"Still, we do not have forever."

Shrug. "Rushing tends to spook prey."

"Quite."

"This is worth patience," she says, almost chidingly. "I would walk these paths for a month happily." Then, softly: "And frustration or turmoil will only drive the stag away."

"Noted."

Onwards through the snow, then.

She seems pensive the rest of that day - and the next - and after night has fallen yet again, a cold clear sky visible through the bare trees, the Darkling leads Svetka away from the other two. Close enough they'll see flares from each other; far enough that the forest swallows all sounds. She orders Elvira and Val not to follow, and leaves her and Svetka's horses with them at the camp.

Val is not fond of that order, and she stares off after the two as they leave, gripping her forearm tightly enough to hurt even through her heavy coat.

"Hey. You all right, Valeriya?"

"...I'm worried."

She steps closer, puts a hand on her shoulder. "Talk to me?"

She leans into Elvira's touch - and then turns, tearing her eyes away from where the wind is slowly covering Svetka and the Darkling's tracks to press herself into Elvira.

" - I don't trust her. But Svetka likes her - but Svetka's really not good at evaluating - people. But if she's good for Svetka - "

Shaky breath.

"...I don't want someone else to be Svetka's most important person. Even if she's worthy of it."

Hug.

"You've been together forever, I know. But she's- growing her wings, now. At some point, she needs to fly."

"...I've always been - the person who looks after her. Makes sure she's okay."

"Keeping sane... I needed to be there for her, first, otherwise I would've just - exploded."

"I'm glad you managed to keep yourself together long enough that we could meet."

Bright grin!

"I am, too. You're worth quite a lot of 'not stabbing my superior officers.'"

"Technically I am a superior officer... so if you are ever overcome with the need to stab, just ask nicely."

She laughs. "And I wouldn't want to make you jealous by stabbing all my other superior officers."

Quick kiss.

"Jealousy is a terrible look on me. Genya was quite clear on that point."

Less quick kiss. "Maintaining your great beauty is a very worthy goal."

"I'm very pleased you think so, darling." Kiss.

"And... over our time together, you've become important to me. Perhaps most important."

Delighted smile! And much kiss.

"You've become really, really important to me, too, you know." Lean, and then her smile turns a bit pensive. "That's part of what's making this whole thing scary, I think - Svetka's not the only one spreading her wings." Then, conspiratorially, "Or you might just be inherently very terrifyingly wonderful. One of those."

"Perhaps both are true."

"A reasonable idea..."

"I'm a reasonable woman."

"And intelligent and wise..."