Ren huddled deeper into the borrowed warmth.
Vex's coat was massive on her. It swamped her petite frame, making her look like a child playing dress-up in her father's winter gear. But oh, was it comfortable.
It smelled incredible, too. It was a heady mix of sharp pine needles, cool wild mint, and... roses?
Ren sniffed the collar discreetly. Yes, definitely roses. It was the scent of the bar of soap she had traded him for information.
'He's actually using it,' she thought, surprised. 'The Big Bad Fox Shaman smells like a florist.'
But the pleasant aromatherapy was the only good thing about her current situation.
Keeping up with Vex in the pitch-black forest was an Olympic sport she was failing at miserably. The darkness was absolute, a thick blanket that hid every root, rock, and hole.
"Ouch!"
