The days after the fight blurred together.
Melisa gave her statement to the village guards. Then to the council. Then to Elder Yuna personally, who listened with a grave expression and thanked her for her service to Foxhollow. The words felt hollow.
The sick kitsune started recovering almost immediately once the draining stopped. Color returned to their cheeks. Their essences slowly refilled, like cups being topped off drop by drop. The healers were cautiously optimistic. No permanent damage, they said. Everyone would make a full recovery.
Good news. Melisa should have felt good about it.
She didn't.
On the morning they were scheduled to leave, she found herself at the hot spring on the village outskirts. The same one where she and Zephyra had... well.
The water was warm. Steam rose around her. She sat on the edge with her feet in the pool, staring at nothing.
Footsteps behind her.
"I thought I'd find you here."
