if i get too fucked up, promise you'll hold me down

Calliope admired Korona's bravery. As reckless as the pup might turn out to be one day, she reminded Calliope of herself. Unafraid of the world and its dangers, even if her heart was telling her otherwise. Their fear mingled together though Calliope's was more for the fact that if this pup were to be killed or severely injured tonight, the wrath would directed toward her. Why had she agreed to take the punk on a walk again?

"I'm not sure what it is yet," she whispers back, her own hair along her spine rising as the shuffle of leaf litter catches her attention. Bright pastel eyes turn to look, but are only met with deepened shadows. For a moment, she believed she saw the glare of eyes against the moonlight that drifted down between the gaps in the canopy, but it wasn't there after she had blinked. Maybe it was the spookiness of the ravine at night that was getting them riled up. Surely no one was stupid enough to stalk them...

Her attention is drawn back to the pup for a moment, the encouraging words from Korona making her smirk. Even a little chuckle warms her throat, but she refuses to let it out for fear of drawing more attention to them. Or maybe that would scare their stalker off. Just as she's about speak aloud, mouth opening wide, something darts from the brush with quick movements, low to the ground. Beady amber eyes zone in on Korona. The thin body screams emaciation, each rib could clearly be counted. There is desperation in those movements, Calliope can see it clear as night.

As the fox darts in toward the pup, Calliope is conflicted. The predator is small enough that she could handle it on her own, but she also wants to see how Korona will handle it as well. It takes but a second for her decision to become final. Taking a step away from Korona, leaving the pup vulnerable to the fox, she nods head toward the predator. The fox even pauses for a moment, confused on why she isn't stepping in to protect the pup, but it wouldn't matter, it wasn't going to see morning.

"Kill it, Korona," Calliope says firmly. "As you said, I'm right here. You have nothing to worry," she keeps her eyes on the scene that will soon begin to unfold.

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