Heavy rain.

"How do you feel? Is it better by any chance?" Bugak asked and released his grip, allowing her the freedom to attempt sitting up on her own.

Anna carefully bent her knees and swung her feet in the air.

"It looks all healed up." She smiled and sat, reaching to her shirt. The desire to touch her overwhelmed him, craving the warmth of a hug and the feeling of her soft skin against his. But he suppressed the urge, pausing midway as he picked up his own clothes from the grass.

The longing was bittersweet. 

He just found her and already managed to break her spine by accident. That alone is enough for her to banish him forever.

She should do it and he would be forced to obey her wish.

The depth of his feelings scared him, and he wondered if it would be easier to deny reality and convince himself that she was only a fragment of his imagination, a charming fantasy. A dream way too real. He felt like she was made for him, like if he just obtained the other half of his soul, how could he let it happen? 

"We should be able to reach the wetlands in a few weeks," she said, completely clueless of his mood as she pointed at some place in the map "I'll make a wattle carrier and we will head to Godfast after that, is that okay with you? Or do you have a place you want to visit instead?" Anna lifted her eyes to meet his and waited for his reply.

A brief pause filled the air, despite the fact he already knew. But Bugak didn't want to seem too clingy, so he just muttered "No, not really, choose whatever you want."

Anything worked with him as long as he could go along.

Anna stood up, stretching her arms overhead. With curiosity in her eyes, she glanced around the closest trees. Taking a few steps forward, she leaned in to examine a nearby bush while he neatly folded their dirty blanket.

They progressed at a slow pace due to her frequent stops to gather unusual plants along the way.

"Do you smell it? It will rain soon." Anna straightened her back as she realized what this unique, earthy smell meant.

But he got visibly nervous.

"Are you sure?" With anxiety clear in his voice, he halted, desperately scanning the sky through the dense foliage above.

His heart raced, as if taunting him with the possibility of a positive answer. Every rustle of leaves and creaking of branches intensified his discomfort.

"Pretty sure." With a smile on her face, she felt relief as the stifling weather was finally replaced by a refreshing breeze accompanied by rain.

"We should hurry back to that hut we passed by a moment ago." He said, grabbed her hand and turned around to lead the way. There was no other choice but to stumble behind him. The tight grip on her hand made her feel both uneasy and dependent on his guidance.

"Bugak wait, what's wrong?" She gasped as she tried to keep up with him.

He glanced at her and grinned without even slowing down.

"I don't understand..." she whimpered, but as she did, the wind changed direction and got stronger.

"I hate rainstorms. It's not safe, especially in the autumn." Bugak murmured when they were finally able to see the wry roof of that hut not so far away, still partly hidden among the trees. He loosened his grip and stopped.

She fell into his arms as he turned his whole body toward her and moaned quietly when he eagerly kissed her and squeezed her breast between his fingers. His vigor, radiating from his being, was a magnet drawing her closer to him.