Leigha quickly defended her horse, stating that he was understanding and wouldn’t harm any creature. The fact that she was learning how to speak with him piqued Vesper’s curiosity, but she couldn’t help but be skeptical. After all, animal instinct often got in the way of so-called “understanding.” She’d found herself ready to rip another canine’s face off when she was on edge. She could only imagine what a horse, a natural prey animal, would do when faced with a strange predator. She lowered her ears when the luperci walked off, following very cautiously and at a pretty good distance.
She pricked her ears with disbelief when she heard the teen talking to the horse. She talks to him like a kid, she thought, shaking her head once. Like he’s a wolf and not a horse. It was unlike anything she’d heard directed at a prey animal.
The hybrid froze in her tracks when the pony whinnied, almost anticipating it to charge, as if the sound was a war cry. She might be able to move quickly enough back among the tombstones, and she was sure that her night vision was better than a horse’s, but she still remained on edge.
Taking small, slow steps, showing her reluctance, Vesper approached the horse. She felt younger than Leigha in that moment, even if she had about a year on the other female. Ears pinned and head low, she crept forward. It might have looked like stalking if not for her tail, which had a small bend in it—almost but not quite tucked between her legs. She was anxious around the large animal, but she tried to keep some of her dignity.
She finally stood not far from Leigha and Archie. Stopping, she swiveled one ear forward uncertainly then shot Leigha a wry glance. “Now what?”
