"In every walk with nature one recieves far more than he seeks."
-John Muir
"Let's just stay like this for the rest of the day." Her voice murmured as she nuzzled her face into the woman's scarred chest. Catalina shifting to rest her head in the crook of Sera's shoulder, gazing towards her.
Sera let out a little chuckle as she stroked her fingers through the woman's bed mused hair. She leaned down and planted a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"As much as I would love that, mi alma, the city needs me. And the recruits aren't going to teach themselves." She rumbled, causing the other to giggle and rest her head back down upon her chest, listening to Sera's heartbeat.
Despite her own words, Sera made no move to release her wife from her grasp, rather tucking her closer.
"But perhaps a few more minutes wouldn't hurt anyone." She mused, settling back into the pillows, cradling her wife close to her chest.
A happy sort of noise escaped Catalina as she curled closer to the muscled and scarred chest that belonged to her beloved.
"I love you."
"And I, you, mi alma. Forever and a day."
The sounds of morning birds calling to their companions awoke her. She blinked blearily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and then the dust from her hair and then close as she slowly rose from where she lay upon the ground.
Rummaging in her pockets, she produced the matchbook she had used the evening prior and then a wrestled a sigg out of the box. Slipping the sigg into her mouth, she moved to stroke the match upon her boot and light the sigg. However as she raised the fire to the end of the sigg, she stopped and gazed at the flame.
The flame itself flicked and shifted in the morning breeze as Sera observed it before just dropping the sigg from her mouth and blowing the match out. Crushing the unlit sigg underfoot, she grabbed her sword belt and satchel from beneath the tree.
Turning her eyes toward the path she had struck out over the course of the night, she raised her hands and offered up the Unionist eye, before turning and moving in the direction of the city.
The words of the dream were still present in her mind- but was it a dream? Or rather was it just her mind reminding of her better times. Of days when she was in love and things so much simpler. Days of when she needed to worry only for her wife and young son, the days when she wasn't always on edge.
Brushing a hand through her messy curls, she urged herself onward, trekking along the path through the wilderness, back to the city and back to her life. However, a singular thought seemed to cause her steps to slow.
Why don't I just stay out here?
Because they need you. Just as you need them. Do not abandon them, Eroth.
A frown creased her features as the second thought countered the first and a soft little chuckle escaped her.
"It's going to be a mess back there… They'll be after him and the blame is going to be put on them… Spirit help us all." She moved to rest a hand upon a nearby tree.
"But I must. I must go. I will go. And I will do what I must to keep them all safe." She spoke firmly to herself and closed her hand into a fist.
Knocking her scarred knuckles against the tree bark, she shouted to the leafy canopy, "I'm no coward! I will fight for them!"
Her words echoing behind her as she turned heel and began to march right back towards the city, purpose in her step. She would protect what was hers. Even if it meant taking the fall for them.
As always thanks to @TheMoistestMan for reading this before I posted. He's a good lad.
