Ren stood on the lush, green grass of the forest edge, her chin tilted up in a pose of defiance. She had Altair by her side, a stretch of dry land beneath her toes, and for the first time in what felt like years, she held the winning hand.
Vex stared at her. He blinked slowly, his orange eyes tracing the smug, confident curve of her smile.
For a moment, the only sound was the gentle rustling of the forest canopy and the distant, wet squelch of the fat pink worms back in the mud.
Then, Vex threw his head back and laughed.
He crossed his arms over his chest, his three fluffy orange tails swaying in a lazy rhythm.
"You think you have cornered me, Little Rose?" Vex purred.
"I don't think it, I know it," Ren countered, refusing to back down. "You want the cub. I know where the cub is. You don't get one without the other. So start talking."
