boldness had come to her that morn, boldness stirred by Lily and her kindness, the garden that was hers and unbelonging to any other. she'd left her little perimeter of comfort, and then gone further, beyond the pack borders and into the marsh, where she knew others would rarely go and her chance of solitude would be highest. here she wandered, first in search of plants and then merely for the sake of wandering when the snow came. it was unseasonable, but she supposed winter must always have the last word.
the man she came across suddenly - her awareness had not been exceedingly bright in the first place, sure as she was of her solitude in the murky place, and he moved with an easy grace and quiet. she paused, stilling, as she was surely in his path and sight, and her boldness fled like hare before dogs, already feeble to begin with. she folded in on herself, drooping, ears slicked back to her crown and tail curling tight to her abdomen, hoping that he, like the rest, would see the utter threat and look through her, wandering on.
In the half mist of the snowfall a figure materialized in his sight, solidifying until he could make out her — it had to be, right? — shape and species. A small lupine. He grinned, slow and sweet and entirely untrustworthy despite its masking. He was glad that he found her. He didn't know how long he would have wandered here before coming across someone else. While his stomach was relatively full it was more than hunger that drove him to feast on wolf blood.
What are you doing, dear?
He coos to her, slowing his approach as he locked onto her form. He'd seen this tactic before. Another little man had done the same in a vain attempt to dissuade his approach. Didn't they know that just made them a sweeter target? Don't hide from me.
he slows and stops, but it is his words that has her heart freeze and dread spread over her chest like ice. Dagmar had been frightening, but utterly child-like in mind and thus easy enough to dissuade and run from. but the man's words were smooth like honey and sharp with intellect, a combination that she knew brought only disaster. oh, how foolish was she! he took a step near and she melted onto the ground, utterly submissive and folded onto herself.
she does not dare reply, but his later words are something of a direct command, as despite how it wars against her innate desire to do just that, she pulls her gaze up and toward him until it rests on his chin, and there she pauses.