Grezig wandered the forest of silver birch and dark pine as the sun slowly set. The light filtering through the trees was red-gold and beautiful.

Beauty. It was a concept that was only just beginning to filter through Grezig’s consciousness. Once again, she couldn’t help but think that Elixir would be proud of her. Perhaps the concept of beauty made more sense now that the group was finally settling down. Now that they did not have to worry quite so much about survival, there was more time to see the beauty in the world. Grezig shook her head. In truth, she did not really understand it. All she knew was that she was happier than she had been in a long while. The plateau was… beautiful, and it offered the pack food and shelter and a chance at a new life.

She sat down and faced the sunset. Birds chirped around her in the trees and small animals scurried here and there. Yes. This was their home now, and Grezig was content.

Grezig gave a small start when she heard a voice to her left, quickly turning her head. She felt a little ashamed of herself for being so caught off guard, and cleared her throat before she spoke. “I am Grezig,” she told the woman, squinting at her and trying to remember her name. She remembered when the group had met this dark-furred female. She’d been following Corvus… Hmm… “Min… Minori, right?” she tried. “Forgive me if I have gotten your name wrong. I do not believe we have ever really spoken to one another.” She dipped her head as an official greeting, wondering what Minori wanted.

Grezig grunted in acknowledgement when Minori told her she’d gotten her name correct. “Good,” she said. The earthy-colored woman listened as Minori went on to say that she was not very social. She mentioned that she was not sure why she spoke to Corvus as often as she did. Grezig grunted again. “Annoying?” she repeated. She thought back to her last encounter. Their spar, hadn’t it been? That had been weeks ago, she realized. They really needed to catch up again.

“Yes,” she agreed, coming back to herself. “He can be… annoying. Arrogant, more like. But I do not care about that. He fights well and has remained loyal to the pack.” She shrugged, glancing at Minori and wondering what she’d have to say about that.

Grezig had been looking around, not at Minori, after she finished speaking, but she turned her head back immediately at the dark female’s expression. Minori looked… excited. Grezig raised an eyebrow in a questioning look. ’You know about fighting?’ Minori asked, and Grezig grunted a yes. ’I was a general.’

The term general was unfamiliar to Grezig, who had grown up in a pack with words like warrior and fighter. She assumed, though, from the topic of their conversation, that Minori must have meant some kind of warrior—a good one. Grezig grunted again to show that she was listening. Then Minori went on to explain how she and Corvus had met. It reminded her of her own meeting with Corvus. “I fought and hunted with Corvus, as well,” she said, “though, not in that order.” She paused for a moment, allowed the smallest of grins, and said, “I won, also.”

’Hmm,’ Minori began, and Grezig raised an eyebrow at her in curiosity. ’Perhaps we could spar? Fight until one submits. No serious damage, of course.’

Grezig could not help the grin that spread across her face at the suggestion. “Yes,” she said simply, and stood up. “I would gladly spar with you.” And she meant it. But first, she wiped the grin off her face. She would let it come back if she won. “Now?” she asked, a bit eagerly. It had been some time since her last spar, with Kavik. She had won that one, as well. She was curious to see if Minori would be the one who finally put her down.


Minori did not want to do the spar now. Grezig was a bit disappointed, but nodded in acceptance. "Another time, then," she said, and then turned and walked away.

[Exit]