Blackfoot Forest Otherside

Her shoulder was still a bit too stiff to bother trailing the red wolf as she stalked momentarily out of view; the arrogance of her status was clear in the way she followed Hosannah's movements only with the backward tilt of her ears. "How long have you been ill?" 
 
She mulled over the knee-jerk sarcasm that tingled at the tip of her tongue before deciding that joking about sickness, especially in a place such as this, would likely turn the odds against her. Presently it was time to speak the truth and only the truth; terms and conditions applied in the sly lilts of her tones. "Ever since I woke from a terrible nightmare," she answered with a wry curl of her lips. "Or...10 minutes ago. My stomach has no tolerance for the things dancing around in my head." She snorted and turned her head to finally stare directly at the scarlet she wolf. "I'm fine now," she spoke. "Thanks for asking."
 
Scattered as her brains were there was something gnawing at the back of Emily's thoughts: the curious stalker-like behavior that had kept Hosannah near and yet persistently out of sight. Not out of mind though.
 
"The world's a bit barren for you to be ostracizing yourself," came the blunt observation. Emily was not a wolf that pulled words in order to spare feelings. She'd noticed Hosannah's lingering distance from the group and wondered if it was due to the scolding she'd received from Aaron upon his sister's entry into the territory. "Are you worried about what they'll say if they find you here alone with me?"