12/18/2024, 3:40 AM
Skill:
![[Image: dblxk1u-206919d9-ca61-483a-82dd-8f771da2...1lKuoRAFOw]](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/86f701d2-768a-4e83-a13a-55dac0dab4c8/dblxk1u-206919d9-ca61-483a-82dd-8f771da2112c.gif?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzg2ZjcwMWQyLTc2OGEtNGU4My1hMTNhLTU1ZGFjMGRhYjRjOFwvZGJseGsxdS0yMDY5MTlkOS1jYTYxLTQ4M2EtODJkZC04Zjc3MWRhMjExMmMuZ2lmIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.C27pLjYdgxBGv6BHHf4cT7c6Ky21zPgu11lKuoRAFOw)
She'd been making the midnight rounds, trailing along the edge of the lake and listening to the sounds of silence. Even her practiced paw steps were muffled, her limbs moving with a practiced ease along the worn path. The moon lingered behind a thin veil of clouds, a waning gibbous with a pale silver light that danced across the surface of the Cursed Lake.
The past few nights, she'd been lying down some scent markers for Achlys, with certain herb trails leading to certain areas in the pack lands. She thought it might be easier to help him figure out his way through the terrain, at least until he learned to memorize it — which she knew he would, of course. He was young and full of potential, but he was still just a child.
So tonight she had been laying down a scent line of rosemary that would lead to the caches.
But it would seem she was not alone, and the fearsome sound of crunching distracted her from the peaceful lull of silence that she was used to lurking in. And Sreda's head would lift, a firm gaze turning toward Dimitri before he noticed her. She watched the way he tore into the hunk of meat, wondering the last time he'd eaten. He feasted with the imprecise fangs of a feral beast, despite his thinned frame.
And then he noticed her staring at him, just as she'd begun to lurk in his general direction.
Her nostrils flared as she caught the scent of the mind-altering herbs and decaying meat.
Not tired of ghostly possession yet?She questioned him unceremoniously with a flick of her ear, slowing her pace as she neared him. After all, she'd had to exorcise him twice now. Dimitri seemed to be a vessel for bad spirits — and yet he seemed to have his guard down, even now.
It had been some time since they'd spent time together, often two ships passing in the breeze. She'd grown distant from most of her siblings, really, becoming more focused on her work and studies. Her theories. So she would stay with him, watching him in a comfortable silence.
