“Ah,” she breathed, wary of his increasing agitation at the simple question. She had suspected that the attack had been unwarranted, but the truth behind his motive was actually worse. An innocent wolf died for no reason other than being weaker than him.
And being caught alone.
Fathom became very aware of the precarious situation she was in, standing alone and vulnerable before this capable, unpredictable wolf. And she was not large, however brave she may be; her stature had made her a target even into adulthood. She flattened her ears against her head, becoming more uneasy as the silence stretched on between them. I should go. He’s said I can leave without trouble. But I can’t trust him with my back turned... Trapped, she instead held his gaze, not sure what she hoped to find there.
He was thinking hard about what to do next. Perhaps deciding whether she was a threat to his anonymity. A step forward, two; Fathom bristled and a snarl rose up in her chest. But he was quick, and she didn’t know it was coming. Her vision was clouded by teeth. She didn’t think. Instinct drove away her calm demeanor and she took a panicked nip at his lower jaw, scrambling backward in the same movement.
The graceless retreat pinned her against the stone wall. She could only run two ways: in one direction, the shallow cave she had come from, in the other direction was freedom. He stood between her and freedom, now openly aggressive. Fathom was growling intermittently, fur raised stiff along her back, muscles quivering in anticipation and anxiety.
I can’t wait on him. He’ll kill me if I wait, and I don’t think I’m strong enough to win. Maybe I’m just fast enough...
Her wide eyes, traitorous, darted to the expanse of flat stone behind the murderer. In a sudden desperate attempt to reach safety, she feigned a leap at him, hoping to surprise him into taking a step backward. That was all she needed, and then she would run like hell all the way to Diveen...
...where she would sing like a canary.
| 4 years | Diveen | Quite Alone | No Offspring | |