Straight No Chaser

She had just bent her head to harvest the leaves of a witch hazel shrub when a voice made her jump and drop the leaves. She jerked her head to the side to bring the speaker into view, gold eyes narrowing and hackles rising with menace. But the male who'd spoken kept his distance, so rather than snapping defensively at a target out of her reach, she lifted her head and tail with regal imperiousness to stare down at the oddly marked, shorter wolf. He had commented on the unusual nature of her pack and how she used it to carry things, and Evangeline preened a little at the reminder of her uniqueness and superiority. "I'm hardly surprised you've never seen it," she sniffed dismissively. "Not everyone is so forward thinking as I am."

Though still keeping watch on the stranger, Vana dipped her head to snatch up the dropped witch hazel leaves and tuck them into the pack with the other herbs. Still no juniper berries yet, but she knew they grew here. It was simply a matter of time before she found them.