Red Fang Chapter 6

The blanket fell away as Elise sat up abruptly, rubbing her arms before tucking them into the sleeves of her robe. The tiles rattled as a freezing wind got underneath them, like chattering teeth in the dark, but that wasn’t what had woken her up. In her dream, it had sounded like a fox crying in the abbey garden, but now the room was dark and quiet, lit only by the embers in the hearth.

Elise scurried to the fireplace and threw some wood shavings on before blowing at them until a small flame caught. Shadows danced across the ceiling as she fed smaller bits of wood into the fire, feeling the warmth slowly spread throughout the room.
The bed creaked as the princess rolled onto her side and Elise gazed at the almost impenetrable darkness of the corner. Avani moved again and let out a whimpering sound that had Elise on her feet and lighting a candle from the fire.
“Are you awake, Avani?” Elise whispered as she crossed the room. The candlelight flickered, casting shadows where there shouldn’t have been any.
Avani groaned and screwed her face up as the light fell across her. She shoved the covers back, exposing a nightdress soaked with sweat, and raised a hand as if warding something away. Elise gently pushed her arm back down, but gasped at the heat burning under the skin. Avani shifted uncomfortably and tried to pull away as Elise brushed some of the sweat-soaked hair out of her face.
“Wake up, Avani,” Elise said, shaking her gently.

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The Thousand Lakes

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Nestled in the shadow of the Intraana mountain range is a vast land of marsh and forest. Rivers pour in from both the north and south flooding the region until it's more lake than land and yet it is home to more life than any outsider could imagine. Hidden among the reed beds are villages and farms, not all sited on dry land, some float. The villages of the marsh elves drift with the seasons, following the migrations of birds and fish, ignored by the humans as long as they don't get too close. A human king claims dominion and is ready to shed blood to prove it, not his but those of his men, marching them into the swamp to kill and needlessly die. But there are still places where people can hide from tyrants and create homes and communities of their own.

Parent Plot

The Red Fang

Related Characters

• Avani Commaln
• Dren
• Elise
• Queen Galean

Related Locations

• Arshen
• The Thousand Lakes