chronically cautious

word count: 174
total: 628

Suddenly, the very tree next to her came alive! Finch yet out a strangled yowl, sounding like some strange mix between a bleating ox and a bobcat kitten. She just about jumped out of her skin, not to mention her heart was beating so fast that she immediately felt light-headed. The white female stumbled to the left and then the right, then face-planted straight into the damp ground in front of her. Nose down, butt in the air. To her credit, even though she wanted to very badly, she didn't cry. Without realizing it, Finch had screwed both of her eyes up tight, so she very carefully opened them one at a time. Now that she was a bit ahead of the tree that had lashed out with all its stripling might, she saw a young wolf her own age standing right beside it, gripping a thick vine in her jaws. Oh. Well, that made more sense than a tree on the prowl. Finch licked her lips and croaked: "Can you help me up? Please?"