The Heartwood things lost to the flames

She broke into a delighted laugh at his comment and his new way of fishing, pulling back a little to avoid the spray. "Look at that," she said, each syllable shimmering in her glee. "You've turned our luck around."

Well, if he had tried it her way, she would try it his way. Another silver shape soon appeared after the water had calmed, and with one deft motion, she reached her paw into the water to scoop it out. It was mostly her foreleg that did the work, but regardless, it worked, and one more creature was added to their fishy pile.

"Two for you and two for me," Miyako said with a grin. "Let's eat so that we don't scare all the fish away."

As she bent her head to the kill, she watched the dark man out of the corner of her eye. He had come upon her initially seeming so stiff, so formal, but with conversation he had begun to warm up. The water droplets on his sleek black pelt glimmered in the sun. His smile, which she had so rarely seen, lit up his entire visage, changing him almost entirely.

Perhaps, buried underneath the steely interior, was a friend. Perhaps--her skin prickled and warmed at the thought--something more.