Broken Antler Fen Go ahead, make my day

Oblivious to the threat behind her, Wildfire took rapid, shallow breaths in an attempt to alleviate the pain in her flank. She only cottoned on to the other wolf's presence when pounding footfalls approached swiftly to the rear. Barely swallowing a surprised yelp, the puppy spun. Her eyes went wide as a strange wolf skidded to a halt a few yards from her. His fur reminded her of her mother's (and her own), yet he was not a member of her family, nor of her pack. The pup instinctively hunched, keeping her muzzle low to protect her throat. Her gaze dropped and her ears pinned backward to demonstrate that she was no threat, though that was probably rather obvious, given her age and size.

"I'm okay," she whispered, still catching her breath. She felt incredibly uneasy, afraid even, but her Warrior and Outrider training of late gave her otherwise diffident spirit some conviction. "I... was hunting. I didn't catch it," the pup admitted a bit haltingly. "Who are you?" she then asked, amber eyes squinting slightly. He seemed harmless enough but Wildfire had been trained not to trust outsiders or appearances alone, especially those close to the borders. Her red fur prickled apprehensively. If he attacked, she would fight for her life, but both of them knew she wouldn't have a prayer out here.