Porcupine Ridge It crashed into this lonely town,

caróg squints at her. his tail, thudding rapidly against his hind legs, stills. he sniffs the air again. and she has a different scent, now, that is not the faerie court's, but it is still orlaith. he is not imagining things. if he was imagining things, vrána would be very mad at him – tugging him away instead of just letting him watch. she knows the faeries by now, just like he does. even if this one has been missing for some time.

"caróg," he chirps, cocking his head to the side. from what he remembers she should probably be yelling at him by now, but she is not. which is strange. still squinting at her, he sets one paw forward, and then another, drawing closer and closer. 

"faerie, from seelie court. just like you are, for longer than me." he pauses. "but you left." it is not an accusation – lumiya has told him that all the faeries are free to go if they want, that they are not bound to stay there. he is not so sure he believes it, not with all the stories he has heard. but orlaith is here, so certainly lumiya has let her go. maybe she has just –

– forgotten?

maybe that is what happens when you leave the faerie court. caróg's bloodred gaze sharpens as he lifts his head. "you forgot faeries when you left?"