Little Goat Mountain hitchhiking

she stared back equally, but even so, tension bubbled under the surface. she seemed to shudder ever-so-slightly, and the fur along her spine lifted like a frightened cat. her head tilted. her eyes narrowed. an instinctual part of athamas built into his very core attempted to make meaning of these small movements, these tiny reactions, though it caused little change in his own behavior. athamas was an observer, and so he observed. he blinked. 

her eyes bore back into his own, but soon she seemed to ease into acceptance. athamas tilted his head back at her, and unintentionally hiccuped. 

it was followed by a small yawn, and then his gaze drifted away from hers. as she grew comfortable with his eyes, he lost interest- waiting for a change in the stillness between them to reignite his attention, otherwise he would leave her be, for now.