Felltree Marsh A coat of red

the raccoon between her paws was studied. who had it been, before the killer’s jaws wrapped around it? what life had it lead, who did it leave behind?

her mind turned over to her family. would they worry? would someone come looking for her — dogfish or astera or her own maman perhaps? shadess? her gut flipped with a strange excitement to think of others setting aside the momentum of their lives for her; what course would their new life take?

would they find her?

and what would happen to the caribou-killer if they did?

sivaak was back. sobeille watched as she ignored her, ate, and then rose. she asked her why she did not run.

sobeille’s legs were shorter. it was simply a matter of practicality.

between straps of meat, sobeille spoke. only prey run. then she flipped the carcass over, thinking of fear and how fear was the mind-killer. sobeille had feared before and it was like a black hand reaching into her thoughts to snuffle out all the cohesion within her. ’ow much farther?