from the ashes, a fire will be woken | jesper

[Merida]

Merida

from the ashes, a fire shall be awoken

Her black-lined lips curl menacingly (though only a fox, she has the ferocity of the wolf that is her only friend), growling with warning as her tail twitches behind her, crouching lower as her fire-red eyes scan the darkness, ready to attack whatever dared to show itself. Though the thickness of her red and brown fur, splashed with white, hides all traces of scarring or fighting, her horse-form is littered with them - from mock battles with Crevan or from setting her eyes on much larger prey than herself. She is ready to take on whatever lies within the shadows, hackles rising on her neck to make herself appear more threatening.

As he emerges from the canopy of shadow, Merida’s eyes flash to the dark equine that appears. She holds her position, her haunches quivering as they await her command to spring. She stares at him a moment, snarling, before her black nostrils open in a soft snort of amusement and her muscles relax. She stands now, fully erect, her ears flipping lazily to the side - he is not a threat, nor is he dinner. He is simply a horse, which Merida tries to convince herself she isn’t. She wonders if he thinks she is a true fox - without a horse soul living on the inside. She tilts her head slightly, fire-red eyes narrowing slightly.

He is cautious in his steps, as if wondering if she would actually attack him. She flicks her tail at the thought, wondering now if she should have done it anyways. Crevan would have enjoyed the retelling of the story later, or perhaps he would show up within the shadow and have attempted to take him down with her.

The sun turns across the sky as the early afternoon turns to dusk. She can hear the cicadas begin their nightly song within the bellows of the forest, but she does not turn her ears towards them. The fox sits on her haunches, curling her bushy tail around her feet and tapping the white tip against brown-black paws. Her chest is stark against her red coloring, her fiery gaze set on him micheviously.

“It’s getting dark,” she purrs to the tall stranger, her voice burning as it leaves the black-lines of her lips.

@[Jesper]