Redtail Rise crocus

They crossed each other at oblique angles like planes in nimble formation. Then they parted, and met again, each discreetly examining the scent and disposition of the other. She was albescent but the uniformity of her pelt hid many shifts in hue, subtly patterned like the dapple of sunlight through leaves.

Gavrel stared at first, belying his affinity for faux pas both verbal and nonverbal, and belatedly followed her lead, gingerly avoiding eye contact.

Seeing that Augur had not spared a word to him earlier, it made sense that his kin -- a daughter or niece, perhaps? -- did not speak either.

He had never been in the company of wolves like this, who communicated by simple gesture; a language he was undoubtedly fluent in by virtue of being a wolf, but a language he had not fully spoken for most of his life. The passive bilingual communicated through halting, awkward signifiers, made himself understood with significant effort.