At first, Charlie didn't know what to say or do. She just stood there, Savage Garden ringing in her ears, eyes locked on the golden eyes that observed her with a similar degree of caution. Both gazed across the 10 feet or so of pavement, both tense, both frozen.
Well... okay, technically Charlie knew what she should do, what she was supposed to do. She was supposed to step away, to turn off the water, to remove her gloves and switch off her Walkman. She was supposed to go back into the clinic, find Doc busy with papers and people alike, and inform him of what happened. She was supposed to explain to Jake that this was not a dog, that it was a wolf that was supposed to be left undisturbed in the shed. Technically, Charlie knew all this...
But still, in spite of this knowing, she was immobilized...
There was something about being in the presence of a wild animal that was simply breath-taking. So much unrestrained and untamed strength, grace and beauty, untainted by modern domestication, in a single gorgeous form. Charlie felt much the same when she helped to treat a deep muscle wound in that mountain lion two weeks ago, but in the face of the creature that Doc had forbidden her to approach, that same feeling was bubbling inside her, multiplied ten fold. And there was something about the feral gaze in the wolf's eyes- intelligent, assessing, and almost alien-like in how unusual they seemed. A deep, deep amber with flecks of gold that caught the light in dazzling, dizzying ways. It was these eyes that captivated her so much, that kept her from turning to the Doc.
After what seemed like an eternity of staring, Charlie finally shook her head and sighed. "Well, it seems we meet again." She let the water hose fall to the ground and cautiously approached, watching the wolf for any signs of anxiety. He seemed unnaturally calm, if not a bit curious, but not threatened in the least bit, always with his eyes on her.
Drawing closer, she finally tore her attention away from the wolf's eyes enough to gaze at the rest of him- and suddenly was reminded of her brief examination of the beast earlier that day. His coat, though gorgeous, was pelted with dirt and mud, and she could see old wounds scarring the skin beneath the fur. Her fascination with "her" wolf aside, he really could stand to benefit from a good bath.
What are you doing? she chastised herself. You can't be seriously considering washing a wild wolf! You don't know how that thing will react to a human, and that's only a small worry compared to Doc coming out and catching you! There's no way you can get away with keeping your job then...
But Charlie waved off the voice of reason amiably. What other chance would she get to be this close to a beautiful wolf again? And she couldn't resist the magnetic connection she had with this creature in particular- she found him, she helped him, she fed him, so it was only right that she helped to refresh him.
Having successfully rationalized her decision, Charlie crept forward and dropped to her knees, keeping on eye-level with the wolf as she reached her hand out. "You know, handsome though you may be, you really could use a good shower and some cologne," she teased softly. "You've got some old scabs on your sides that I saw before, and an open one or two from your accident today. Really, you ought to be lucky that a few scratches and a headache were the only souvenirs that you took home. But still, wouldn't you feel better with a clean coat and fresh skin? If you ask your neighbor Max, he'd be sure to tell you that I've got a mean massage hand."