She had only just grasped a ledge when a sound erupted from behind, deep and heavy with wordless command to be heeded. Once her paws were firm on the ledge and splayed securely, she turned around in pale-gold mangled glory to behold the demon; her shadow. She would have thought that in time her distance would have been marked as a permanent state between them- a division of rank in the unspoken word. Yet his appearance proved this was not true, unless it was for another reason. Her brows once knitted with concentration parted with interest as the black flesh of her nose quivered as it leaned toward oily curls.
She slipped from the stones to be at level with him, her height rivaling his own and yet she remained low- head bowed in respect as she crept toward his darkness. Quietly, she returned his gruff call with a soft play of her own, just low in octave that his ears might receive her subdued pleasure at the sight of him, but heavy with a question as to why he was upon the mountain same as she. Perhaps she had been correct to assume he would find appeal in the seclusion of a mountain cave. Or perhaps -and though her ears drew back in dread, she would not allow her fright to show- he was there to scold her for stretching the limitations of their contract; his promise.
A questioning gaze met the bridge of his muzzle then chin, as she inched forward to gently caress the underside of his whiskered maw. Her tail swayed at leisure in gesture of her calm, contented state hoping his stature might reflect the same. |