<font color=7f1715>*the light that slipped through the window</font>

She lolled around in the lush grass of her thicket until mid-morning, when thirst finally convinced her it was time to do something else. She roused slowly, savoring the familiar dew in her fur and the smell of the morning sun warming her forest. She hadn�t stayed gone as long as before, but she was just as happy to be back � without Dante, without the demon who had imprinted so strangely and so fiercely on her. It was a scary thing, how dedicated he suddenly was to her protection, as if her existence dictated everything he now did. She had never wanted anyone to attach to her that way. It made her feel�obligated. And she hated to feel obligated.

Moving through the trees came as naturally to her as breathing, and the bare branches served as a constant reminder that winter was on its way. A brief, familiar heat rolled up her spine: another winter reminder. It was almost time. How would she spend this winter? Alone? Or at the mercy of Dante? The thought made her want to scream; the idea of being taken advantage of in that way made her nearly inconsolable. So she refused to think about it anymore. Instead she focused on the short trip from her bed to her creek, greeting the familiar trees with her eyes as she passed.

Head low, tongue breaking the gentle current�s course, she heard a giggle. Her head snapped back up and she took a long breath off the oncoming wind; there was no one familiar nearby. Her excitement (and the vain hope of seeing Sen) was fleeting, and gone just as quickly as it had arrived, replaced by her natural curiosity. Who was giggling in her forest? The snapping of twigs, the crunching of leaves; they were not a forest dweller, then, or perhaps simply a careless traveler.

She was surprised when he came into view. So small, and so much noise! She smiled warmly at him as he introduced himself. �Cupid!� she repeated brightly. �I�m Hush- � She would have said more, but he was already turned as if to leave, and on a cliffhanger to boot. What was he talking about? She splashed through the creek after him, slowing again to match his pace, too engaged now to be distracted. �Wait! Wait. I�m Hush,� she repeated. �Now, what�s crumbling?�

they sing in clever tongues

oh, how my knees go weak

to be the one;

H U S H

five ** bound by Dante ** midwestern crater **

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