Its warm breath stirred her hair, sending it flying across her face like the thin wisps were trying to flee for their lives. She hadn't even heard it approach, so silent compared to the other wolf. She'd thought they'd both gone after their scuffle. It was that quiet. 

Strangely, the beast warmed her, returning sensation to her neck and down her spine. Heat ran down her entire back, striking a strange contrast between how cold the snow was against her legs. It was close, a shadow looming over her. But beasts have blood too, and warmth did not mean humanity. It was still going to kill her. Her body hurt too much to try and think of ways to escape.

And then it was biting her head, its enormous jaws closing around... Wait. No, it wasn't. What was it doing? Licking her head?

A shot of pain struck Kaia, and she flinched away. Then Kaia realized that the wolf was...licking her head wound. The act was so gentle, tentative, caring. It was strange to have such an enormous beast touching her so lightly, so hesitantly. It occasionally paused like it wasn't used to such tenderness.

This was probably the most improbable moment Kaia had ever experienced. 

She was a bit uneasy still, but didn't know what to do; she was still too afraid to move else she upset the animal. Eventually, though, a calm feeling spread throughout Kaia, spreading farther the longer its rough tongue gently caressed her. Her shoulders fell. Her muscles softened. It was impossible to be afraid when this creature was being so gentle, so warm. When her mind had stopped spinning, and her fear had left her, she realized that she was enveloped in the smell of woodsmoke, so powerful now that a deep inhale of the crisp morning air sent a shiver through Kaia's body in delight. 

That smell was sunlight to the flower blossoming in Kaia's heart. 

Then the caresses stopped. Kaia started to emerge from her bizarre trance. She looked up, turning.

The wolf sitting majestically in front of her, still now and staring down at her, was black as the night. It loomed above her, all taut muscles and groomed, glossy fur. Excitement welled up in Kaia as she imagined boldly reaching out and touching that fur, but she was too afraid to do it still, worried that any quick motion from her and the wolf would lose its patience.

Its breath came in heavy, steady beats, so close that Kaia could still feel it, could see the white clouds fall around her. Its sides heaved with each breath. He was alive. His power, his magnificence, and his pride struck Kaia. 

He shook his fur briefly as snow started to fall, little flakes landing on him and clinging to his coat. Kaia met his eyes, an intense yellow that glowed against his dark fur. They were familiar and made Kaia's heart thud in her chest. He was staring so intensely at her it was like he would discover all of her secrets with just a glance.

"You're..." Kaia breathed, her adrenaline still fading, "From that night."

The wolf huffed, raising a paw and then letting it fall again awkwardly like he didn't know how to respond. He broke eye contact, staring at the ground, lowering his head. Was he...embarrassed? Kaia couldn't help but let her lips melt into a quiet smile. He seemed so...Kaia didn't know. Gentle. Despite his size, much larger than the first wolf and so massive that Kaia doubted she could wrap her arms all the way around him, she got the feeling that he wasn't there to hurt her.

But he was there for her, just like that night. He'd smelled her, vanilla, heard her voice. She'd been close. He'd leaped through the woods, soaring over obstacles, a black streak through the white snow, his heart pounding. He'd had to get to her. Had to help her, keep her safe. She'd screamed, and panic had risen, spurring him on and sparking his fury. No one would hurt her...

Kaia inhaled sharply, covering her mouth with her hands. Her wolf's head jerked up, his gaze questioning. "Sorry," she breathed, "I just...you were just trying so hard to get to me."

He blinked, staring at her. His nose twitched, and frustration sparked in his eyes. He following his nose, touching it to the back of Kaia's hand. She flinched at the contact, his nose slightly damp. Confused, Kaia laid her palms out flat, showing them to him. Blood was smeared against her skin, turning it red. There were a few relatively deep gashes, but otherwise, it wasn't that bad. 

Her wolf growled again, soft and short like he was chastising himself for being so late to get to her, for not having smelled her sooner.

He lowered his head slowly and gently started to lick her, focusing on her palms. Kaia watched his massive head move, shift to get a better angle. Then he looked up at her, meeting her eyes as he continued to lick her. 

There was something in his eyes, something unnamable yet overpowering, something that called to the innermost part of Kaia. It was like a note was sounded, and only Kaia could harmonize with it. She had a purpose, the quiet sound she made matching so perfectly with another. It was nothing less than right. 

Kaia let out a shaky breath and a sob, reality crashing down again. "I thought I was going to die," she said, her voice breaking almost immediately. Tears sprung up in her eyes, and this time she let them fall. Her wolf watched, finishing his work on her palms before raising his head. She sat there, crying, shaking, shivering. She closed her fingers over her wounds, freshly cleaned, like the skin there was a treasure, a reminder of that unnamable something she had felt at his touch. 

Then her wolf let out an almost inaudible whimper, and she realized that there was a pain in his eyes. He didn't like seeing her cry. Kaia took a deep breath and wiped her tears away with her sleeve. "Sorry, I'm ok," she said. She'd used those words a lot, but this might have been the first time in a long time that she'd at least somewhat believed them. 

A puff of breath made Kaia's eyes flutter, and then his rough tongue was on her cheek, tasting her tears. She gasped, feeling his warm tongue leave wet marks on her face. His whiskers tickled her nose, and she inhaled deeply, smelling that same earthiness, smokiness. How could something so huge touch her so softly?

Kaia's skin tingled, and before she knew it, she was reaching for him. Her hands buried themselves in his thick fur, her fingers disappearing behind that blackness. It was rough, but soft underneath his outer coat. He stiffened momentarily at her touch, his muscles twitching. He bowed his head again, his nose barely resting on her shoulder.

"Why aren't I afraid of you?" Kaia asked, mostly to herself. She should be afraid of him. He was an animal. He could quickly kill her with a single snap of his jaw, her bones offering little resistance. But all traces of fear Kaia had felt were gone the moment he'd touched her, felt his presence so overwhelming in the air around her.

Kaia reached up, sliding her hands along the fur on his broad neck. Her fingertips caressed the dark hair between his ears, sliding along the side of his face, gliding along the tips of his ears...exploring. He let out a low rumble, almost like a purr, and closed his eyes. He let her feel him, leaning into her touch like he'd run his whole life to get to her and could finally rest.

She was breathless. Right.

And then his eyes snapped open, his nose twitching as he raised it to the air. A low growl echoed in his chest. Kaia could feel the vibration of his anger against her palms. He stood, rising to his full height. He was imposing with his head raised to the wind, snow falling all around him, darkness against the light.

He tilted his head up, and he howled, the sound ringing in Kaia's ears. For a moment, she couldn't think. She wanted to run from him again, to get as far away from him as possible. His howl was haunting, lonely, empty. "No," Kaia whimpered, leaning away from him.

He stiffened and looked back at her, his eyes conflicted, his howl cut short. He lowered his head almost to the ground, far below his shoulders. Don't be afraid, he was telling her. There was fear in his eyes. Please.

She hesitated, watching him, reading him, listening to him. He took a step towards her, one enormous paw moving. His body turned towards her, his head trained in her direction. Then Kaia realized what he'd done. His howl had been a message. To other wolves? He must have smelled another coming. Had he warned them away?

Kaia relaxed a little, nodding slowly, "You're trying to protect me."

His head nodded up, and down and Kaia blinked. Had he just...understood her? He'd nodded, a distinctly human gesture. "Did you..."

He stared at her, his yellow eyes unblinking, attentive. This was not reality. It just wasn't. 

"Did you just nod?"

He nodded again.

Kaia clenched her teeth and forced herself to her feet. She was talking to a wolf. No, no. That was impossible. When her head started spinning, she realized that she might have stood a bit too quickly.

The world blurred for a moment and she struggled to remain upright. Then she felt a pressure at the back of her legs, helping her stay vertical. She grasped onto it, desperate for something to ground her, and touched fur again. A growl. Be more careful, he was saying. And this time, Kaia wondered if she really imagined his words or if, somehow, they were actually his.

Was there a mind buried underneath all that dark fur? One that might, in some strange version of the world, think of Kaia as his moon? It was both thrilling and embarrassing at the same time. She didn't know what to think or how to feel. 

Her wolf urged her forward with a nudge, staring into the woods. "You're taking me back home?" Kaia asked as she took hold of his fur, securing her position by his side. She didn't want to risk getting dizzy again and keeling over.

He nodded.

Kaia was quiet for a moment as they walked, paws soundless and boots crunching on snow. "Do you understand me?"

He nodded. This was happening. 

Kaia could only stare at him, but he didn't seem to pay any mind. Kaia swallowed her questions and her confusion and just walked with him, relishing the wild smell, the scent of nature, the free world beyond her bedroom walls, and the warmth that seeped into her from where she touched him.

She wanted to reach down and wrap her arms around him, feel his deep breathing against her entire being, see what he would do. But she was worried that if she leaned over the world would spin again. That was no good.

And, too soon, they were at the edge of the woods. Kaia looked up at her cold house, towering over her; she could already feel the moment slipping between her thin, bloody fingers. She frowned and her wolf huffed. She looked down at him and shook her head, "My dad's going to worry."

The wolf stared at her, tilting his head to the side, confused. "He's overprotective. He'll kill me."

A snort. Disbelief? Amusement?

"'Worried' is an understatement. I'll never leave my house again." He let out a low growl, long and pained. Kaia tilted her head, surprised. What did that mean?

Then she saw his eyes, bright and intense, sparking to life. Possessive. Kaia's mouth went dry, her heart speeding up. "I-" she hesitated. She was talking to a wolf. But it was slowly beginning to feel more normal, so she pushed forward valiantly. "I'll see you again," Kaia said quietly, shifting her feet nervously. Despite how strange this all was, the rational part of her was losing the war.

A huff. You better.

And then he turned, slowly striding away from her, getting farther and farther. A strange ache struck Kaia's chest. She was being left alone...again. No, stop. She wasn't alone. She had to remind herself of as much.

She wasn't alone. Not any longer.

Aw. Kaia's found him. 

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