Chickadee was startled by the sound of laughter and splashing. Chicky jolted up to her feet, claws scraping clumsily at the warm stone, eyes wide and ears alert. This habit of being surprised by strange wolves was not good for her nerves. Chickadee gave her coat a shake, trying to casually hide the fact that she was so easily spooked -- though it would not be difficult for anyone to see through such a flimsy facade.

"H-hey," Chickadee called up to the stranger, her voice cracking despite her best efforts to keep it smooth and nonchalant. In fact, it seemed every part of her body had begun to betray her; even her tail waved enthusiastically through the air, proudly manifesting the sad state of her lonely heart. Oh heavens, couldn't she have a break? All Chicky wanted to do was to seem self-assured and gracefully aloof. Instead, she was all gangly legs and waving tails and crooked grins. There wasn't an ounce of elegance in poor Chicky's soul -- she was blundering and bumbling through and through.

Quite like her namesake, in fact; though she dreamed of being a poised and proper swan, she was destined instead to be a round-faced little twitterer.

The cinnamon-backed female tilted her head inquisitively, pink eyes gliding up the long vertical stone rise to where the stranger was standing. "How did you.. get up there?" Chickadee's voice wavered with uncertainty. Was that a stupid question? As soon as it had left her lips, Chicky perceived that it may have been a bit of a redundant thing to ask. She cleared her throat, brows furrowing, and quickly tried to atone for such a ridiculous query. "Eh, er, I mean.. I'm Chickadee!"

A deep sigh rose from her chest, though her smile did not fade and her salmon gaze did not stray from the jet-black female atop the waterfall.

Good lord, she would never get the hang of this.

---

CHICKADEE
^{you're not alone}