It's not supposed to snow in the South Forest, but the weather in the second-emptiest corner of Shelha is not the only thing behaving strangely. When an ex-tyrant started acting up again, Sethral had hoped it meant the end of lazy days and monotonou...
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It was raining on the flatlands, a cold, misty drizzle that dampened the spirits as much as it soaked the fur. Kastar sneezed as an icy speck nipped his nose. The raindrops drifted. A gust caught the furry heads of the Cottongrasses, and for a heartbeat the ground and sky were a swirl of white. In twenty autumns of migration, he had never seen the snow and the seeds dance together.
Kastar ran up a rise. The Plains of the north rolled like a lake, softened at the edges. Had the day been clearer, a creature half a Coppertail's height would have been able to see for days. Today the crisp blade of the horizon had blended into a smudge. Kastar flipped his tail in the air. He was a Coppertail, and he couldn't see the herd ten rises away. The glossy copper fur covering his tail's final quarter caught the glum light. He gave it a few flicks and a twirl, then let it fall back to swishing. A tail twice the length of one's body and thin like a cattail stem was great for signalling long-distance, but not for staying warm.
Someone had seen the flash. As a familiar pair of pawstep vibrations began in the distance, Kastar eyed a puddle beside him. It caught the wind and shivered miserably. There was an explosion of coloured pelts as the twins barreled from a gully and soaked themselves in the icy pool.
Kastar landed gracefully beside them, hiding a smile. "Was that necessary?"
The twins were laughing so hard they could hardly breathe. "You're good!" said Carp. "Rose nearly creamed us for that!"
That explained the muddy pawprints on their hindquarters. The pair were taller, faster and even lankier than Kastar was; it would take the aim of a fighter to land a blow on them.
"I've known you for a few more years," said Kastar. "For shame, taking advantage of other creatures' ignorance. Did you get her?"
"Less than we got Ice," said Vixen with a wicked grin. "But she got Carp back."
And that explained why Carp was wetter than his brother. Kastar waved his tail. "Why don't you two put your energy into something useful instead of tearing about adding to everybody's wetness? This rain's going to get worse by nightfall."
"Scouting? Sure." Vixen whacked his brother and shot off with Carp in hot pursuit.
"Well, good to see someone's enjoying the weather."
Rose had trotted up unheard behind him. Kastar shook the water off his paws and touched noses with her. Rose was from the Highlander Coppertail subtype and stood two heads above him, and he wasn't short. She patted his back as he tried to lessen the wet on his belly fur. Hers was still dry.
