[i will not let them harm you. her arms tighten around yotsuba. they are hungry, yes, and she has come to fear starvation. but they are free. she has kept him safe from other wolves. kaede tries not to think of what might happen if she cannot rise from her earth bed the next morning. she touches the waterlogged pelt over his shoulders, turns her gaze on one of the odd, massive dens. inside is the smell of animal excrement and mildewed straw. the lady draws reluctantly from the fox and approaches the archway, noting its fallen beams; she forces herself to enter. there are no meat-eaters here. two hens scuttle out into the rain. a third croons a low, growling note, a feathered dinosaur not to be removed from her nest. kaede smiles, her shoulders wilting in relief. she calls back over her shoulder to yotsuba. we can sleep inside. she reaches out her paws to inspect his own. he needs medicine. her purview is not with healing, but she has learned some things. he does not look well. in his reflection she can see her own sorrowful state. i want you to rest, clover. her eyes glow in elegant request. i want you to stay here. i am going to bring water and search for plants to make a salve. her own lips hurt to smile. we cannot look unrefined when we meet others, yes? it makes her heart ache to believe she will ignore yotsuba if he attempts to stop her. this is all kaede can do, and she must do it. she cannot hunt. she cannot build. she is helpless without trappings of nobility which tighten around her in restraint. but this is something she can control.]

i will not let them harm you. her arms tighten around yotsuba. they are hungry, yes, and she has come to fear starvation. but they are free. she has kept him safe from other wolves. kaede tries not to think of what might happen if she cannot rise from her earth bed the next morning.

she touches the waterlogged pelt over his shoulders, turns her gaze on one of the odd, massive dens.

inside is the smell of animal excrement and mildewed straw. the lady draws reluctantly from the fox and approaches the archway, noting its fallen beams; she forces herself to enter.

there are no meat-eaters here.

two hens scuttle out into the rain. a third croons a low, growling note, a feathered dinosaur not to be removed from her nest.

kaede smiles, her shoulders wilting in relief. she calls back over her shoulder to yotsuba. we can sleep inside.

she reaches out her paws to inspect his own. he needs medicine. her purview is not with healing, but she has learned some things.

he does not look well. in his reflection she can see her own sorrowful state. i want you to rest, clover. her eyes glow in elegant request. i want you to stay here. i am going to bring water and search for plants to make a salve.

her own lips hurt to smile. we cannot look unrefined when we meet others, yes?

it makes her heart ache to believe she will ignore yotsuba if he attempts to stop her. this is all kaede can do, and she must do it. she cannot hunt. she cannot build. she is helpless without trappings of nobility which tighten around her in restraint. but this is something she can control.