Deepwood Weald as if through water from the bottom of a pool

the first to come was a woman, with odd rings around her eyes that Dawn first assumed was some sort of injury, or illness. it was only when she approached the she realized they were simply part of her pelt. tail held high, self-contained and swathed in charcoal, she was striking. the bird added to the overall strangeness of her. behind her came a male, large and similarly toned, radiating agression and dominance. his next words, cold and filled with ego, were enough to convince her that if Dirge resided her once, he certainly no longer did - these two were unlike wolves she'd met before. 

it was for this reason her name caught on her tongue, and instead - "I am Usha" damn. she put its heavy connections behind her swiftly, the rising memories crushed swiftly. instead, calling on formality she'd abandoned the past few months in order to match this male's apparent frigidness. and then before words could leave her maw the male seemed to flip a switch and turn outright murderous. moments later the scent found her nares and her tail switched stiffly at her rear, nape prickling. "cat." she offered instead, the word like a curse. she hated the things ever since she'd put down the last to pose a threat to morningside, and her gaze roved the spaces between the trees, the shadows and the mists, until she too caught the slinking shape in her vision.