Bitterroot Valley Enter, Pursued by a Memory

twitch’s ears ticked at the offer, barely a motion, but it’s enough to show she’d heard the name tucked in there again. this time she only breathes out slow, like she could will her heartbeat back to something normal. his distance helps, and so did the way he carried himself: big but not looming, polite without being stiff. most wolves his size didn’t bother with that kind of gentleness, in her experience. much less talk, much more teeth. it earns him another small glimpse of her smile before she could think better of it.

“first?” she echoed, tone soft but not shy. “not sure if that’s good luck on your part.” she let her gaze travel over him more officially this time, quick and assessing, more curious than flustered. she’d met worse men and women. she’d run from worse. he wasn’t that.

at his question, her tail swept once through the grass. “i don’t mind,” she said, stepping to the side to make room for him on the narrow path between the birches. “if you haven’t had a tour yet, i can give you one.”

a beat, then a wry twitch of her mouth.

“and sega’s good. steady. probably won’t be as scary as he makes it sound.” she glances at him from the corner of her eye, the smallest tease slipping through. “if you’re as capable as you look, you’ll be fine.”