Ouroboros Spine xii. it's spiraling down

Lótë hadn't expected him to be afraid of her, mainly because he was the spying culprit in this scenario and also just because it was hard for her to imagine scaring anyone. Regardless of her surprise, the herbologist splayed her fallow ears against her skull in a gesture of apology and stepped back a pace from the treeline. Both to reassure the youth that she meant him no harm by approaching and to avoid any further aggression should he come bursting from the trees to attack her anyways. She sat on her haunches, head lowered as she curled her shoulders to avoid standing at full height -- making herself even smaller and less threatening. 

Her features and voice were softer when she called out to the snarling shadow again. She could remember her adolescence clearly; the herd-watcher could recall vividly being younger, smaller, frightened. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. You can come out if you want to." 

She fell silent for a moment before thinking to add: "I'm Lótë."