i reached back to scratch my arse and found a banana peel in my pocket

@Wylla
Note: set on the borders of SWC.

He had never come so far inland. The shores he had been raised on had been (over) populated and so there had never been a real need to travel far to find targets for raiding. The coastline here was a lot more sparse in terms of packs, and if Roz wanted to avoid bringing trouble to their doorstep then in Raptor's mind an inland target would be the prime choice.

The sun was at its highest point, and the heat was near unbearable. For him at least. He was used to the cooler temperatures by the sea, and the crispness of the air there. The sable corsair waded through a thick mat of grass and floating plants to reach open water, where he submerged himself so that only his head was exposed as he swam circles, seeking respite.

He lapped at the water as he paddled around, amusing himself by occasionally chomping at floating leaves and startled frogs. Once he was cooled off, Raptor followed the watercourse south... and stopped dead in his tracks when he recognized a scent along a pack's borders. Or did he? The coastal wolf sniffed the marks at length.

Disbelief settled across him like a cold shadow. He backed away, feeling the hairs rise on his nape as his chest clenched. He had thought she was gone. Like Sandpiper — never to be seen again.