-Diorae-
Tense muscles relax the longer she stands in the cold water. It’s not like the cold doesn’t get to her, but the pain from subcooled legs is much less he burning pain caused by her scorch wounds. It numbs the initial pain, relieving her of it for a short while. This time she sighs softly, then licking her own lips before snorting. Diorae couldn’t fully relax. She never could. Not as long as the eyes haunted her.
She can feel them watching her even now. It makes her shudder uncomfortably. Thankfully the rising sun chases the darkness away that had kept her up all night. She’s exhausted, has been ever since whatever it was that had happened to her. Made her pretty skittish too. Nervous in general. And the voice calling out to her definitely surprises her.
Diorae stumbles back, gasping for breath in surprise. She ends up half on the river bank – both hind legs – and half still in the water, eyes widened and ears pinned back against her head in a rather insecure way. For a moment she shuts down. Then, she snorts, as it’s the only way she can express herself and release some of the sudden tension at the same time.
Her ears flick as he speaks, but she backs away as he draws closer. Her head is lowered, hazel brown eyes taking him in with caution. That’s all she does, not being able to verbally reply. And she’s torn between relief – thankful that she is no longer alone – and fear of this unknown creature. The early day sunbeams make his coat dazzle, so different than it does to hers. Not something Rae has come across before. It’s the way he moves. He’s confident and he looks worried. For her. Diorae shudders again, eyes closing for a moment and she snorts in an attempt to get rid of her tension before cautiously looking at him again.
His lure scares her. Just as the natural way she finds herself responding. Muscles are already less tense than before. And she’s not alone anymore either. The stranger’s presence also lifts a weight of her shoulders, she no longer needs to keep attention on all around her to survive.
A beautiful face is a mute recommendation.