Blackfoot Forest A canopy of shivers

Vires's given reason brought a frown to Pied's face, not because it was a bad one—in fact, it was mightily intriguing—but because said leader was now missing in action. It was becoming a bit of a sore spot for Pied and, though she was usually too easygoing to hold grudges, she found her concern and disappointment giving way to deep resentment whenever she thought of Jinx and her empty promises.

"The same, pretty much," Pied murmured, bobbing her snout. "I myself am a believer in supernatural things, even though I come from a very secular sort of fam—" Her voice cut off abruptly when she heard a youthful bark, very close and very loud. It jarred her. Without looking, she knew it was the ghostly puppy, who had abruptly acquired volume as if she were a television set and someone had abruptly taken her off mute. "—family," she finished, quickly recovering from her shock.

She did her best to ignore the sudden noises of merriment at her back. At least they helped her wounded heart feel slightly less sad about the dead pup's violent fate. Clearly, the youngster wasn't feeling any sort of pain or sadness. In fact, by the sound of it, she was a rather boisterous little thing. It even made Pied's mouth turn up ever so slightly at the corners, as she heard the pup growl playfully at the ever-silent magpie.