Arrow Lake falling down a rabbit hole

He reveled in the warmth of the day, finding comfort in the golden rays that splashed down from above. Its light soothed him, and though the beast was made of inky shadow, he felt he preferred the light of the day. All the better for him to see and be seen, for mortal should quake in his presence, and shudder beneath his paw. No, he did not have any particular penchant for slinking in the darkness like a shameless predator - the darkness was cold and unyielding, and he far preferred the light which he could play on his face, manipulate to his desire, and eradicate at whim.

He strode in the light, and let the gold and yellow illuminate the hairs that hung heavy from his body, weighed down by oil and grime. Once, a creature had tried to cleanse him of the mud, the dirt and dried blood that caked in his fur, and he had struck them. He was a menace, and a filthy one at that; he held no desire to groom the debris from his pelt, and even less desire to allow anybody the privilege to touch him so. Raheerah's thick coat shook, even, with steps that he took, swaying as he moved like a rug draped over the body of the canine. Truly he was a monstrosity, a brute, a titan - he would dwarf what fool stood in his shadow, and soon, it would be the curious explorer of the frozen lake.

Raheerah saw her from a distance; having clambered among the mountains to reach this mysterious, closed in lake, he had spotted her first from above. An amalgamation of woody and warm hues, delightful to taste no doubt, he watched her sidle along the shoreline and then slowly move out onto its glassy surface. In this time, he had descended, and appeared on the shore opposite to where she had begun. And he, too, moved his body onto the ice. The first few steps remained silent, but as he progressed, heavy creaks and wails followed his movements. The ice shifted and bent to his weight, but did not give way, and he paused where he was confident the ice could still sustain him. He remained there, silently watching her, staring, curious.