watercolor sunset

Between the sounds of splashing water and the rather distracting display of color in the sky, Maude had hardly noticed the gentle pad of approaching paw steps until the stranger was already upon her, his presence only made known by the deep, "Afternoon." that rumbled from his throat, filling her with alarm at once. She tensed, eyes widening a little and no longer seeing the sunset her head was turned towards, but Maude knew fully-well the importance of masking weak things such as fear and worry out here, where any brutish rogue might be all too willing to latch onto them and take advantage. So, despite the surprise, she still managed to coolly turn to the side, any traces of genuine alarm masked by a healthy dose of suspicion (but nothing more) and she calmly proceeded to side eyed him, looking the male up and down with a half-lidded gaze.

A very unique looking stranger, that was for sure, with his literal two-faced appearance and large, fluffy body (this area being a considerable distance from the north), but judging from his general demeanor and how he lowered his muzzle to water-level after greeting her, he just seemed like a fellow traveler also in need of a drink, not any sort of immediate threat. Her eye quickly flitted to his slightly raised tail - an indicator that he was either (a) trying to assert some minor form of dominance over her or (b) afraid of getting his pretty white fur dirty - and she quirked her brow in response, but otherwise had no other reaction towards it. She'd met type A plenty of times before - usually just some high-and-mighty dandy that believed themselves to have more power in this lawless land than they actually did - and honestly couldn't care less, so long as that power fantasy of their's stayed in their head, and didn't end with their fangs around her throat. It was noted, but brushed off as unimportant.

Analyzing and admiring done, she simply agreed, "Afternoon," before returning her own muzzle to the drink.

A short pause passed, Maude assuming the male would just get a quick drink and go, but when he lingered past the first sip, ears perked and clearly anticipating more words to fall from her lips, she made an attempt at conversation, as mutually open to socializing as he was; when you live life on your own, chatting with passing strangers is really the only way to stay sane.

"Pretty nice view, ain't it?" Her eyes briefly flitted to the sunset, showing what she was referring to.