She looked down at herself. She was covered in foul-smelling sludge, tangled swamp weeds, and dried leaves that had plastered to her wet silk dress. She felt gross. To make matters worse, she felt a strange, pinching sensation on her left calf.
Looking down, she spotted a fat, slimy black leech happily gorging itself on her blood.
"Ew! Ew!" Ren shrieked, furiously slapping her leg until the gross parasite detached and flew into the murky water. She rubbed her skin, shuddering violently.
The freezing night wind whipped across the open water, biting straight through her exposed skin. In her arms, the tiny cub let out a soft sneeze. His bare skin was covered in goosebumps, and he was shivering just as violently as she was.
Ren quickly pulled him closer, tucking him against her chest to share whatever meager body heat she had left.
