Blackfeather Woods even the darkness has arms

realizing too late her mistake, relmyna paused at the whisper of the man's voice, one forepaw lifted above the snow. she did not immediately look upon the man, gathering her strength first. and then her turquoise gaze darted sideways; she looked upon the way the light broke over his serpentine body, across the power of his tense musculature, until she met the burn of his own eyes, and stared into them without fear.
the evoker was not devoid of terror; she had locked it churning in her belly, and presently she allowed the rock of ages to slip from her scarred muzzle to the earth, placing her small forepaws on either side of its clear form. silently she regarded the tyro — he reminded relmyna of the other who had followed her into the gloom, though a much more singular air of death clung to this man; the creature's very breathing unnerved the wolfess to her marrow, but still she held fast, daring the snake to approach.