The Heartwood the wolf and the lion

Hysterical laughter spluttered forth from her mouth in response to Rickon’s reaction, eyes squinting as one of the insects brushed against the side of her face. “Let’s go!” she barked, noting that her companion had shifted closer as if he were guarding her from the swarm.
 
Although she wasn’t made anxious or scared of the insects, she seized the opportunity for play; she nipped at one of his sooty ears before zipping off ahead of him, tail thrashing while she yipped with wild abandon into the otherwise quiet air.