It took every ounce of resolve for Lily to keep her hand steady as the large animal gave her hand a sniff, the image of the wolf biting it right off dancing vividly in her imagination. When it began to wag its tale her shoulders slumped in relief, and she drew a deep breath for the first time in what felt like ages of holding it in for fear of being mauled.

That relief vanished briefly a moment later when the wolf rest its muzzle in her hand, though Lily caught on and started to scratch the animal under its chin as it seemed to want her to.

"Hello there sweetheart," she said softly, the nervousness she felt evident at the edge of her voice. "Have you come all this way for a scratch my darling?" She tried to sound as warm and found as she did when addressing a neighborhood cat or dog and it was working, mostly.