Emberwood red woe

sensing movement in the foliage, sulukinak lunged. the leaves crunched and fluttered around her, and she became like a spear thrusting in to the body of the forest; but when she finished, only debris fell away from her. there was the rank scent of vermin as well as something like food, and yet nothing to show for it.

flustered, she gives up.

at first she high-steps through the green, and stops when she comes across a bramble patch; some has been picked clean and as she goes to investigate, freezes. a bundle of brown fur lays in a heap not too far from the patch.

she can make out legs, a torso — a head tucked under, a body folded up like a spider after being swatted. the shadow creeps back a half-step and breathes deep, searching for illness, or life — and can only tell this is a man, and not one she knows.