Lost Creek Hollow fool me once, shame on you

ty for understanding guys!

The wayfarer backed off immediately, her body falling into submission. It was enough for him to put a cap on the worst of his display, though Mordecai still had enough stern posturing to swing around. And perhaps if not for her backpedalling and earnest words his own inclination would have been to drive her further.

Of course, given the sounds that came bubbling from Ilya presently, that inclination was still there. But it was also enough to draw his attention away from her so-called friend, and therein he found reason to put his doubts to rest; the cougar had found another of their fold to tear into. It rattled him through to his core and unwisely he dared not to process whether or not she had been left there or had come crawling back to them.

His solitary gaze rounded back on the tawny wolf. "Then help me move her further in," he decided then and there. If she was really her friend, then he expected no hesitation. But nor would he take the chance that the cougar lingered somewhere in the depths, and momentarily his gaze chose to flick over their surroundings before he went nearer to Ilya's prone form.

They did not have time to waste.