase. He was more than a little distracted at the view he was given of her retreating figure. It was all he could do not to end their game here and now and take her on the forest floor. He wanted her, needed her.
He took joy in hunting her through his woods.
"You are mine little dove," he growled. But where's the fun in ending the hunt so quickly? And with that thought on his mind, he ran into the trees after his prize.