Broken Antler Fen New life and love

It was difficult for Ibis to remove herself from the moment, to detangle thoughts of her daughter from the sight of a ruined hare, the red stain on the ground staining her mind. When Wraen came up beside her and passed some small comfort Ibis took a breath and finally looked away from the mess.

The man looked healthy; he had certainly been healthy enough to find a fat hare despite the chill of winter. There was something familiar about him that Ibis could not place, be it his features, his voice, or his scent she was not certain.

I am Ibis, she introduced. This is Wraen, towards which she motioned with a small tip of her snout. We live here upon the fen and hope to make it our permanent home, but for now you are not trespassing. She thought her voice was shaking but it wasn't; the rest of her trembled, which could have been the cold permeating her thin coat.