Porcupine Ridge my darkness is shining

not-ava fell in step behind muskrat, picking her way between ruins of rock that demarked the cliff’s tumbling ascent.

moss and lichen and shale and old root and all manner of hardy sempervivums clawed a living here. the girl instinctively followed muskrat’s proud gaze, noting the defiant jut of her chin and the way she spoke.

her gaze rested pointedly on the assumed enemy, the tilt of her head asking ‘why’?