Jade Fern Grove up the creek without a poodle

Ocra’s jaws snapped shut the moment another came into view. Her dark green eyes narrowed as he began his approach but something seemed a little off still that she didn’t know how to place. Rickon had not turned out to be terrible, even if she hadn’t seen him again since, and Xan had managed… to stick around somehow and she’d managed to grow fond of him or whatever. He was still annoying. She stood upon ground they have claimed for themselves and a simple call would bring them closer as they were never too far away.

She took a step forward and searched his features before she decided to speak. He seemed just as uncertain, perhaps nervous, that gave her a weird feeling. Her ears dropped against the top of her head and she glanced behind her, in case one of her companions had followed along on her run, but they were not there—at least that she could tell. Instead, she swung back to the stranger before she offered her own greeting. Ocra took another step forward but not enough to close much of the distance, if only for safety.

“Why are you here?”