He watched her cerulean eyes as she spoke, feeling as if more and more was hanging off these words. She broke the rhyme, straying from their game, and it made what she said seem all the more poignant. They hit him like a blow that would leave one winded, but instead of a blow it was a gentle touch, and losing his breath for such a cause was oh so pleasant. Instead of saying anything at all, Hemming fell silent with the appreciation of the way he was feeling. The wolf did not understand such emotions as the ones that filled him now, and likely never would, but he was still able to hold them within his skin, more precious than the blood that pumped through his veins. He cherished her words dearly, and they lifted him high off the ground, through the night air by some magic he had never known as he clung, white knuckled, to their warm surface. The promise would never be forgotten, and of course, the promise was reciprocated. It glimmered in his eyes, and he knew that Anu could see it.
Hemming fell into a deep ocean of silence as Anu disappeared into the darkness. He stared out from the inside of AniWaya, feeling weightless and whole at the same time, tethered to Earth by those three hallowed words. Even his mind, usually full with a flurry of thoughts, was quiet as he let the hush of dark fall over him, savouring the way that their visit had made him feel. The wolf knew he couldn't stand there by the fence forever, and as Anu's form was swallowed whole he turned around and traced their path back to his den. It felt lonely, walking a trail that had been forged by two pairs of feet, but it gave Hemming time to gorge himself on a feeling that had been, prior to his life in a pack, so rare. Anu would be waiting for him on some other day, and they would take that trip to the beach to find little wonders that, in the end, could never compare to the gem he now held in his heart.
And, of course, when he got back home the day lily would be waiting, a faithful reminder of a beautiful day.