Walk | Talk | Think
Instantaneous relief flooded through her, easing the tension that had been building within her body as Anais crept closer. It's alive! That was one worry down; she hated to imagine if the child had not responded, if the cold had claimed the lone pup before she had. With that confirmed, she drew her expression into a soft, consoling smile, as the child quickly raised his head and looked toward her with startled, mismatched eyes. He still looked half asleep but at least his reflexes were working. He had reacted timely enough, but she was also glad he had been on this side of the border and not beyond. Had it been someone else to happen upon him, someone less kind...
She kept a small distance between them, consciously trying not to frighten the youth, and continued to eye him with a kindly patient smile. He looked nervous, and the whine that he made seemed to reflect that. Her ears perked and Anais felt her heart drawn toward him, tugged upon by that desperate sound, but she stayed put. She did not want to scare him. "It's okay. You're safe. You're in a place called the Algoma Prairie. My name is Anais. I'm part of the pack that lives here," she explained, and as she did so an ear began to turn. Someone else approached.
Her attention remained on the child for as long as she dared before she turned her head to peer over and then up into the curious face of her mate as he seemed to take notice of the pup on his arrival. She offered him a smile, just as gentle as the one she had offered their young guest but somewhat brighter around her eyes, and prayed that his overlarge presence would not frighten the poor child more than he already appeared to be. "We have a visitor," she answered him, acting as liaison between her mate and the boy since she had arrived first. Relaxing a little further, Anais seated herself in the snow, and tried again to restart the conversation she had started with the pup. "This is Glacier. He leads the pack I told you about." Was that too much information at once? Overwhelming him was not her intent.
"What's your name?" she asked curiously, inclining her head slightly to the side as she continued to stare gently and patiently at the boy.
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