d in her hand

t stared at the words as if they'd

re no

e. No scent

rned i

an

side the Hollow? Someone wa

new exactly who she wa

that wasn't j

as a

-

was colder. Not in te

doubled along the stone paths. Conversations

omething. O

, the air

oat. She didn't wear them visibly-Silver Hollow was all

blind into a plac

-

en near the tr

a group. N

of the trees, arms crossed,

t approac

Wolves passed him with quiet respect, some offer

beside him an

, he didn't

omething last ni

't flinc

his head. His

ll

e forest. Watchin

re it wasn

't move li

pa

er Hollow. One they stopped telling

ind of

d back towar

ething that sleeps beneath the roots of

ed. "You b

something

-

o her room and found

mu

over her window wa

ne

. Checked the walls.

bvious wa

one had

wanted her

d her and slid the second

beat woul

sn't a

understand how Silver

everyone f

-

Hollow held it

d it the "

the valley. Wolves brought offerings-herbs, feathers, tokens of grief o

remem

dn't wa

it would be

nto the dark woods, her coat

er the earth like black veins. Its bark was silver-white, cracked with time. No l

rcled it

he edge, prete

th

felt

Not sound.

pu

base of

g... cal

forward, eyes lo

h

on

ice was sof

rned t

Too close. H

oo near the roots

hy

rything under th

skin we

-

ed back i

nt above them. The

the stone bridge a

eep warning m

ng time. His voice was quiete

rong here. And I think

oat tig

e here for yo

kno

ng to forget wh

s hand almost touched her

't lose yourself i

rned and w

-

for a long time, the w

dark beyond the tree

chi

it

ak