Into the Night

Ever since her run in with the strange Ashen wolf on the obsidian beach, the Archer-Lyall tried to avoid even skirting the Ashen border despite their alliance. Now another pack had squeezed their way between Ashen and the Hallows, she didn’t have a lot of choice in the matter, particularly with the days growing shorter and a growing need to stock her medicinal den. Meadow had left with Resin and Tam, and she had found her healing skills being called on more often than they had been before.

Once they were clear, Otis had scrambled down off her back. The opossum could be a foul natured beastie, just as often hissing and grumbling at her as he did anyone else, but she was very fond of him, and he more than earned his keep with those dexterous little hands. He was putting them to use now, picking mushrooms and checking each, throwing away the ones already too far gone, and stuffing the best into a small pouch Sedna had traded for him. The thick canopy would obscure the sight of creatures more used to the day, but Sedna and Otis had gotten used to working in the dark since Sigrun had left. They kept close together, close enough to make out each other’s shapes in the swirling fog, she probably should have warned Barracuda that she wouldn’t be chasing him down tonight.

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