Unexpected Refuge

Quote:He was thoughtful again for another minute as he made his mental calculations regarding time. And, of course, when he answered he factored in the fact neither of them were likely up for the trip, no matter how short it was. She could have rolled her eyes at his wink but only managed to blink as her smile stretched across her face again, shaking her head slightly at his jest. In all honesty, though, she was absolutely certain that he had a very good point. It would likely take them double the time it should have, if not longer, to reach their destination. What a sorry state we're in, she wondered, wishing it had been possible to simply pace herself when she had madly dashed off for safety. If only nature had been that considerate.

Without further hesitation, the brown wolf was dragging himself quite noisily to his feet, and Ashtoreth watched the process with a growing reluctance. Could her legs support her half as well as Leon's did? Would she possibly embarrass herself by lacking the strength to even stand? She tried assuring herself that she had been resting long enough, that standing was a simple and easy feat compared to the reckless marathon they had completed. It's just standing, she told herself. Nothing too difficult. But walking on the other hand...

He looked her way with a prompting inquiry, and the little grey wolf knew that there was no turning back anymore. It was her turn. Lifting her head completely, she rocked a little and managed to shift her body off of the ground with an audible grunt of her own. Her legs protested at the sudden sense of weight and muscle use, the pads of her paws throbbing with a dull ache, but though she felt considerably wobbly and unstable she managed to keep her feet once she had gained them. She blinked her gold and purple eyes with a touch of surprise. "That's not so bad," she remarked aloud, unsure whether it was to herself or Leon.

Before she could give herself any time to possibly collapse, she turned her two-toned gaze to Leon with an expectant look. "Lead the way?"

-- ashtoreth