Wheeling Gull Isle and forgot i had claws

a week since they'd left, and donovan hadn't come after them. they would have noticed if he had. there wasn't a wolf in the saints who understood subtlety, or they might have waited longer before leaving.

they'd almost have liked him to try. it would have been entertaining, if nothing else. more proof that they'd left, if they came with saints blood on their teeth. but while he might have not known a bad idea when it looked him in the face, he probably had...other things to worry about. 

praimfaya had done her best to rid her coat of the saints. she hadn't succeeded. they'd followed along, but without the rain a week wasn't enough. muted, by the time they reached the shore. renard still bore it a little stronger than she did – but they weren't nearly as impatient to have it removed. it would fade on its own in time.

faster if they stayed here. when they lifted their nose to the air it was hard to make out much beyond salt and seaweed. the island was just visible at the end of a long strip of sand, not so different from the canyon; and here, there was the sound of waves to further muffle their steps, instead of nothing but silence.

they doubted this would go smoothly.

there was the kid. the main obstacle, assuming he'd made it back. he was blind and they'd barely spoken, and donovan had been eager to gloat to the wolf of yuèlóng on their proverbial doorstep. they doubted they'd made much of an impression when he'd been so eager to drag the kid to captivity, but it was always possible.

there was also neverwinter forest. if they were still allies. or maybe chasing donovan out of ravensblood was a one-time thing.

renard wouldn't hold it against them, being suspicious. they should be, if they were smart. because they weren't here for huā, they were here for praimfaya. they found something entertaining about donovan's blade turning to yuèlóng, of all places, but it wouldn't be huā's to wield.

as long as praimfaya wanted them to follow her commands, they would. anything else...remained to be seen.

eyeing the sandbar without expression, renard took up a position behind praimfaya's flank, ears flicking as they awaited any response to her call. wasn't out of the question anyone who responded would strike before speaking. depended on how much trust yuèlóng put in praimfaya, and just how much they knew.