Roses and Thorns

6- She Who Speaks

After the first quarter month of hunting, I'm shocked to wake up to the soft glow of sun and a distant chorus of song. I kick out in shock, scrambling to my paws, and I'm even more surprised to hit fur. Ivy grumbles in her sleep, curling away from the impact, and guilt and confusion swarm my sleepy mind.

I look outside, and see Lark's familiar paws passing the tree burrow. Right. It's the waning quarter month, which explains why I wasn't woken up for hunting duty.

Ivy, though... I watch her with a pity I haven't felt in years. She's soft and somehow smaller when she sleeps, and her fur is tangled with leaves. In fact, the entire entrance is a mess of unspeakable proportions, though for once it's my fault and no one else's. Somehow, I let Nimbus and North challenge me to a cider drinking contest last night, reasoning that we'd be fine because of the upcoming break day.

I was wrong. So very, very wrong.

The headache isn't as bad as I thought it would be, but the entire night is clouded by an apple-scented amnesia and by the looks of the shadow I cast in the entrance, it's almost half day, which sets my incredibly detailed plan for how to spend the day on fire.

Holding back a growl, I emerge into the daylight and try to reason out how best to adjust my schedule. I certainly still need to check on the Hunter, but if I pass on heading to the Violaeras, I can fit the Alabaster meeting in and then head to the prison. After that, I can research at Anassa's for the rest of the afternoon, assuming my headache has gone down by then.

Of course, after that... I rush back into the burrow, tasting the air, and smell something sharp and almost sinister. I pull out the herbs Rye gave me, which are almost instantly revitalizing, and slip the string around my leg. It looks stupid, but after magically pulling the string into a messy knot, I decide that it will do for now.

I stagger across the center of the town, the sunlight burning my eyes, and I'm grateful for the cool breeze. It makes me feel significantly steadier, though I'm still dreading conversation with just about everyone.

All the adults scent the apple and bitterness on my breath and avoid me, going on their daily business, save for Lark, who gives me a firm shake of his head as I pass. However, Asha, poor innocent pup she is, bounces up to me on first sight.

"Rose!" she says. "I haven't seen you since before the full moon!"

No, I reflect, she hasn't. Never before have I kept myself so busy. While I'm hunting, I think of little else, but as soon as I'm home or off work, I ache for my long forsaken free time.

"Are you okay?" she asks, tilting her head.

My ears perk and my head swings up as I try to look like the pinnacle of adult dignity, which clearly isn't working. "Absolutely. Never better."
Asha smiles. "You're a bad liar, Rose."

I groan. "Aislyn's wings, pup, don't you have something better to do? I'm tired and everything hurts."

Asha's eyes grow larger. "I'm sorry, miss. I just wanted to know if you were still going to come play in the forest with the other Violaeras and I. Remember that plot we had going earlier? With the dragon invasion?" Her tail waves wildly. "Do you think Rizan will play with us when he gets here? Mom says that the merchants are coming in for the market season."

I shake my head. "Not today. I have some important business, Asha. I promise I'll be there for the new moon."

She seems pleased with this. "I hope everything is going well with your investigation." she says earnestly. "I miss Daisy."

"So do I." My eyes are burning. I leave briskly in the direction of Alabaster's, and she rushes back to the Violaera's fortress to the south.

Alabaster, thank Verhamera for his presence, has already prepared a bowl of hot tea for me, which sits on the wooden table in the center of the room. The hearth is burning low, with only the embers still crackling. Alabaster himself sits by the window, crystals making harsh noises over both it and the door. He turns as I come in.