Winter Moon

He wheeled around to face the fire and ice furred wolf. “Y-y-y-yes I-I’m f-f-fine.” He sputtered, his tail tucking as he crouched low to make himself seem as non-threatening as possible. His heart beat rapidly as he debated crying out for Shiloh, although some part of him knew that the larger male might not answer. “W-w-who a-are y-you?” He asked closing his eyes as he forced out the words and then opening them as he waited for an answer. He knew very well that the stranger could have ripped his throat out an any opportune moment and as a wolf with no fighting experience he knew there would be very little he could do to stop it. A soft whine caught in his throat as he raised a paw to begin backing away, fully intending to run at full tilt.

In his time with Shiloh any attempts Echo and Natiel had made to socially condition him had all but vanished. Shiloh snapped without a moment’s notice and it was hardly uncommon for Spider’s attempts at affection to be met with violent outbursts and pain, yet he couldn’t stay away; before Shiloh he had thought himself incapable of finding love like his late sister and her husband had, and yet Shiloh was more than willing to caress him, and hold him, and make him feel ways he thought he was simply unable to about another person. He loved him.

Spider speaking