The sun's morning light tried to break against the thick coat of fog that hung unto the Cedar Forest. It could do nothing, but make the gray wisp glow with an alluring brightness. To the young girl it was nothing ominous or scary about the fog. It was quite the oppisite. When her eyes had fluttered opened, and she'd step out from the den it made her almost believe she had stepped into a dreamland of silver myst. The glow of the sun against the thin shield made her home more clear, and beautiful. It was like she'd been blind, and was seeing it for the first time. Her wide ears swept upward from her pale head, and she paused just a top the knoll taking in the new beauty. Where was Trisden? She questioned, and a frown formed upon her lips. She wanted to know what she thought of this. She did not have to wonder where her brother, Hocus was. He was warm, and cozy in the den dead to the rest of the world. Well she was not going to pass this day by, and breathed in this clean air. She really wanted to stick out her tongue to see if it had a taste like snow. She kept the urge back, feeling it was not very grown up to stick her tongue out. Her brows creased against her forehead, and she peered in each direction to see if she was really alone. There was not a peep of anyone, and she let the tip of her tongue hang past the edge of her lips. Nope, there was no real taste, and before she was caught she tucked it back in. What to do today.

She sprang from the small crest, and landed gracefully or almost. Her front, right paw caught upon a rock, and she side stepped quickly to keep her balance. She giggled at her half dance, and jogged away deciding she might try to find Jaysyek today. She was nothing adroit or least she thought so, she lowered her nose, and set it to work finding her mother's freshest scent.

Jogging along with pep in her step, much like always, she followed the familiar trails of Grizzly Hollow getting eager to see anyone. She hated being alone, and was actually craving someone to talk to. When it proved her mother might be out of the Hollow she was reluctant to find her. She always ran into strange wolves, and was not quite wanting that kind of company right now. A sad sigh, and her ears folding back she changed her mind on finding a wolf. Instead she began checking the brush, and brambles for something good to eat. A hunt would occupy her.

There was something in there. Her mind strained to recall what small creature it was. A mouse? No. A squirrel? No, but it was something like it. Her black nostrils flared, as she tried much harder to decide the creature whose name evaded her. Suddenly a small leaf shot up her nose, and she pressed out a light snort to eject it. Ouch! She thought, biting her lip to keep her thought from being said aloud. Her body had radically changed, but Arlette was the same quiet, little wolf. Swiping her paw along her snout to rid of the icky feeling, she more carefully worked her way around the bush. It was a chipmunk she was scenting! Her white tail swayed excitely behind her. Where was the little rascal?

She was unaware for a time anyone had spotted her. She was very absorbed in her work. She was in the sacred grounds of the hollow to worry about a stranger coming upon her. All at once her eyes shifted up to see if the little creature was above her when she saw a very tall, white figure checking out the same brush. She had no idea who it belonged to. Yellow eyes became wide, and her lithe body tense. Once she realized he was friendly, and her nose told her Jayse's scent was presence upon him so she relaxed....a little bit any way.

Upon his short laugh, and hushed resonse her ears folded backward, she timidly lowered her head. If he could see he'd notice a frail smile on the side of her mouth, showing she was not completely worried. "I guess so," she said, giving a feeble wag of her tail, not minding to have a new hunting partner. If he was friendly all the better. Raising her head, she cleared her throat."It..it is a chipmunk right?" She asked rather politely, her ears still wielded to her head.

He continued keeping his distance, and if there was anything to be known about Arlette it would be her high apprecition for those who did not intrude her personal space. Someone had to be allowed, and welcomed into such a close perimeter when she'd deem them worthy, and someone to trust. At once she become more curiuos of the white male, and how he had come to the Hollow. She'd not gotten to know any of the new members, not that she had tried, but he seemed a promising aquaitence she could come to like. Especially if he helped her catch the elusive chipmunk. Though her pale brow quirked, not sure what he kept laughing about. She didn't find anything humorous, not that she was bothered by the sound. She enjoyed hearing laughter it was a sign of a good humored being--someone she could get along with. Besides who couldn't do with more laughing? Even if she was to innocent to realize she might be the cause.

She was tempted to try to see him better, but she too was concerned her sudden breakfast would become harder to find, slip right past under the paws. The girl was use to unsuccessful hunts, but it didn't make failure any less painful. He checked and affirmed her suspcions, and her tail gave another wag. When he offered to help flush it out, her tail picked up speed. "I can try," she said, a smile in her words just as much as it was upon her face. She carefully pulled her paws, moving her body away from the brush. Her muscles swayed in anticipation, and she gave a nod of her head. She was ready.

After Alexander made his move the little creature startled beyond belief. Lickidy split it zoomed away from the larger threat, ready to make it's jump into the tree Arlette was standing beside. She noticed the look of his eyes, and pounced with her paws outstretched. She landed on the creature, her jaws sneeking past her paws to grab him quickly ending his life, and all his fears. For a moment she pitied him, but his body was limp now. "Frank oo," she muttered through her closed teeth.

The young lady had caught the older gentleman's happy expresion of their success when he padded around the brush. She was a little shocked herself at his tall, and thin body. It did not match his lively laugh, nor striking voice. Her ears pulled back if she was only embarrased to have someone look upon her. There was something else. His face had changed to something she might have called surprised but she could not register. Was he hoping for a bigger chipmunk? She surely had been, but she had learned to take what she could get. She dimissed any wrong. He must be here because he was friendly, and in need of eating. Mother often likd to help those in need. Her white tail wagged gleefully, and she shyly dropped her gaze while her mouth held soft the golden prize. When she dared looked back up in a mere second it was as if nothing had changed upon he man's face. It was happy as it had first been, and she wondered if her imagination had been running off with her again. It often did getting the best of her.

Gingerly she lowered her head, dropping the creature to the ground to accept her praise. "Thanks, but not without you," and a giddy half giggle peeled from her throat. The offer of something bigger her tail beat faster becoming a blur behind her hocks. "Really?" She asked, but could not quite hide the excited squeak to the phrase. He would take her hunting? She had not often been given the opportunity, and usually she did not take to someone new. There was something about him she liked. He was friendly, and nice but not overbearing. Who could turn down someone who'd kindly helped her? Raigo was often her rescuer, and today she learned some one else could be that too. She was getting ahead of herself. She would have to see how this "hunt" went before letting the thought become a real issue. Her excitement bubbling inside of her like a soda pop ready to burst, her ears cupped forward, and she took a moment to think if she should go hunting with him. Hmm, a test was in order? Again what her brother or sister would do evaded her. She could not guess their ways, or choices any more than the weather. She did not want to say no. It'd be rude ot say no. She told herself, and raised her chin. "Sure, as long as we don't go to far?" She stated at the same time asking with an innocent wondering. What harm could they befall around the forest? She added a smile, not wanting to affend him. It was then she noticed he had the same color of eyes as she. She stared at them, blinking in disbelief. "Whooa, you have eyes like me." This she thought was pretty cool, she had often thought herself as different when her eyes had become so much lighter, and different in color. Seeing him with the same made her feel normal. Then she nervously laughed, and folded her ears thinking she'd stepped out of line. The chipmunk came to mind, and she decided it was awful interesting all of a sudden she began nibbling at the small thing.

If it had not been for the few kind strangers she had run into, she might have found his behavior odd. She had met other encouraging, and light-hearted wolves she found nothing peculiar about him. She was actually pretty hopeful he might be someone she could count on for a smile, or another hunt. Her lips straitened, tucking in almost, and she bobbed her white head. "Maybe, I'm not really fast though. Or my paws move quicker than I want?" She cocked her head, folding her ears backward. She wasn't sure what made her fail at hunting. She wasn't too bothered by it, she had gotten quite better when looking back at her first tries. She'd been rather scared to do anything, trying to make friends with the creatures first. Now, she understood they weren't out to talk, but very afraid. Still had her sad, she really wanted to know what it was like for something beside a wolf. How would it be to climb up a tree, and leap from one to the next. Or live underwater, rushing up the different streams. She was starting to space out.


Her attention snapped with the flutter of her pale eyelids. He was not pulling her leg, but serious. Her white tail wiggled more, and she finished the couple more bites of measly meat. Delicately she cleaned any crimson, and goo swallowing back. She was listening, yet trying to decide where she wanted to go within the Hollow. Her pink tongue folded back in her mouth, she was aware of a place she did not want to go, and where there would be no luck. Where was somewhere she hadn't been.
She went through her mental map, and recalled a rabbit warren she had wanted to inspect only she hadn't dared on her own. But now...


"Okay, I know just the spot," she beamed, while hoping she'd cleaned herself up properly. The mention of eyes was forgotten, and she lead the way at it's insistent. Carrying herself in a neutral way, she wanted to be respectful of the older man she pointed west, and began trotting quickly to the dirt pile.


Soon after following part of the stream, and running almost into the Thicket of Secrets she spotted their old den. Drawing to a halt, her eyes narrowed tracing along the many tunnels of outs, and ins. She thought she saw the traces of tracks, but turned to the white man. "Um, I think they're in there. But you know I forgot to even ask who you are. I'm Arlette, but most call me Lettie," she added a proud wag of her tail, and lift of her chin. She'd always been proud, and fond of her name.