The terrified little cub fled along the rocky pathway, one side of her body scraping against the sheer rock while she struggled to stay away from the edge on her other. Little rocks she dislodged as she ran bounced ahead only to fly off the ledge that formed her highway, she couldn’t hear them landing at the bottom over the sound of her own panting breath, but she was sure they hit hard. It was a long way down. Not daring to glance back she sucked in more heaving breaths, trying to make her legs go faster without loosing her balance. She didn’t want to go careening off the edge of the pathway, but if they caught her! Terror gave her a burst of speed and she scrambled up the last steep section, flying out over the top where the narrow path –that was more of a shelf than an actual walkway- opened up onto the top of the cliffs, she lost her footing and would have gone flying directly over the cliff face and into the ocean below, but for the sudden pain that stabbed into her neck as the ground fell away below her. With a cry she shut her eyes tight, convinced that either she was falling to her death, or that they had caught up to her.
Barely a heartbeat passed before she felt the ground under her paws again and the pain suddenly let go of her ruff. Sinking to her belly she cowed, terrified and convinced she was about to get beaten to death. But then a voice spoke. Deep and gruff, at least to her ears, and barely audible over the pounding of her heart. It took her a moment to realise that whoever it was wasn’t attacking her, but talking instead. And then it took another few breaths before his words registered.
“Are you alright?”
Her frightened mind refused the sounds, refused to make sense over what they meant. But eventually she fearfully opened her eyes and peered up at the one looming over her. Tall, was her first impression. Very tall. And white. So white he almost shone in the bright sun. Gradually she realised that he wasn’t looming either, but looking down at her with a puzzled and slightly concerned expression. That was fair, she was still cowering on her belly, back legs splayed and her front curled into her chest where but a moment ago, her head had been buried, expecting a blow that never came. Blinking as her panicked heartbeat slowly started to even out, she self-consciously started to pull her rear legs in and back under her, then she stood hesitantly. And still her neck craned upwards to look at him. He was tall. Far, far taller than herself, and possibly taller than the boys that had been chasing her. He had a shock of pitch black hair that fell into his eyes constantly, his thick black braid resting against one shoulder and secured with a bright orange tie. His eyes were also the same bright orange, like the setting sun, and they rested on her, still curious, still concerned. But concerned in a way that made her feel suddenly safe. Concerned for her, not because of her… ullike many of the other cubs who tended to avoid her, in case she gave them thrall-gems. Never mind she was no thrall, but everyone knew her mother had been. And apparently being Ragnvard’s thrall was even worse than normal.
“Hey, can you hear me?” His deep voice flowed over her again, worry lacing the rough tones. It sounded as if he roared a lot maybe, or perhaps it was just his extra tall-ness that gave him the deeper voice. He was maybe around her age, though it was hard to tell with his height, he looked like he should be almost an adolescent, but his mane was the usual cubbish tuft and he was skinny, no, not skinny…. slender. As if he hadn’t yet started to grow. She briefly wondered just how tall he would be when he did! As tall as papa? Possibly. Gaping a little she finally realised that while he had spoken twice, she had yet to answer.
“Y-Yes!” She gasped, realising that her breath still had not returned to her, despite the lessening of her heart’s thumping in her ears. His grin when she finally spoke was amazing, like sunshine, it lit up his face and drove the worry away, bathing her in warmth and pleasure. She knew she was staring at him stupidly, but she couldn’t seem to do anything else.
“I’m Hakon.” He said, grinning at her with a sparkle in his orange sunset eyes. She realised, as he turned his head, that what she had thought was a scar, was actually some strange marking of his pelt, a raggedy streak of brown that crossed over one eye and down his cheek. A matching streak twisted around one foreleg and formed a kind of roaring dragon mark. He seemed… too friendly for the scar-like mark. Smiling shyly in return she finally stopped quivering. “I’m Kaisa.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Kaisa.” He offered in reply, glancing down the path she had rushed up moments ago. “Come with me! I want to show you something.” He grinned, that twinkle in his eyes still visible. Nodding helplessly, she knew she would follow him anywhere. Moving to his side as if in a dream she trailed along as he set off, headed away from the path and across the clifftop. She didn’t notice, but he kept her on the landward side, chattering lightly about how he had found this amazing skull and that he was trying to figure out what it had been. Mutely she followed, never saying a word but simply staring at him, trying to come up with something brilliant and witty that would make him laugh again, as he had the most amazingly warm and easy laugh that she wanted to keep listening to. But nothing made its way past the blockage that had suddenly developed between her brain and her mouth. Still, Hakon didn’t seem to notice, and simply continued to chatter as he led her down the gentle slope of the cliff and away from the deadly path, and the cubs left standing on the ridge glaring after them in frustration.
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