Otter Creek I can be as contrary as I choose

@Olly Hope this works for you!

Her encounter with Redbird Cauldron, or at least she thought that's what it had been, was unsuccessful. Why any wolf would allow a male with a condensed vocabulary restricted to growling and snarling to patrol the borders was behind her wildest comprehension. What good would those snarls do in the midsts of conversation? Why! That was hardly conversing. More like barbaric gurgling reserved for those incapable of stringing words together to form sentences. It made her question the packs in these wilds. She had yet to find any wolf the least bit civilized.

Nevertheless, that wolf's growls had been accompanied by a firm lashing of the teeth. No lasting damage, but her coat was in such a state of disarray that she turned her nose skyward and began her search for water. She would clean herself, groom her rich brown furs back into something far more presentable, and then she would continue north or wherever else she felt more suited for.

She wandered, roaming for what felt like centuries when good fortune found her. Water. Sweet water in the distance. Her course was swiftly altered in that direction. Her pace quickened as she approached the stream, checked for a moment to ensure her privacy, then stepped into the waters. Cool. Tepid. Not rushing too quickly to where she felt as though she might get swept away. It was perfect. With that, she began to clean and preen as she so desired.