King Elk Forest the sweet relief of knowing nothing comes for free

the warmth in the few seconds that followed delight's recognition of her soothed mona; if her leader saw nothing the matter —
but it was removed from her as swiftly as it had arrived, this halfway hopefulness — the nuro's eyes darkened and her ears swept back against her head in shame. having traced every inch of it visible while watching her reflection in some frozen pool, the mayfair girl knew what it looked. her lips were atremble but her voice steady when she answered delight.
"i ... i saw a bird. it was round, and silver. it was so large —! i had never seen anything like it before. and then i felt a sharp ... something like a bite, and i don't remember anything else." her tone had taken on an expression of pleading; she sought the sylph's eyes with a plaintive swallow before focusing on the snow between her small red forepaws. "and then i had this thing on me, and i've ... i've tried everything. it won't come off." mona finished on a sob.