The sun hadn't yet broken over the canopy of trees when Hana felt something soft brushing against her cheek. Her eyes snapped open, and her hand instinctively reached for the flint knife she'd tucked into the dirt beside her.
But it wasn't a threat.
It was Raiden.
He was leaning over her, his pink hair and ears glowing in the pre-dawn light. He was using the tip of one of his tails to tickle her nose.
"Time to wake, Great Female," he purred, his green eyes scanning her exposed shoulders with that familiar, predatory playfulness. "The big lizard is already down by the stream, trying to wash off the smell of woodsmoke. He wants to look 'regal' for the journey home."
Hana sat up, shrugging off the large leaf she'd used as a blanket. Her back felt stiff, the dual marks of the Dragon and the Fox pulsing with a low, warm energy.
