Blackfeather Woods We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity

The doe was closer to a stand of trees, her fawn by her hocks, but as Mou came through the dark at them they reacted separately - mother veering in a line away, child unprepared, panicked. It was good.

From Mou's dark side came a flurry of crashing and heavy breathing because Ramsay was racing for the deer as well; he lunged, but the doe reacted too swiftly and cracked him well on the shoulder. Mou watched in abject horror as the entire hunt disintegrated after that. In moments, even as he tried to lunge for the fawn himself, the nimble beasts were away to freedom before the wolves could even think.

The ghost had bolted in pursuit of them, but once the din of chaos subsided he came striding from the darkness, panting heavily and staring blankly in defeat at the forest floor.