Faeline heard the pattering of feet long before she felt the force of someone colliding with her pelt. Alarms blared in her head to brace herself as the footfalls grew louder and louder—yet the woman failed to catch herself regardless of her instincts' warnings, sending her toppling into the snow. Her chin hit the ground with a soft grunt. The moment she could regain her composure, her limbs hoisted her body back up, and her head whirled around to face the stranger.

The girl seemed younger. Smaller. Cloaked in soft, light-brown fur that was short, light, silken in texture. She wasn't built for the frigidity as Faeline was. Not to mention, she wasdangerously close to the rapidly-flowing river. With little thought, Faeline pressed her head forward to grasp the youth's tan scruff between rows of sharp teeth. She clamped the skin firmly, yet as gently as she could, as she hoisted her away from the edge of the water.

The moment they were both a comfortable distance from the shoreline, Faeline's lips pursed in solemn anger. You'd best watch where you're going! Her voice was callous, stern, laden with worry as harrowing thoughts entered her mind of what would've transpired if she'd fallen in the water. You are most certainly not built for that. A flick of her muzzle gestured to the waterway. If I hadn't been here to stop your fall, what would've happened?