Dawn Treader Valley Fisher, Fisher where are you.

Rodyn crept along the rivers and valleys. He had smelled A fisher. They were viscious and mean, but they had beautiful pelts. he could trade well for it. So he went in search of one. If he could catch it. It would all work out. But he would be lying if he said he wasn't just a little bit anxious about it.

He caught wind of a breeding pair, which meant they would probably be even more territorial and nasty. But also this meant he would be able to get one away from the other. Though a small part of him twinged at the thought of separating a mated couple. When he knew that pain, but his family had to eat and fishers killed babies. And other prey so.

He hunkered down and followed their trail.

For many days, Frolic meandered in no particular direction. More than once, she doubled back. It reminded her of the way a prey animal might behave during a hunt: always darting hither and thither to evade the jaws of the predator. She paid little mind to her surroundings, save to make sure nobody was following her.

Like the others before it, today passed in a series of bleary snapshots. Frolic found herself at the foot of a red mesa, entranced by the sight of the teal waters spilling down its face and rushing into the nearby gulch. Then she found herself at the edge of a great, golden plain, equally mesmerized by the swaying wheat. Then she found herself standing in the shade of a towering oak, the juxtaposition of such a tree out here in the lowlands finally jarring her to a focus.

Frolic craned her neck and blinked up at the leafy boughs, wondering just what it was doing here. She stared so long, her neck creaked when she dropped her head a few moments later, eyes rapidly scanning her surroundings. She swore she’d heard furtive footsteps and now the black fur on her spine prickled uneasily.

Rodyn continued on his furtive search. Yellow eyes darting from one side of the river to the next. Making sure that the Fisher he was hunting didn't turn around and find him. They were nasty creatures, not afraid of a fight. And he wasn't exactly willing to get too hurt.

Though he was surprised from his search as another wolf smell hit him. He froze looking about. Glancing and his own fur rose. He tilted an ear, trying to gauge any noises. But all he heard at the moment was the rushing of the river and the birds in the trees.

Finally his gaze fell on a smaller wolf. Frozen in was it fear? Was she afraid of him?

Hello? He chuffed tentatively.

She spun in a circle, slowly at first, eyes raking over the surrounding forestry. Frolic then revolved a second time, more swiftly, as if to catch anything—or anyone—that might’ve evaded her on first pass. Despite the rapid movement, her eyes caught and hooked on a dark figure that stepped out of the shrubbery in the middle distance.

Otto? Frolic blurted, halting so suddenly she almost lost her balance.

Her heart jumped into her throat. Should she bolt? Should she confess? Frolic had heard of the fight-or-flight response but experiencing it was something else. She felt like she was being torn in half.

OttoI’msosorryIonlydidittohelpyoupleasedon’t—

The words came out of her in an abrupt rush, which stoppered just as suddenly when she realized this man wasn’t Otto. The resemblance was downright uncanny but when she finally chanced a glance at his face, she realized his eyes were the wrong color.

Frolic noisily sucked in her bottom lip and froze again.

Rodyn was confused himself when the girl was moving in a brief circle. Although perhaps she couldn't see him yet. He was sort of hidden by foliage and river reeds. So he pressed forward a little quicker. Hoping that she could see him.

His brow furrowed at her question of a name he didn't know. And then she began to panic saying something so quickly it all ran together and he couldn't quite understand.

Did she mean she had hurt someone? Was someone hurt? Had someone hurt her?

Are you okay? I'm Rodyn Ardeth from moontide, and also moonglow.

He added Moonglow to that, despite that he hadn't been there for some seasons. But to show the girl he meant no harm, because she may no Moonglow, but not his pack.

Fine! Frolic lied without missing a beat, her voice pitched higher than usual.

She took a moment to breathe, calm her racing heart and gather her wits. She licked her lips and continued gazing at Rodyn, the resemblance to Otto sending a shiver down her striped spine. It also had another, unexpected effect, one that came on abruptly and entirely negated the response she’d just given.

Without warning, the yearling not only burst into tears but great, gasping sobs that sent her rocking back and forth on her black heels. Frolic sat down suddenly and hard, a dark fist curling and pressing to her mouth as if she could do anything to stifle the noises wrenching loose from inside her.

The loud adamant was one his children had often done. And he knew it for what it was. Bravado in the face of something bigger than the child wanted to share. He was unsure what to do at first.

Suddenly there were tears and Rodyn shifted. He moved slowly so as to not scare her. I apologize, little miss. But you don't seem fine. Can I help somehow?

He stood fretting unsure what to do or what to say. He wanted to help her, but was unsure exactly what to do.

Otto’s lookalike crept closer, offering his help. Frolic knew he wasn’t the same man, yet the kind words still struck her as if he’d spoken them. She cried all the harder. She’d done such terrible things for him. But he hadn’t asked for that. Hopefully he’d benefited from her rashness—oh, it was torturous to think she’d done it all for naught—but that didn’t mean Otto would condone it. No, surely he would condemn her.

No! she bawled.

She knew he wasn’t Otto, though Frolic’s state of mind was shaking to pieces. She gulped and shuddered, aware that she was making quite a scene in front of a perfect stranger. What if he figured out what ailed her? In her distress, Frolic decided it didn’t even matter anymore.

Nobody can help me! she screamed, wringing her paws now. I’m… I’m… Frolic shook as though the earth beneath her feet quaked. I—killed—her. I killed them, she confessed before sinking to the ground in an anguished, writhing heap.

Rodyn's ears went to his skull at her loud emphatic NO and he was unsure what to do. But he continued at a snail's pace forward. Her next words knocked his heart with a coldness he wasn't sure for and he blinked. Perhaps she didn't mean what she had meant. Or maybe she did. She was so young, surely she could be forgiven depending on the circumstances. He wished that Moonwoman was here.

How about you start from the beginning? And perhaps it was a good reason? It's okay to be upset. I'm sorry I'm not your friend Otto, but I'd like tohelp.

He had no idea what to say. He didn't want to condemn her, even though very possibly she needed such. But he also needed context.

She’d kept this dark secret so long now, Frolic balked at the thought of confessing. But as she wept at (not) Otto’s feet, she couldn’t help but think it might be a relief. Besides, she didn’t think she could live with it anymore.

Tears still tracking down her cheeks, she didn’t bother to look up at him as she said heavily, I killed Raveon and her unborn children.

She said nothing else for a moment, just letting those words hang in the air. Frolic felt a twinge of fearful regret. What would (not) Otto do with her now? But she quickly resigned herself to her fate.

I spent the spring at Fisher’s Ridge, led by Otto and Merry, Frolic revealed, sniffing and wiping at her nose. Otto was a fisher and Merry was a medic. They reminded me of my parents.

Her voice shook and she had to pause to breathe and cry a little before she could possibly think of continuing.

Rodyn wanted to balk so badly. He felt himself stir as if to pulll away, but he didn't. Instead he shifted and moved a little closer. She was so young. It could have been an accident. Perhaps even on purpose. But was she old enough to know truly what she had done at the time. Perhaps now.

She continued to speak and Rodyn settled to his haunches to listen. Ears perked forward. They sound nice, this otto and Merry. I know quite a few healers. They've always been kind.

He motioned for her to continue as he grew silent, patiently waiting for the entire story to unfold.

The stranger said something, though it took Frolic a moment to parse his words. When she did, her brow furrowed. Why was he speaking to her as if she hadn’t just admitted to cold-blooded murder? Perhaps he didn’t understand just what she’d done.

They were kind, the kindest wolves you’d ever meet, after my parents, she murmured. Merry took in an apprentice, Raveon. I tried to like her but I just didn’t. I couldn’t explain it, then… Frolic drew in a breath, let it out on a shuddering exhale. But when she became pregnant in early May, she claimed Otto was the father. I knew then that she was a horrible liar.

But there was so much more to the story. The yearling breathed in and out a few more times, her eyes staring vaguely off into the distance as if she was looking into the past, watching a replay of the events.

Otto denied if, of course, and Merry stood beside him. I did too. But the rest of the village was quick to turn on them. Raveon kept spreading awful lies about them and they just believed her. I don’t understand why they were so quick to turn on their own leaders but they did. Soon enough, they were talking about exiling or even killing Otto if he didn’t take responsibility for his bastards.

And still she hadn’t reached the climax of the story. Suddenly Frolic’s eyes focused and she looked at (not) Otto’s face, wondering if he sensed what came next.

Rodyn listened and as he did, his horror grew. Though this Raveon sounded as if she herself weren't a nice wolf. He also wondered if perhaps Otto wasn't as nice as he pretended to be either. After all, even the strongest of men did not go through breeding season unaffected. Not that this was the case here. But being that he didn't have the female or this male to speak too. He could only wander at some of the facts.

That sounds like an incredibly unfair and harrowing ordeal for everyone involved. Sometimes, when someone hears enough of something and they add their own bias's. It can make a situation go from bad to ten times worse. That sounds as if that was the case here, but please continue.

His mouth was dry and he so badly wanted to take this child before Moonwoman and demand she pay for her crimes and yet, it sounded too as if she had been so young and so unsure. He frowned in thought. Nothing to do but continue to listen.

It was! Frolic exclaimed. Otto and Merry didn’t deserve to be treated that way, by Raveon or the others! It was completely unfair. They were actually talking about killing Otto, she repeated, eyes still fixed on (not) Otto’s face, and all because Raveon couldn’t stop lying. So I had to—I had no choice—I had to silence her.

These last few words came out with less conviction than those previous. Frolic realized now that she’d overreacted, just like the villagers. She’d committed murder, not only killing Raveon but her unborn litter too. She’d done it in the hopes that Otto and Merry would be safe from her treachery, though she couldn’t even be sure it had done any good.

I just wanted to restore the peace, she cried out wretchedly, and I don’t even know if it worked. When they found her body, I told them I was going to search for her killer. I ran away and didn’t look back.

Rodyn listened calmly. They hadn't deserved it, but it sounded as if the punishment was too harsh for the crime. But he was not judge and jury. Just a passing listener.

That sounds like a lot of burden to bear. I'm sorry that you had to go through it. It was wrong, but.

Rodyn took a deep breath. Did you learn from it? Will you do it again? I don't think you will.

She was almost too busy self-flagellating to worry about (not) Otto’s response at this point, though his voice of reason cut into her low wailing. His reaction—or lack thereof—surprised her into silence after a final, heaving sob. Why wasn’t he angry? Why wasn’t he disgusted? Why didn’t he insist she pay for her crimes?

I don’t know, she whispered emphatically when he asked her if she’d ever do it again, then began crying again.

She curled into a ball and threw her black forelegs over her face, hiding it from (not) Otto and the world at large. Frolic wept for quite a while, so that by the time she raised her face again, her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks soddenly swollen. She could barely breathe through her nose.

She felt utterly depleted, though the weight on her young shoulders had lifted some for the confession. All the same, Frolic abruptly seemed to realize just what she’d done and sucked in her lower lip as fear gripped her. Her wet eyes widened as she stared at (not) Otto, wondering if at any moment he might decide she deserved punishment.

Although grateful for his grace, Frolic suddenly scrambled to her feet and bolted. She ran south as quickly as her shaky legs could carry her, once more a fugitive.