Ankyra Sound Mystification

She immediately disliked the briny smell. It convinced her to pivot and begin the trek back home. Masque hadn’t quite finished her turn when she heard a bark on the wind. Her whole body stiffened as her head swiveled toward the sound, eyes clapping on a svelte figure rushing toward her.

Masque’s toes dug into the earth, her hackles prickling warily. But the closer the stranger came, the more clearly she could read his body language. There was nothing threatening about him. There was a happy sway to his tail. Still, she remained rigid.

Her nostrils flared when his scent joined the stench of salt in the air. Only then did she realize she couldn’t be certain of her initial assessment that he was male. Masque had never come across such a confusing scent before. It intrigued her, making her brows raise in question even as her lips remained still.