The hunting cries of the wolves echoed across the peak as one pack converged on whatever their prey was. Seleucus could hear the cries growing closer as large animals called to one another seemingly driving prey in one direction or the next. He could somewhat hear the frustration in the animals voices because the directions kept changing. Whatever they wanted or were trying to do wasn't working as easily as the wolves perhaps thought it should.
Haeli was a testament to that.
She was breathing hard, digging her feet into the soil as fast as her paws would allow her. The witch climbed, darted trees, jumped boulders, back tracked through frozen streams, and did everything in her power to evade the wolf pack that was converging on her. Odds are they wouldn't eat her, but she wanted to avoid the confrontation as long as she could. Her job, currently, was to study them not to interact with them and change any of their behaviors. And to do that she had to get close. As a human, they mostly ignored her or thought about hunting her at least until they got close and the Caiyha mark made itself known. As a wolf they wanted to greet her, introduce her to the pack, and beat the tar out of her until some sort of pecking order could be established.
She just didn't want the brawl, not right now, and probably not in the near future. The Witch knew how to back down, avoid violence, and do what she had to in order to survive. But she didn't want to be PART of them, not yet. She just wanted to KNOW them instead. Sometimes though, like in the Gyvaka, there was a thin line and nothing, absolutely nothing, was separate.
Haeli panted, drawing in deep breaths into the black furred wolf form she wore. Her lungs were big and powerful, but she'd been climbing all day, practicing her evasion, and keeping out of the wolf's direct trail. Now though, she found herself close to the hot springs and almost out of energy. Switching tactics, she skirted up the mountain, avoiding the trail that lead to the springs and instead cut across the woods.
She burst out of them in a black furred fury and with one large leap was airborne and then splashing down into the springs. When she came up, sputtering, her body was already transforming back into her humanity, gathering everything about her that was HER and reforming it into its normal shape. The Witch crouched down low in the water, paddling furiously to keep herself upright treading, and held her arms out like she was stroking the water.
Haeli was gasping, dragging in big lungfuls of air as the pack hit the edge of the springs, circled around it, and growled out over the water. Their prey was gone, untouchable out in the water, and the wolves whined with frustration. They touched each others noses, circled the springs and eventually melted back into the night.
Haeli sagged with relief, then reached out and then started swimming towards the nearest rim, hoping to find a relatively safe seat among the rock shelf and reeds where she could catch her breath.
It was then and there she noticed that she was not alone. The observation caused her to do a double take, then apologize profusely. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were here and I didn't mean to bother you. I was just avoiding a confrontation with the wolves in the area." Haeli said, as if she hadn't just been a wolf or changed to a girl in front of him.