Stone Circle fraulein

he didn’t turn right away. just stood there in the brittle grass, breath ghosting out of him, taking the measure of the land like it might buck under his feet.

when he finally glanced over his shoulder, it was brief. a dark flick of eyes that found her reddish coat easy as daylight. thin thing. new to winter by the way she held herself. too still. too hopeful he hadn’t seen her.

he faced forward again, not threatened, not interested in spooking her either. you can quit pretendin’ you’re a blade of grass, he called backward, voice carrying clean across the valley. calm. rough, but not unkind.

ain’t lookin’ to bother you.