Alpine Lake so delicate by one's eye

Tonight Fennec slipped out again.  It was stupid to do so.  Her fathers talk of bears and Wraen's warnings of silent predators echoed in her ears as she carefully picked her way along the  slope.  Even worse was the footing; everything about this was foolish.  But she knew there was a lake up there and she wanted to see it, and for some reason, she needed to leave in order to think straight.

She had marveled over these brief trips how different traveling alone was.  There was no pressure for conversation or noise to distract her.  She listened to the crickets as she climbed and realized, belatedly, that it must be later than she had thought. This was probably why she had slipped away more easily.

A noise to her left made her stiffen and whirl, teeth ready.  Who's there?  If no answer came, she'd charge in to investigate.  No predator was going to take her unawares.