Ouroboros Spine xii. it's spiraling down

Nuak struggled to right himself. He was all manner of stilt-legged and gawky, like a baby giraffe. During his spasm one of the boy's hind feet caught among the bushes and he had to yard on it to pull it free, resulting in some more stomping around, and by the time he had managed to draw himself together he was found-out.

The stranger's face had gone from peering down upon the plant to stare directly at him. Nuak saw a ripple of movement as they approached where he had been hiding and his own fur bristled, his body snaking as low as he could make it, while baring his teeth defensively. His tail struck at the bushes behind him and made them shudder until he stiffly drew backwards.

More akin to an angry badger or something of that sort now, Nuak did not answer their greeting save to snarl and paw the dirt, warning the stranger away from him. Nobody in Ursus would have accepted his lurking without contest, and so he anticipated a challenge to arise.