Bearclaw Valley in the end i danced with a ghost

twitch stumbles back a step at the shove, hackles flaring, ears snapping up in that fleeting second of fight-or-flight. her teeth flash—barely, just a flicker of instinct before she reins herself in.

"yeah, well," she grits out, shaking off the touch like it burned, "maybe next time i will."

it’s not true (probably). she knows it, and vail probably does too.

she watches as the girl stalks away, picking her path more carefully this time, shoulders still tense from the near fall. twitch doesn’t move to follow, no, but she pads past the girl, heading north.

her mouth twitches, humorless. "still not going the right way, you know," she breathes in passing.