The Heartwood Hands in a derby

He relented, and Chip relaxed the tension in her shoulders. It was no fun if he didn't play by the rules. Count to twenty, then come find me, and no peeking! she reminded him before scampering off into the woods. She weaved in and out of the trees, backtracked a few times, and eventually found a downed evergreen bough to hide herself behind. There, she peered out, trying to slow her panting and keep as quiet as possible.

Briefly, she wondered what she would do if he did fail to find her. Not that she expected that to happen, but it sure would be a disappointment if that was the case. Chip's eyes and ears were alert, ready for any sign of him to come toward her.

A good thirty minutes had passed by the time she called out. Hey bone-boy! But he was nowhere to be found. Perhaps he wasn't such a good partner for this game after all. With a shrug, Chip moved on, seeking out her next victim.