Don't Make Me Come In There!

In the days following the rude interruption she had at the hot spring, Aurelia had pretty well stayed hidden to the best of her ability. She hadn’t yet returned to the redwoods, as she suspected that he would go search there first. As much as she would have liked to, she refused to believe for one moment that she had seen the last of the Saxe boy. He gave her the annoying impression that he wouldn’t be one to relent that easily. Instead, she found a suitable shelter at the bottom of Gale Gorge. It appeared to be an old fox den guarded by rock and sharp stone. One with multiple entrances, all of which she could barely squeeze into let alone an individual much larger.

All in all, it wasn’t that late. However, as the sun sank past its vantage into the gorge, the entire depth of it was cast in shadow. She returned with a rabbit clenched in her jaws- her dinner for the evening. And when the entrance of the stoney fox den emerged from the cover before her, she leaned forward into an exaggerated stretch. Hesitating outside a moment before forcing her way into the concealed cavern- which was surprisingly much more spacious than one would think. She felt the annoying snag of hair as struggled through the opening, her nails catching in the gravel as she pulled herself in. Once she got her shoulders through, her back half came far easier, and once free on the inside, she gently deposited her catch near the entrance. Aurelia settled against the wall to clean the excess of blood from her face and chest where it had set in her fur from the adventure home. Or at least, whatever this place was. She wasn’t entirely sure how long she would end up staying.

"Aurelia Veratti"