Phoenix Maplewood No one's ever left me quite this sore

The bank wasn't very long, but still it took Saena a decent few minutes to get down to the edge of the water. The rocks were almost greasy with water and vegetation and her feet almost betrayed her more than once on the way down. It was worth it, though, for at the very edge the stone was exposed and easy to stand on. The water rushed over her toes, burbling as it encountered this new and unnatural obstacle. A whorl began to form behind her left foot where the current tried to double back on itself; lifting her paw would quell the chaos for just a moment.

She sucked in a deep breath and sighed, content for the first time in what seemed like months. It was only a few weeks ago that Redtail Rise burned to the ground, but it felt like ages, and the weight on her shoulder had been there even before that. Now, she almost felt light. Like she could drift away into the sky, break through the leafy veil overhead and soar away.

That was preposterous, but the feeling was there. The alpha female let herself daydream about that and then, with a shake of her head, she stepped across the stream and began to navigate the further bank. Here was where her balance failed her and a misstep caused her upper torso to slide toward the water. Her hips followed and with a splash and a surprised giggle, she tumbled right into the stream.