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Marjorine hummed quietly, counting her steps as she walked through dried leaves and snow in the forest. She enjoyed these, being able to walk around freely, small and relishing the forest.
She sat down near a tree, grabbing a coloring book and pack of pencils she’d kept from Bennigan’s, opening to a new page and coloring in messily but happily. The sun was going to set soon, but her curfew wasn’t until 8 PM.
She’d hear leaves blow and snow crunch, but she’d always pass it off as a bug crawling around, or the cool breeze that came often.
It wasn’t until there was another noise — one she didn’t really recgonize — that she started to get a bit scared. She looked up, looking around her, seeing nothing.
That didn’t really ease her fears. She bit her lip, going back to coloring for a bit, playing and twirling a lock of her hair.
She heard the noise again, now positive it’s a growl. A hungry one.
Oh, gee, is she gonna die?! She squeaked, her knees up to her chest, coloring book cradled between them as she looked around again.
When she’s about to look back down, there’s a snout right in her face. She yelps, jumping up and walking as far back as she can — until she’s stopped by the tree, about a step in. She stammers, eyes immediately welling up with tears.
A faint whimper. The animal — wolf — tilts its head, as if concerned. She doesn’t believe it, not one bit.
It puts a paw on her foot, and she’s frozen. It has sharp fangs, and unkept claws, and mangy hair, and it’s terrifying.
“Please,” she chokes out, her voice small and brittle as she tries not to curl in on herself. She wishes she could’ve just gone back to her coloring in peace.
It’s got grey fur with lighter-colored ends at the tips of its ears, paws, and tail. It’s nothing like she’s ever seen before. It lets out another little whine.
Shakily, she reaches a hand out, allowing it to sniff her. Maybe it won’t eat her, then.
“‘M not— don’—“ she doesn’t even know what she was planning on saying, just that it was probably going to end up as her pleading for it not to hurt her.
And then it walks away. She sniffles, wiping her tears with her arm as she watches.
It can’t just do that after scaring her, that’s mean!
She chases after, grabbing her coloring book and crayons and clutching it tightly as she runs as fast as her little legs will take her. But she can’t see the wolf anymore.
Just some.. guy.
Just some guy?
She pants, holding onto his sleeve. “Um— Sir— have— h-have y’seen a, a li’l wolf?” She asks, looking up at him anxiously. She starts to freak out a bit more after he narrows his eyes at her, worried she’s made him upset and now he’s going to hurt her before the wolf even has a chance to—
“Uh.”
He looks like he’s contemplating what to say. “Sorta?”
“S-Sorta?”
He grins slightly, scratching the back of his head. “Uhh, yeah, that’s.. my bad.. Sorry for freakin’ you out?”
“...Huh?!” This is way more than her little brain can handle right now. He just ruffles her hair, chuckling.
“Just don’t tell, okay?”
She tries to say something, but can’t. What does he mean?
...Where did he go!?