before the fray

Farther along the beach, lay Phantom, too staring at the moon. Her maw was opened in a soundless howl, her eyes closed. Sometimes, she would pretend that her howl was real, and that she could hear it traveling to the moon. For a few more moments she lay in the praying position, her silence eerie. Her eyes slid open, and lowering her head she finished her silent prayer to Mother Moon.

She trotted back to the flat rock she had placed her supplies on, the shriveled blue berries she had used to dye the fur of the plump squirrel blue, the color of the sea. Carefully she picked up the squirrel, it's blue fur covered in strange runes and markings, etched with a claw dipped in red.

She wandered into the waves, and bent her head, releasing the squirrel from her jaws. The water was quick to take it deeper into the sea, leaving a trail of purple in it's wake. She watched as it disappeared into the depths. Now to see if the Mother would be happy with her sacrifice.

She swan back to shallow water, and begun to swim along the shore side, warming up. The cold water didn't bother her too much, as her thick artic coat kept away the chill.