Duck Lake trapdoor

She found herself meandering again. Haunt idly wondered whether anyone at Sapphique even noticed her absence. She didn't think they didn't care about her, though she wasn't close to any of them either. Still, she knew she should head back soon, lest they think she'd abandoned them. As tempted as she was to go after Vex or even Arbiter—and as often as she strayed lately—the yearling would not simply disappear without a word.

Haunt rose to all fours after sitting beside a small lake for an hour or so, watching ducks. She shook out her ruff and prepared to head north to the coast. But she hadn't gone more than a few steps before she abruptly noticed something along the lake's western shore. Intrigued, she moved toward it, slowing her step as she approached and coming to a stop several yards away.

She stared, eyes slowly widening when she realized she was looking at the mutilated corpse of a mountain lion. Haunt craned forward, sniffing at the thick stench of blood. She then scrambled backward when it moved.