Sentinel on the Trail

It was Chrystal who spotted the monochromatic-splotched woman ahead, well before she’d spotted Cairo. The owl coasted silently back down the trail, dropping lightly with a click of her beak and a soft warning of someone ahead. Cairo glanced ahead, ears perking in mild surprise at the resounding crack of a branch.

He barely caught a glimpse of the smaller wolf before she ducked out of sight with a thrash of undergrowth. Another woman alarmed by his appearance. He frowned slightly, but there was only one way to go to get home, and this path was it; so, he continued on, picking his way carefully.

He came upon her, flattened out like a fawn in its hiding spot, eyes clamped shut. If she hadn’t had a look of deadly terror in the lines of her features, and hadn’t stunk of the emotion, he’d have wondered if she was playing hide and seek.

One ear flicked back, head cocking as he asked slowly, “Arrrre you alright, miss?”

His accent was educated (posh English to you or I), and tone thoroughly baffled, but not unfriendly, as he lowered himself to his belly, hind legs bracing against the grade of the hill, fore-paws draping ahead, purposefully making himself less… large.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think