Porcupine Ridge haruspex

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The shadow man had left the tunnels, but they had not left him—nor the spirits he'd found there.

He woke each day with their voices in his ear; he swore he could feel the wispy hairs there stirring with their breath, cool and clear. He hadn't been able to make sense of them;

Not until today:

"Truth lies within."

A mantra that grew more insistent as he came upon the fresh corpse of a hare, surrounded by vultures. They scattered as he approached, one giving him a fierce hiss before taking to the sky. The prey reeked of fox—why had its killer not taken their quarry?

"Truth lies within."

Yeah, I heard that— Hex was beginning a sour retort when something about the hare brought him pause.

Its guts spilled from the tattered belly, tumbling upon the ground a tangled mass of pink and grey. A bulge, too, along the length of intestine, rising up past the still haunches like a mountain—

Ridge, he whispered.

He moved forward and began the bloody business of gently tugging the innards free, looking for more divine clues. For further peace of mind, he reasoned, as if it was something that made all the sense in the world.

The night spoke through parted clouds and distant owls.
She weaved through tall stones and followed the path of distant wing flutter. Fearing a bat could break from the tree cover, she stayed low and treaded slowly. Moved along a little quicker when strange noises would spur out from either side. Maybe Hex was out there. Wasn't at the camp. Fur, tangled and brushed uneven from tossing and turning all night. 

It was better to be out here than back there right now. Easier to be moving, searching, than sitting still, wondering. The chill bit her skin. It would be some ease of mind to find Hex.

Where?

Peering through the trees, dampened by dew, a silhouette formed. Leaves dotted her view. Moving hands, leaned over.. Hard to see. Rich iron and blood caught Nutiyikruk's nose.

Calling out, head twisting trying to make out what was only just a bit ahead.

A voice slipped out, a thread thin enough to snap.

"Hex?"

He lifted his head, muzzle coated in crimson viscera. His name had been called, and his golden eyes scanned over to land on Nutuyikruk, who watched the scene from a short distance.

Nutu, he called out, beckoning the girl closer. Come here. I want to show you this.

Even if she didn't take the deeper meaning, it was still food for her growing belly. Still, Hex began to tug the entrails loose, spreading them along the ground and examining every curve and facet of the guts revealed.

The air between them was heady with blood.