I'm Not a Cynic

Everything was silent and serene, nature wrapping her in a cocoon with its gentle sounds. She could have sat there all day, but she was startled by the sound of splashing nearby. Her auds swiveled in the direction, her eyes snapping to attention and she was instantly starting to move toward the shore. Her instincts made her wary of things such as sharks in water as deep as this, but as her gaze swept the surface of the water and could see a dark, wolfish head bobbing above the waves.

The woman paused, now sure that it wasn’t a shark but, instead, another wolf. She squinted, trying to judge their age. From the size of their head they seemed to be young...wait, young? A young, dark wolf out on his own...it couldn’t be. Wordlessly, she started heading in the direction of the wolf. The closer and closer she got, the surer she became. It was the younger brother that she’d been looking for. “Clouse!” she called out, a rare smile slipping onto her lips. Finally!