Oh, it was that easy. All her fear was gone, instantly. She had expected fluff and filler, but he gave so much more - and suddenly there was simply no room left in her for fear, no possibility to worry about drowning.
He thought of her. He wanted to come back, when he was sick. When his tongue turned yellow with having drained himself to completely and overloaded his magics.
Keeping her eyes closed, she felt her way up to his shoulder and then nuzzled the tip of her nose all the way up to his cheek. Ah, it was wet... But only in that one spot. Oh, Pixie...
Pressing her cheek to his, she let him feel the tear slide down hers in answer. She wasn't going under - and now there was something else, something better and stronger in place of the fear she had cultivated in the water.
There was him.
I dreamed of thy return, she whispered, sounding feminine for what was perhaps one of the first times in her life. I dreamed each night that the next morn would hold thee within the warm embrace of my own two sons. It hurt me, to be so empty, to have that which completes me simply disappear. I oft wondered how it could be that thou wouldst do such a crime against me. Yet, that you longed for me in turn...
She paused and let the sentence hang, letting him feel what that meant to her, how important it was, through their own bond - of mate, of circle - and then shifted just a bit, giving him a sharp nip on his neck and dipping her muzzle in the water to rinse off the fur that tried to stick in her teeth. Foolish, she chided firmly, though there was a thickness to her voice, foolish of us each. You could have been lost to me, my love. Foolish of me for being angry.
Sighing, she turned her head - eyes still closed, still relying on his touch - and nuzzled into her neck, a small laugh escaping her as she murmured I shall beat thee should thou ever do such a thing again. If naught else, refrain from traveling alone, else ye leave me behind once more. Pausing, she nipped at his ear, gentle this time. I forgive you for my pain, beloved, if ye can forgive my anger.