Lost Creek Hollow my light

her laughter spilled out, light and unguarded, as sun eater circled her with his playful mimicry of a caribou bull. she dipped her head low, mimicking the hesitant shuffle of a cow, her eyes glinting with mischief. she teased, letting her tail flick behind her in a mock display of defiance.

when he drew close again, his words foreign and wrapped in the cadence of his tongue, she stilled, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. his closeness, his intensity—it drew her in, though it carried a weight she could not yet decipher.

what are you saying? her voice was quieter now, the laughter dimmed but not lost. there was curiosity in her tone, earnest and raw, and she lifted a paw as if to lightly touch his chest before thinking better of it. please, teach me.

her gaze lingered on him, searching his face for answers she knew would only come in his time, and yet she found herself drawn to the words he spoke as if they were a secret melody meant for her alone.