Lost and Found

She went a little deeper and found the source of the water, a hidden spring that was releasing its gifts nearly in vain and letting them spill down the walls of this dark cavern, the excess collecting in a shallow pool that undeniably drained to another part of the cave. It smelled like wet rock, but Mireya was not the type to complain. She leaned down and drank her fill, letting out a gentle sigh as the water seemed to run through her entire body, cooling and relaxing her. She explored a bit longer, finding another small spring and several pretty rocks, but not much else. The little fox decided to turn back, but she had only been walking about a minute when, halfway to the entrance, she saw the silhouette of a big, dark wolf standing there waiting for her.

Right away, she panicked. Her heart raced like the wingbeat of a hummingbird and she gasped softly, stepping back to catch her breath. "Jesus," she whispered reflexively under her breath. What was she supposed to make of this? Was this brute really going to stand in her way? If he was, she truly had no way of stopping him. Her only chance would be to run and count on her speed and graceful movement.