Bitterroot Valley drag me under

her ears pricked at that—more mouths—two boy, young and wild and growing under his watch. a huff of laughter as she speaks, "sounds like they'll be keeping you busy."

family. he called her family, and he said it like it wasn’t a question but cold hard fact. it does something toxic and ruinous to her like a hot stone dropped in deep water, rippling through places in her she’d allowed to grow cold. the effect it has is evident in the way her tail begins to sway at the statement.

a beat. another smile, small and earnest.

"usually i'm not great at family dynamics," she admitted, eyes narrowing "but i guess i can make an exception." her tail flicked, brushing the lake's surface. "...they don't bite, do they?"