I drop to a crouch besides a massive twisted tree, gaze drawing up the ruddy, rough bark to admire the endless branches sprouting from it. It must have been a few hundred, if not *thousand* years old. Impressive to say the least, no?
And the perfect place to find the dead.
Shifting onto me knees, I reach into the dark gap between the tree roots and rifled around amongst the leaves and rot. A few unknowns crawled on my hand and upper arm but I don’t mind the tickling sensation. Finally I wrapped my hand around something and I sat back with a triumphant smile. Within my hand was the recently dead: a young fox, body stiffened and a few bugs clinging to it.
“What a sweet thing,” I say softly. It looked like it died from a head injury. Not unusual for foxes.
A rustling from the brush drew my attention and my eyes narrowed ever so slightly. I rose to my feet, gently stroking the foxling’s matted fur and faced the woods. I don’t tend to travel this way often. My home was cosy with plenty of bones to keep my attention. I don’t know what this woods held and I was wary of finding out.
the last thing i expected when passing through the forest was to see a creature crouching next to a tree. it was not uncommon for others to be passing through the woods as i was, but this was..different. although they looked as any other mortal would, aside from the thick fur covering their back, they did not feel like one. at least not completely. i crouched in the bushes, watching. waiting.
i did not have to wait long as their ears picked up the rustling from my hiding place.
"who's there?" they called. i peeked through the leaves of the bush, trying to get a better view. i had learned through experience that it's best to assess the situation before jumping into it, a lesson that seldom stuck with me. but i knew i should be wary here. when i spotted the creature...human...thing, it was standing tall, holding what looked to be..a fox? a still, unmoving fox. i mentioned i rarely use my head before jumping headfirst into situations. this was no different.
as slowly as i could, i drew an arrow from my quiver, nocking it before quickly standing up. i planted my feet, aimed, and was struck dead in my tracks.
all was silent. even the chirping birds had quieted, as opposed to how they would normally sing tenfold as loud in my presence, recognizing my Lady's signature. i stared into glowing eyes as they stared back at mine. i saw that what i thought was their back was really their cape, made of thick white fur, gently swaying in the nonexistent breeze. 'curious,' i thought.
somehow i managed to regain my ability to speak, though barely above a whisper,
