vaya

She was lost in her thoughts.

The soft crunch of another approaching through the snow made her flinch when they finally penetrated her distracted brain. She really needed to be more aware and realize that she didn’t have a pack to look out for her anymore. She turns to face the intruder, ready as always to submit. Only, the form that rounds the trees is but a pup – last years if she doesn’t miss her guess. For the first time in her short life, she doesn’t immediately have the urge to drop to her belly. She’d never actually met a youngling, only seen them from afar.

She was instantly drawn to the pup. This. This was what she had expected from her life.

Instantly, her body language is welcoming. But she is a bit slow, the young wolf is already speaking and had noticed her uncharacteristic melancholy. But the moment is gone, her fluffy tail was now wagging in response to the others friendly overtures. She glances down a bit self-consciously. She knows that she was supposed to be okay with her place in this life so it is embarrassing to be caught questioning it. The only thing that gave her pause was how to actually answer the question posed.

“I um… I am Vaya. And I’m not lost. Well, not really anyway.” She realizes she is not making much sense so she pauses for a moment to collect her thoughts in a bit more coherent manner. “That is, I have nowhere from which to be lost. I am rather new to the area. I came from… Elsewhere.” Okay, maybe she was lost seeing how she doesn’t even know exactly where she came from in relation to here. “It is nice to meet you, Moonstone. Though, I wasn’t sad. Perhaps just thoughtful.” Her conversation skills are a bit rusty. But then, she wasn’t really used to being talked to one-on-one. Usually it was more others talking over her and assuming she would simply go along with whatever they said.

And, well, she always did. Or, had.

Having her own thoughts and feelings and needing to articulate them… It was a touch odd to say the least.