Rhydian's mind was flooded with questions as he chased after Ceri. (He refused to call her 'Mum' now after what had just happened.) But the main two that kept reoccurring in his confused mind were 'HHHHH hjHow could she do such a thing as attack Maddy, no matter how much she dislikes her, when she knows how much it would hurt me, her son?' and 'Have I lost Maddy for good this time?' The last question made Rhydian turn around and run back to Maddy, letting Ceri go free, as he realised that Maddy's life was unimaginably more important than his revenge.
As Rhydian approached Maddy's body, lying bloody on the ground, he couldn't tell if there was any life left in her. He knelt down at her side as he held back his tears, and prayed for a positive outcome. Maddy still did not move so Rhydian put his mouth to her ear and questioned, 'Maddy? Maddy are you there? Please…' He couldn't continue speaking as he choked on his tears, but he stayed in place, trying to be optimistic for a reply.
A few moments later, to Rhydian's relief and uncontrollable joy, Maddy began to stir. She had felt Rhydians warm, soothing breath against her face, and she was transported back to reality. Rhydian held his breath as she opened her eyes, tears now truly running down his face, and was greeted by Maddy's soft voice calling his name. 'Rhydian?'
'I'm here Mads, look, I'm here!' Rhydian replied, causing smiles to light up both of their faces. Now that he had finally got to speak to her, after not having been able to do so for six months, he couldn't stop himself from saying all of the things that he'd been waiting to say to her, and so he continued. 'But I should have been here a long time ago and I know it doesn't begin to cover it but I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am for everything. For leaving you, believing that I could be happy in a pack without you, but most of all for not telling you how I felt about you before and-'
Maddy could no longer bear the look of regret in Rhydian's deep blue eyes. She knew he was about to start saying how everything was his fault when, in truth, she felt it was all hers, and she neither wanted to nor had the strength to argue with him when they had just been reunited. This led to her grabbing hold of his shirt and pulling him down into a gentle, yet passionate, kiss, rendering Rhydian unable to (or wanting to) speak. He simply, without thinking put one hand in Maddy's hair, allowing him to stroke it comfortingly, and one hand on her neck. Neither Rhydian, nor Maddy, could dislike the sensations the interaction caused. They both suddenly felt warmth in the bottom of their stomachs from the moment their lips met, and from that point onwards, neither could think of anything else but of the taste of the other's lips. Their minds were empty of all thoughts, and their chests became free of all pain as they felt their hearts returning to them, making them both want that single moment to last forever.
When the pair separated they simply stared into each other's eyes. All was silent in the forest. The wind was gone, and the sound of the nearby river flowing was absent from their ears. The silence was only broken by Rhydian, a minute later, as he spoke. 'Mads, I love you.'
'I love you too, Rhydi-' was all the reply that Maddy could make when on the last word, she felt a sharp pain shoot across her chest and she screamed, startling Rhydian into a state of terror. He looked down at her body to find his arm had been leant on her chest whilst he had had his hand on her neck. He saw that he had leant on one of the slashes inflicted by Ceri, causing Maddy to writhe in pain. Lost in the moment previously, both had completely forgotten Maddy's wounds. Rhydian lifted the arm that he had been leant on her with to see that it was now covered in blood.
Maddy returned to the sea of darkness.