"Did I say something wrong?" Reiko muttered to herself, glancing to the direction Samickle had headed off to. He had run away so suddenly, that Reiko couldn't help but to wonder if she had upsetted him somehow.

With a sigh, Reiko sheathed the sword— She didn't feel like practising without him. Then, a small smile spread onto her face. "It was nice, him teaching me. I didn't expect him to be so gentle and patient with me." Reiko whispered to herself. Samickle was kind and considerate— She couldn't help but admire him, and her affection for him had started growing. Reiko was starting to feel like she was finally getting to know the real Samickle, and she was starting to really enjoy his company.

Reiko sat down under a tree, her gaze fixed on the lake. She couldn't help but wonder why Samickle had acted so strangely, and she couldn't help but feel a bit worried about him. Sometimes it seemed almost as if he was afraid of her, and it was starting to make her feel a little uneasy. "What is it about me that makes him act like that?"

When she had first met him, she would never have expected him to have such a sensitive side to him. Seeing Samickle strut through the Wep'keer village with other Oina warriors, tall and proud, his hand so casually resting on the hilt of his sword, he looked so strong, tough and fearless. And, the way his golden eyes glinted beneath his falcon mask, the way the light reflected off his long, heather hair, she could've almost thought that he was a god walking among mortals. That was Samickle, the future chief of Oina. But, after learning more about him, she had found him to be a kind and considerate man, who cared deeply for his people, and his friends. Samickle was not just a warrior; He was a protector, a guardian, a friend.

But, to her, he wished to be something more, but Reiko didn't quite understand what. Her mate? Her husband? Her lover? Reiko had been thinking about this a lot lately. She wasn't sure what he wanted, or how he truly felt about her. His words and actions were sometimes at odds with each other, and she had no idea how to deal with him; Samickle was an enigma, and she just couldn't figure him out.

Reiko rested her head against the tree, and closed her eyes, enjoying the soft breeze blowing past her. She'd just have to wait and see, and hope that Samickle would eventually open up to her.

"Reiko..?"

"Hm?" She opened her eyes, and found Samickle standing there, peering down at her. "Samickle? Did I doze off…" Reiko mumbled, stifling a yawn.

"Uhm, sorry... Did I disturb you?" Samickle asked.

"Oh, no, not at all." Reiko smiled, and scooted over, gesturing him to sit next to her. But, Samickle didn't move. His gaze fell down to the ground, avoiding her eyes. "Is something wrong?" Reiko asked.

"It's… nothing." Samickle shook his head. "It's getting late— We should head back to the camp."

"Oh, right." Reiko muttered, a hint of disappointment in her voice. She had hoped that they would've continued training for a little while more, but apparently Samickle wasn't in the mood for that. "Thank you for teaching me." She got up, handing his katana back to him.

"Oh, it was nothing. You-" Samickle's voice trailed off— Reiko had leaned in, her hand briefly touching his. That fleeting moment had been enough for his heart to skip a beat, waking the butterflies in his stomach. The proximity was too much, he couldn't stand being this close to her any longer. "Anyway, we should get going." Samickle quickly cleared his throat, and took a step back, attaching his sword onto his belt.

"Do you think I could try again sometime?" Reiko asked, her voice hopeful.

"Well, uh… Maybe. If you want." Samickle mumbled, his fingers digging into his hair in a nervous manner. Why she had to look at him like that? He was finding it increasingly harder to focus, his body tensing. "Come on, then. Let's go." He turned around, gesturing her to follow him.

Reiko quickly followed him, and they began their journey back to the camp, a silence lingering between them. As they walked, Samickle couldn't help but notice Reiko sneaking a glance at him. His cheeks burned in embarrassment, and he could feel the heat spreading over his body, his pulse racing. It hadn't been long since his little episode, but he was already struggling to contain himself. His mind was wandering, and the urges were returning.

Reiko, on the other hand, was still sneaking glances at him, trying to read his expression. There was definitely something bothering him; The atmosphere between them had changed, and the tension was palpable. Something was troubling him.

"Is everything okay?" Reiko finally asked after a moment of silence.

"I-it's nothing." Samickle shook his head, his hand fidgeting with his robes, tugging at the fabric.

"You don't have to lie." Reiko muttered, swiping a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she averted her gaze. "You've been acting strange for a while now, and I think I know what's troubling you."

"Y-you do?" Samickle stammered. His pulse was quickening, but this time it wasn't because of the heat. His palms were sweating, and he could feel the panic rising in his chest. Was it possible that she had noticed him watching her, or worse, seeing him-

"Yes, I do." Reiko nodded. "Ever since the other morning..."

"Other morning..?" Samickle gulped.

"You can't shift back to wolf anymore, can you?" Reiko said quietly. "And you're struggling with it. Am I right?"

Samickle stopped dead in his tracks. He blinked, his jaw dropping. "Uh- I mean, what are you-"

"It's okay." Reiko stopped as well, turning to give him a sympathetic look. "I know you're not used to being stuck in your human form, and it must be difficult, not being able to transform anymore..." She offered him a slight smile. "But you don't have to feel embarrassed about it."

"Oh, that's- well... Yes, I'm a bit concerned, but..." Samickle tried to hide his relief, his heart slowing down a little. Not being able to take his wolf form was concerning, and admitting it to her was embarrassing, sure... But it was better than her finding out about his other secret.

"I just wish you would've told me." Reiko sighed. "Maybe I could've helped."

"No, it's fine. You shouldn't have to worry about my problems."

"But I do worry. About you." Reiko admitted. "You can talk to me, you know. Besides, since we're travelling together, don't you think I should know? What if something happens?"

"That's true, I suppose." Samickle reluctantly nodded. He didn't like talking about his personal problems, especially with someone who could possibly become his mate, but Reiko had a point; Hiding the fact that he was unable to transform could lead to complications, and possibly even endanger her. It was foolish not to tell her.

"So... Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know what happened. One day I could shift, and the next day I couldn't. It was like the magic in me just faded." Samickle sighed. "I've been trying, but nothing happens. No matter how hard I try, I can't take my wolf form."

"That's troubling..." Reiko furrowed her brow. "I bet the elders could help, but we're already so far away from Kamui. Do you... If you want to go back, we-"

"No, that's not necessary." Samickle cut her off. "I'm sure the problem will fix itself soon enough."

"Well, okay..." Reiko mumbled, seemingly not convinced. "Just... Please, don't keep things from me." She said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"I'm sorry." Samickle lowered his head. He had made her worry, and it made his heart ache. They stood there, awkwardly looking at each other, until Samickle finally spoke again: "We should keep moving."

When they made it back to the camp, the sun was setting. The sky was painted in orange and purple hues, and the clouds were darkening. They had collected some firewood, and were sitting by the campfire, cooking the rabbits they had caught on their way back.

"Hey, Reiko?" Samickle broke the silence. "Thank you."

"Hm? What for?"

"For asking. About the shifting." Samickle clarified. "I didn't really want to talk about it, but I think... It was good, getting it off my chest."

"Oh, well... I'm glad." Reiko gave him a slight smile. "Anytime you want to talk, just let me know."

"Thanks." Samickle smiled. It was nice, talking with her. Reiko was kind, understanding, and patient.

"Hey, Samickle... Could I ask you something?" Reiko suddenly asked, her voice quiet.

"Sure. What is it?"

"What is it, about me... that makes you so nervous?" Reiko asked.

Samickle's eyes widened. "Uh- Why- Why would you ask something like that?" He stammered, his cheeks burning.

"Sorry, I- I just-" Reiko blushed. "It's just that... You sometimes seem so scared of me, and it makes me wonder if it's something I did."

"I- uh, well..." Samickle stuttered. Of course she had noticed him acting weird— He hadn't been subtle at all.

"I mean, if it's something about me, just say so. You don't have to hide it from me."

"No, it's- It's not your fault. It's mine." Samickle sighed.

"Yours?"

"You've done nothing wrong. It's me, it's..." Samickle paused. How was he supposed to explain it to her? That he was a freak who struggled to control himself around her, and that he was a pervert who would rather see her naked than clothed? There was no way he could tell her, no matter how hard he tried.

"You've been acting strange ever since I took my mask off." Reiko sighed, grabbing the wolf mask from her belt. "You should've just said that seeing me without it makes you uncomfortable."

"No, no, I-"

"I understand if it takes you a while to get used to seeing me without it, but just make sure to tell me if it gets too much?" Reiko gave him a meaningful look. "I can always put it back on."

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Samickle cleared his throat. "It's fine." It was better to let her believe that he was simply struggling with her face being visible. At least he didn't have to reveal his real reason, even if it meant him having to suffer in silence.

"I'm glad." Reiko smiled, and attached the mask back to her belt. "The food is almost ready. Do you want the first bite?"

"Oh, no. You go first." Samickle waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not that hungry."

"Well, okay."

As they ate, the wind was growing colder. Once the sky had grown dark, Reiko decided it was time to call it a day.

"So, you're gonna sleep in the tent as well, right?" Reiko asked after finishing her meal. As a wolf, Samickle had spent some nights outside, but now the situation had changed.

"W-what?!" Samickle gaped. There was no way he'd share a tent with her, not in his current condition..!

"What is it? It's not like we haven't slept in the same tent before." Reiko furrowed her brow. Of course, spending the night in the same tent with him when he was in his human form would be awkward, sure... but she was reluctant to leave him outside.

"It's... fine." Samickle muttered, averting his eyes. "I'll sleep outside."

"But-"

"I've slept outside plenty of times. And compared to Kamui, this weather is quite pleasant." Samickle assured her, hoping she would just accept it and leave him be. He needed to put some distance between them, or else his self-control would crumble. "I should keep watch, anyway." In his wolf form, his instincts were sharp enough to keep them both safe, but now he didn't have his keen sense of hearing or smell. He had to stay vigilant, or else he might not notice an approaching enemy.

"But, I-" Reiko wanted to protest, but her words failed her. If he didn't want to share the tent with her, she couldn't exactly force him, either. "Okay, fine." She sighed and stood up, heading towards the tent. "Just feel free to join me if you get too cold."

Samickle watched her go, a pang of guilt gnawing at him. But, it was the best option for both of them.

"Goodnight." Reiko said as she closed the tent.

"Night."

Samickle stayed by the fire, occasionally poking the embers with a stick, listening to the sounds of the forest. It was a clear, moonless night. Samickle closed his eyes, and focused on his surroundings, his ears sharp. There were the familiar sounds of the forest, and the occasional noises from the tent. But, aside from that, there was nothing unusual. He was still feeling a little flustered, but also a bit relieved. He was glad that he had told her; It had felt surprisingly good to talk about his problem, and he couldn't help but smile to himself.

But, as the night approached, his smile faded. Samickle glanced at the tent, and then looked up at the sky. He'd have to endure the heat for another night. It wasn't easy, not with Reiko being so close. He could feel his urges slowly creeping up on him. The temperature was rising, his skin starting to feel uncomfortably hot. He couldn't help but to stare at Reiko's tent. It would've been so easy, if he was just to get closer, and slip inside, and-

No. This had to stop.

"Why does this have to be so difficult?" Samickle sighed, his forehead creasing as he leaned his head against the hilt of his sword. Why couldn't he just control himself? It wasn't fair. It was his body, yet it seemed like he had no say in what it did. Samickle clenched his teeth, and dug his fingers into his hair. He was frustrated, angry, and sad; He wanted to be close to Reiko, but he was afraid that his urges would betray him, and cause him to lose control. He wasn't sure how far his self-control could go. What if, one day, it failed? And what if it made her hate him? It was terrifying.

And so, Samickle stayed by the fire, and waited for the morning to come.