Lost Creek Hollow Lights are gonna blind me

Glossing over the news that Terance had likely delivered per his last email (er, thread with Ibis), the girl had gone in to a limiting state of shock about the whole "having kids with someone who isn't your mom" thing. She had become pretty adept at compartmentalizing things that she couldn't currently handle, thus the news was shunted somewhere else for now. Her dad led her only so far before he had to go and do some duty somewhere else, but he promised to be around later.

That meant little Ibis was left to figure out this new place all on her own. Its what she had chosen after all - attempting some kind of independence, uprooting herself and looking for a change. It might not last, but she would try to find her way. However the first thing she noticed as she roamed between the trees was a lack of familiarity. An absence. Her mind concocted an image of Okeanos, and Ibis had to fight back a sheen of tears that suddenly swam across her vision. Her gaze blurred, and she stumbled against the roots of a tree - right in to a nearby stranger walking past.

Gannet didn't recognize the girl who stumbled into him, which meant she was probably new. She was young, and seemed distracted, but Gannet didn't mind. He took a middling step back, looking at her to make sure she was alright.

Are you okay? he asked, concern knitting his brow as soon as he saw the expression on her face. Had something happened, did something upset her? He didn't see anyone nearby, but he'd help if he could.

Usually she was tripping over her own feet, or tripping over Okeanos, or falling in to slow moving creeks without any prompting. To run in to the plush chest of a young man wasn't something she'd ever done before — but she did it, nose-diving against his shoulder and withdrawing in one (surprisingly fluid) motion. As she drew back the water in the rims of her eyes spilled over, and as shock registered with the widening of those eyes Ibis gasped and felt her face flush in embarrassment. His voice was unfamiliar but laced with concern, it sounded endearing, like he really cared — and the girl could only squeak, Uhhm, sorry, so sorry, before her tongue felt too heavy.

The awkwardness pushed her sorrow away temporarily. She was caught with the fluttering sensation of moths in her belly as she looked at him, and Ibis couldn't help but be doe-eyed and inanimate for a few moments as she gathered her thoughts. In the dark of the evening he seemed so luminous (a byproduct of being so pale one might suspect), and she ducked away from him hastily to try and get away before she went as red as summer berries; surely he could see how flushed she was? She felt so warm and so stupid — and in her haste to escape around him, she blundered in to him again.

This was positively mortifying.

He was calm in the face of her fluster, and just blinked warmly at her. It didn't seem embarrassing or odd that she'd run into her; he was a wolf surprisingly comfortable with contact. He didn't know her yet, and didn't want to keep her since she seemed distracted. But it seemed a good time to at least introduce himself.

I'm Gannet, he said, hoping he could at least get a name in return before she darted off for good. She seemed fairly keen on getting away at least. That was the second time she'd lightly bumped him in the process.

Her face felt so warm, and her chest flushed, and if she didn't have her own plush pelt to shroud her maybe he would notice the waves of embarrassment flowing off of her — oh gosh, oh, she's run in to him again! Its one of those cute but awkward scenes you might see in a coffee shop; every time she tried to step around him, he was trying to step around her, so they'd meet in the middle - rinse, repeat, except that he didn't appear to mind.

I'm Gannet, he introduced with a friendly enough tone, and in trying to pay attention to the sound of his voice Ibis managed to focus long enough to calm down a little. So what if she bumped him, it wouldn't hurt! It wasn't on purpose! He wasn't offended — she reasoned to herself in haste, and realized as she was trying to do that, he was waiting for her to politely counter with an introduction of her own. Oh, shoot. If mom saw her now —

Ibis, she blurts, Its mice to neet you — I, I mean, nice to meet you, Just breathe you silly girl! How could she go from such a confident and self-assured lady (as her mother had taught her to be) around her father to -- well, this mess? Ibis dips her head with the customary nod-of-greeting that so many wolves issued, and finally managed to time her side-step so that she could slip by him. Oddly, she found herself thinking, he smells really good --- Sorry, um, bye.

And just like that, she allowed herself to be a little bit rude and get the heck away before she made a real fool of herself.

He didn't quite understand her embarrassment and was a bit baffled when she wanted to immediately leave. Oh, okay. The disappointment was unmistakeable, but he definitely wasn't going to try and stop her.

So far the wolves of the creek had been a mixed but mostly positive bunch. He'd formed what he saw as friendships with everyone but Tarot - even Treason and Sarah. She seemed super nice though, and like a good one to practice talking with.

As much as she'd love to spend time with him, Ibis was tired from her travel and somewhat overwhelmed by the conversation she'd previously been having. All she wanted right now was sleep. To be somewhere safe and warm. A part of her knew that she'd be struggling for sleep tonight - it was already pretty late, and the forest was so new to her - but she still needed to try.

That said, Ibis noticed the tone in Gannet's voice and felt an instant regret; her guilt manifested in the form of a brief (but very expressive) frown, and she ducked away from him. Maybe later she'd find him again and apologize - but for now, the girl was shy and sleepy. If she did fall asleep, maybe she'd dream of ghosts.

She frowned but left, and Gannet watched her before turning and setting off on his own way. He didn't mind really, his own company was good enough. He'd hate to have company that would rather be elsewhere, and knew that eventually he'd likely run into her again. Maybe then they could talk.

Brightening up again, he kicked up into a run, loping for the edge of the territory.