Long limbs carried my young earthen form hurriedly across the flat earth of the field, leaping smoothly, silently across the earth in a manner more akin to fox then wolf as my chocolate and golden hide blended into the shadows of the night. Her scent was strong here and gaining strength with each lengthy stride- assuring me the creature he sought grew ever closer. Perhaps I should have been more afraid then I was, but I had been given a task, my mind already having formulated an idea of sorts- one I was sure would work if only I could be more cunning then the creature I followed. Jaidah wanted to have Tobias, the black wolf that strode into our lands some nights ago, she wanted him for our pack and while I didn’t truly understand how or why such a wolf would be useful it was hardly my job to question it. If Jaidah wanted to have him, I’d find a way to get him and I was almost sure I knew exactly how. I had seen them from a distance, the black Nightmare and that…girl he seemed to like, or at least, seemed not to want to kill as much as he had wanted to kill Mistress Jaidah. I don’t think I can talk to Tobias himself, Father had assured me as much and yet that didn’t mean I couldn’t talk to the other one. She didn’t need to know exactly what I wanted or what I was after, she just needed to talk, hell, maybe not even that. I had a plan- I was sure it would work and if it didn’t- well, I’d find another way. She couldn’t outrun me, that I was already sure of, there is no one faster then me and if I was forced to flee from her then so be it. I’d find another way to complete Jaidah’s task.

Her scent grew stronger again, far more potent this time as I lowered myself down and into the nearest bush that sprouted out and atop that flat plane. I could see her, beneath the hedging, she was staring at some water like it was important. I don’t think sneaking up is a good idea, not with this one- for now though I just watched her, waited for her to move or do something else, maybe see where she was going. When she didn’t move for several moments though I figured that maybe she was staying here, maybe she even lived here. I finally allowed myself to stand, slinking easily out from behind the bushes now to stroll towards her, making sure that small little river was still between us as I let my dark paws hit the earth heavily and announce my approach, golden eyes searching for her own as I leapt up and onto a boulder, putting myself higher then her and yet also giving myself better vision of the land around. If she made a move to attack she was going to have to leap up and climb, making it easier to get a head start- and if I got that she was never going to catch me. I’m not silly enough to meet her on the flat however, or let her get behind me, no, the boulder was a strategic choice as I sat, letting my thick tail curly about my golden paws that shone within that dim moonlight.

“Are you looking for him?”

Gold tipped ears pricked forward, watching her still as my ever youthful lyrics broke out. I was tall and gangly and skinny, a bit rough around the edges I suppose, I always would be- my voice gave away my age however. Maybe I was tall, but I was not yet even three, half grown at best, though for now maybe that was a help rather then a hindrance. After all, what threat is a halfling to one fully grown?

“I saw you, in Asteraia, that big field pack. I saw you with the white one and the black male. You met him that night, but then you followed him home, just like that. They call it imprinting, you know, when you soul ties to another- what did it feel like?”

My golden eyes widened slightly in curiosity, head tilting as I looked down and towards her once more, lips grinning pleasantly at her all the same and yet I remained atop my boulder, not pressing into her space, offering her that respect.