Haunted Wood what is, is what must be

A cousin, indeed, but one who was wary and watchful for signs of approaching figures. Tadec slunk carefully through the brush and foliage of the forest; his eyes were alight with pleasure at the sight of it. He imagined the woods to be a sacred and inviolable place. The trees in summer were ideal for casting shade on the forest floor and keeping the inhabitants cool. During the frigid winter months, those same trees stood as masterful sentinels against the snow. The coywolf had always been fond of the wild woods that he had wandered through, but he had never seen one quite as stunning as the one he had traipsed through on that day.
 
The sound of the approaching figure did not go over his head. Tadec turned his attention to where it had originated from and waited to see what might have found its way to the same forest. His lantern orange gaze was expectant and glinted with a wariness that had fallen into his bones. The scent of wolf was still strong in the near area, which could have meant that he had disturbed a neighboring territory to a pack. Knowing the kindness of wolves, the crow kept his head low and his watchful gaze trained to oncoming shadow.