Coho Pool as the moment fades - Printable Version

Vanadis sat at the edge of the pool, watching the water meander around large chunks of ice. Spring was coming, but it wasn't here yet. It was still too cold, too grey. Soon the Backwater would be filled with life; trees would bud and bloom, flowers would pop out of the ground. She'd always hated this time of year, hated the mud that begged to coat her fur, but this year was different. This year she didn't feel the need to care.

The sun was setting, its light still trickling through the trees. She'd return to the Backwater before dark, she'd have to, but for now, Vana took this as a win. The simple fact that she could be out here alone was a testament to that.

There was a shift in her world. Many changes had come and gone, but this was different. Sonnet didn't understand why. There was something special about the new wolf in the pack that had others acting funny. She didn't like this, especially since her guardian was off. She was unsettled by this the most.

The girl stuck to the outskirts, sharp eyes piercing into the creamy woman's pelt. She'd been trailing her scent around the territory ever since she'd shown up. This was the first time she tagged along though, quietly following the woman to Coho pool. She'd laid down amongst the nearby trees.

Her small form was hunkered down so that in her mind she was undetectable. She was giving her best attempt at hiding and stalking this new lady. Pale fur sticking out like a sore thumb against the muddy slush of melted snow. She'd grown accustomed to disappearing in the layers of white.

"Speak"

Vana didn't notice her at first, too wrapped up in her own thoughts to pay attention. A stupid mistake, one that could have cost the woman her life in any other circumstance. When she did notice, though, her peachy gaze whispering over the girl's form, she couldn't stop the jerk of panic that seized her limbs. Her brain went into overdrive, attempting to assess the situation past the terror sloshing around inside her stomach. She had to force her heart to slow, her body to breathe. She was not in danger. This girl smelled of the Backwater. She was not being hunted. It was a pup, hardly even a year old. She was fine. She was safe.

She took a step back, an unnecessary one, sure, but the little bit of distance was a reprieve. "You shouldn't sneak up on people."

This wolf had a lot of scars! Song looked over the jagged lines meticulously. She was oblivious that her cover had been blown. She missed the citrus staredown, continuing to observe the pink patches. She'd never seen a wolf with bald spots before. She couldn't help but imagine all the many ways this could have happened to the older woman. The thoughts made her shudder. Seeing them was enough to make Sonnet think twice about having followed this woman away from the others.

Her gaze was drawn sideways by the movement. The beastly woman was looking right at her! The pup's head flattened against the ground as if that would make her invisible. Her heart picked up at the exchange of words. Was that a threat?! Sonnie's body became rigid. She was frozen in fear staring at the stranger with saucers for eyes. This was a big mistake! No wonder @Viorel had been acting funny!

"Speak"

It took her far too long to realize that the cub seemed just as afraid as Vana herself had been. The realization forced a frown to etch it's way across her maw. The initial panic was subsiding, the confirmation that she was safe solidifying. Everything was okay. The danger had passed, had never been real at all. "Hey, it's okay." Though she hadn't been the one spying. "I didn't mean to scare you." Perhaps her tone had been a little harsh in her panic.