Lyra and Pan: Reunion

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" There was an open gate a little way along, and Lyra could have followed him, but she hung back uneasily. Pantalaimon looked at her, and then became a badger.
She knew what he was doing. Daemons could move no more than a few yards from their humans, and if she stood by the fence and he remained a bird, he wouldn't get near the bear; so he was going to pull.
She felt angry and miserable. His badger claws dug into the earth as he walked forward. It was such a strange tormenting feeling when you daemon was pulling at the link between you; part physical pain deep in the chest, part intense sadness and love. And she knew it was the same for him. Everyone tested it when they were growing up: seeing how far they could pull apart, coming back with intense relief.
He tugged a little harder.
'Don't, Pan!'
But he didn't stop... The pain in Lyra's heart grew more and more unbearable, and a sob of longing rose in her throat.
' Pan--'
Then she was through the gate, scrambling over the icy mud toward him, and he turned into a wildcat and sprang into her arms, and they were clinging together tightly with little shaky sounds of unhappiness coming from them both.
'I thought you really would--'
'No--'
'I can't believe how much it hurt--' "
...He nestled in her arms, and she knew that she would rather die than let them be parted and face that sadness again. "

-from The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman, pg. 171.




For Jack. I will always feel that ache from where you have been torn from me.
I'll miss you forever.