Aelena spoke words that the druid’s ears did NOT want to hear. His whole body shook briefly in violent protest, hands that clung and held the shaman clenching suddenly, squeezing her butt tight. The act may have been interpreted as blatant dismissal of her statement, request even, but when it ended just as quickly, followed by a reluctant growl, she would know that she had, for the moment, tamed the druid. His hands slowly, reluctantly began to release her, allowing those strong legs to unwind from around his body, though those hands did not leave her completely, determined to remain on her hips, holding her closer than arms’ distance.<br/><br/>At least he had not erred in his judgment. At least he now knew that her passion for him was just as fierce as his was for her, which made so, so much more difficult to let her pull away. In fact, he couldn’t. His arms would not let this tender, playful draenei slip from his embrace as they slid up her back and gently drew her back against him. He was obedient to her request, though, and respectful of how he touched her now. He held her gently, allowing her to slip away if she chose to, rubbing his cheek against hers, his lips against hers, his kisses to her tender now, though still trembling some. His eyes found hers, and he smiled as he felt those delicate fingers caressing his ear. He chuckled, growling playfully to his shaman.<br/><br/>“Oh, you better.”<br/><br/>Many more moments would pass of gentle caressing and kissing before the druid’s hunger would subside, and his body  would be willing to be pulled away from hers. Moving to the small pantry, he smiled as he found it stocked with cooking supplies and fresh meats and other food stuffs. He turned to Aelena, smiling and offering a playful wink.<br/><br/>“You think I can still remember how to cook? No sense going on the mission on an empty stomach.”<br/><br/>As he sorted through all of the cookware and ingredients he would need, he realized that this mission would be far more difficult now; he had someone he was truly afraid to lose. Not that he wouldn’t mourn for years if anything happened to Aelena, but now that she was his love; it changed everything. He looked to her again, his eyes locked passionately with hers. He wanted to ask her to remain with Rivern’s group tonight instead, but he couldn’t. Such a request would be disrespectful to her, and he would not do that to her. He shook himself a bit, focusing on his cooking, telling himself again and again that, though their relationship has changed, SHE has not; she was still the capable shaman that she has always been. That thought drew a mischievous smile from the druid; just how capable, he wondered.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>