Respite

Walk | Talk | Think

As soon as the ill wolf spotted the grey stranger a bit of her normal instinct returned. Her paws, though slow on the uptake, ceased their forward motion and drew her up short, mismatched eyes staring at the stranger before allowing her head to turn slightly to either side. Nothing. There was nothing around her to provide any sense of concealment, no new direction she could casually turn in to make it seem as if something had distracted her. But since when did she care about sparing someone the knowledge that she wanted nothing to do with them?

With a grumbling noise, the mostly white wolf turned her path away from the stranger but too late. Not of a mind or mood to make a quick exit, Yin was caught as the she-wolf spoke to her, asking of her well being. "I'm fine," she answered gruffly, a touch of defensiveness evident within her voice. She made to sigh in aggravation but even that tickle of air was enough to set off a miniature coughing fit.

Embarrassed at her own inability to maintain the self-sufficient image that she preferred, Yin scowled and set her ears back, displacing her temper toward the kindly stranger. "It's just that damn storm's doing. I'm fine." What was the point in repeating what she had said? To convince herself as well as the stranger that her ailment would cure on its own? Though she wanted to believe it - she was too strong to let some sickness claim her - she held a tiny fear that she was wrong. It did not feel like just another cold. It felt strangely worse. But unwilling to ask for or admit to requiring help Yin remained stubborn and moody and hoped this interruption of her walk to nowhere would be over soon.