Alpine Lake circles

Pumpkin eyes trailed the droplets that formed on his chin, only realizing now that her own throat remained parched from the weather and misuse. His eyes were haunting against the stark black of his pelt, and she found her paws faltering in their pace—and then coming to a complete standstill at the foreign words he spoke.

An ear gave an idle twitch of consideration, her eyes sweeping over his form, wondering if she was closing the distance between herself and a shadowed monster. “I’m sorry, I—“ she cut her words off, disgusted even by herself in the timid quake of her hushed tones. “I don’t understand,” she tried again, trying to lift her voice to a strength that did not impose such meekness from the delicate creature.