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The little girl stalked boldly up to her, hard eyes demanding an answer. She was an assertive child, that much was obvious, and she might be a bit older than Coli had first assumed. In her Optime form, Coli towered over her -- should she shift down to her level? She had always done that for Willow, and when she met Emwe, so it seemed only fair. As long as her sudden movements wouldn't frighten this she-coyote into calling for help, because if adults saw her, they would be far less lenient. As she understood it, the truce between their two packs was more fragile than she would have hoped, and that was mostly her own father's fault... She had no idea that the little girl before her had actually met Haku before, and might even piece together their relation. Still too nervous to take action, she remained in her more comfortable two-legged form, reasoning that she would be a faster runner this way.
"I'm... n-not doing anything," Coli said defensively, trying to maintain a strong facade. "What are you doing?" She managed to hold her trembling hands at her side, resisting the impulse to wring her wrists nervously or wipe her sweaty pawpads against her fur. Would this be the end of her? She had no reason to fear death - there was little that she had planned for her life, and she never expected to grow old anyway - but since she feared everything, it was impossible not to cringe and imagine the pain that this girl's family would inflict on her. Ironic, that the runty hybrid was actually a cousin of hers. Up close, Coli noticed the girl had a small bag - someone had given it to her, and she was filling it with items she located on the beach. Were they toys? Shiny stones she thought was pretty? What would a little girl collect... seashells? "I can help you look for things to fill your bag with," she gambled, biting her lip anxiously.
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