born to darkness, pt. 1

This place was very unlike the Heartwood. That forest seemed lively and open and... well, not cramped. Creepy. It wasn't as though this forest was ugly or lifeless. It was just very... cramped. There was a lot of underbrush and a lot of trees and everything clustered together. Anything could be hiding about. Which means food could randomly happen-- but it also meant creeps could be stalking around.
The Hughes' naturally dark pelt handed him good camouflage in the darkness under the tightly-woven canopy. His long stride moved him swiftly from point to point. Every now and then he would stop and bright silver eyes would slowly scan the area; ears would angle and tilt to try and catch any sound of anyone else moving about nearby. When he heard nothing he began moving again, graceful and smooth as liquid.
Soon enough he found himself in the company of another; the tall brute came to a stop as eyes searched for the owner of the scent he just picked up. It was darker here now than it had been earlier but it wasn't too challenging to find the bright form of the one he'd detected. He sniffed the air cautiously, judging whether or not he should turn and leave or chance approaching to make nice.
After a moment more of deliberation, he stepped forward from behind the cover of a large bush and let out a soft "woof". His posture wasn't aggressive or dominant; rather it was relaxed and curious. Amicable. He tried to appear friendly because he sure didn't fancy getting attacked by a prettyboy he was trying to be social with.