Pynk [ONC 2020 Shortlist]

Chapter Six - Plan

The plan had been simple. Go home with Kyra, turn in early, catch up on sleep. Stay out of trouble. Then the next morning she could wake up feeling alive and refreshed, ready for another day of playing with the Earthwylves, and avoiding Mak's searching gaze, and forgetting everything that came before.

But, like always, her plan collapsed before it could even start.

For one thing, Mak decided to take Kyra home with him. Apparently, they just wanted to 'talk through some things'. There had been a whispered argument between Jael and Mak about whether it was 'safe', and Felicity couldn't help listening in, her curiosity about her neighbour stirring. But both Earthwylves had been very ambiguous in their statements, and she was still none the wiser. Still, she was glad that Mak won, even if it did mean altering her plan slightly.

Little did she know, its downfall had only begun.

Walking through the streets alone, feeling the cool night air as twilight gradually closed in, her paws moved of their own accord. A left turn, when it should have been right. Creeping down a darkened side street. Slipping through an overgrown bush, to reach the base of a lonely tree. Pulling back a loose root.

With a sigh, she had reached in and pulled out the stolen diamond.

Even in starlight, it glittered with a radiance unmatched by the dirt it lay in, as if announcing how unfit this place was to hold such a beautiful gem. I don't belong here, it seemed to hiss, with every throbbing glow. I've been stolen.

In one respect, it had terrified her to see it. The reminder of the incredibly unlawful thing she did, that she should never ever do again.

Yet, in that moment, as she had gazed upon the diamond, her heart thrummed with exhilaration. That feeling was why Felicity wasn't curled up peacefully in bed as planned.

Instead, she was up a tree.

Her claws dug into the branch as she shuffled forwards, her chest scraping roughly against the bark. Leaves rustled noisily as they collided with her snout, and she jerked her head towards her paws, peering downwards. Any second now, he would emerge. Surely a different wolf would take the night shift.

That is, if it was his shift. Otherwise, this massive jeopardising of her plan would be for nothing.

There was the harsh creak of a door being shoved open. Holding her breath, she pressed further into the branch, trying not to think about how stupid of a risk this was.

Thumping paws. An indistinguishable grumble. Was that his voice? It was hard to tell. Then the door slammed, making the old wooden wall shudder, and he appeared.

It was him. The same grass-green Pelt, speckled with dirt, and the same stumpy paws. The Watchwolf cloth had been rather pretty, but that was gone now, revealing more of his tangled fur.

Felicity tried desperately not to breathe too loudly as he walked beneath her branch, still muttering to himself. Hopefully he was too caught up in his complaints to notice a flash of pink amongst the leaves. Leaning forwards slightly, she kept her eyes trained on his squat figure, determined not to lose sight of him.

Until her paws slipped.

Eyes widening, she grappled for her hold on the branch. Luckily, her claws caught well on the ridged texture of the bark, and she was able to right herself quickly. But surely the noise could not have gone unnoticed.

She clung tightly to her place in the tree as she searched for him again. Oh Luna, thank you. He was still walking away, back turned, paws scuffling the grass in irritation. She was safe.