Lira jolted awake.
A sound, low, dragging, like something heavy brushing against wood. Her eyes flew open to darkness thick and complete. For a moment, she didn't know where she was.
Then she felt it.
The fox's paw, firm and steady on her side. A warning.
Don't move.
Fluffy trembled softly in her arms, his small body tense. Lira held her breath, listening. The sound came again… a faint creak of wood… a slow scuffle… then silence.
She could barely see, but her hearing sharpened with every heartbeat. Something was outside. Something moving. Circling.
Her breathing slowed. Shallow. Careful.
The old wooden walls groaned softly, and for a moment it sounded like something sniffed along them, close. Too close.
Lira closed her eyes. She didn't dare make a sound.
The fox's paw remained on her.
Still.
Wait.
Long moments passed, longer than she could measure. Then, slowly, the sounds began to fade. Step by step, whatever it was moved off, deeper into the fog.
She exhaled.
