Felltree Marsh the morning after

under his tongue she stilled. her breath no longer came.

ice eyes was gone.

augur sat back on his haunches. he lifted his head to look around in trepidation. she had not been part of the rise for long. but she mattered to tall man.

he sang a long dirge into the air and then circled her rapidly cooling body. 

he chose to grab her nape next. she slid with a wet sucking sound from the blood and the mud. the boy would keep on until he had taken her out of the marsh and into the plains.