Moonspear [m] the suspension of disbelief

She nearly rolled an ankle when an answering howl bounced off the nearby crags. Treepie sucked in a breath and planted her feet, supposing she should stay put since Kindle was en route. She doubled back toward a ledge she’d just passed with a fairly breathtaking view of the glen’s treetops sprawling away toward the east. It was so high up the mountain, she could actually see the tip of its shadow spearing across the colorful canopy.

It wasn’t long before Kindle joined her, offering a breathy bark by way of greeting. Pie slanted her muzzle slightly downward toward her chest as she gazed at him, welcoming him nearer with perfectly sychronized twitches of her lips and tail. She just hoped he wouldn’t hear the somewhat erratic pounding of her heart when he came closer.

Thanks for coming. I bet you’re wondering why you’re here. I was just thinking… I’d like to get to know you better.

There was probably an obvious inference in this statement. Pie flushed, her cheeks tinging a warm pink beneath her fur. But she didn’t drop her eyes or lose her cool even as she told herself, Don’t get ahead of yourself. There was no reason to get worked up over a conversation. They weren’t going to do anything today—or possibly ever—and maybe if she repeated that to herself a few times, it would ease the tingle low in her belly.