Emberflame Ridge you know, it takes a village to raise a scheme

the ash crunched softly under their paws. not something they were entirely used to, but there was rain to muffle it; no sunlight, no flames. under the trees, the darkness thickened, and renard settled comfortably into the shadows they brought. the patter of the rain on the leaves was more than enough to silence their steps and the slow rhythm of their breathing.

the quiet didn’t last. the snap and crunch of brush wasn’t their doing, even without the accompanying snarl.

an ear flicked in her direction. renard’s head turned, and with it their attention; they’d met none of the court before, and for all the mess they’d kept their distance from the canyon, so far – but it didn’t take familiarity to work out just where she was from. not when the willows lay so close below.

not with the description derg had so helpfully provided.

renard looked her up and down, the edges of a smile curling their lips. bared teeth, bristling fur. if she truly wanted to attack, she would have done better to do it without all the fanfare. might have even caught them unawares.

wasted energy. but who were they to complain? “you’re with the court, i take it.” it wasn’t much of a question, but the alternative was giving her a glimpse into the reputation she was cultivating with the saints. they’d save that for later.