Adventure of Iris 1

A young adult woman steps from the nearest cottage path carrying a woven basket of split wood. Mara is lean, brown-skinned, and black-haired, with a blue shawl over a soot-stained russet dress.

She stops well beyond arm's reach when she notices Iris crouched beneath the trees. Her gaze travels over the silver fur, fox ears, black dress, and hidden tails.

Mara shifts the wood basket against her hip, then points past the cottages toward a smoke-darkened yard. A squat clay kiln stands cold beside a shed.

The village remains quiet behind Mara, its few lit windows turned away from the forest. She waits beside the path, keeping her distance and leaving the choice open.

Iris rises from beneath the trees, silver fur catching the moonlight. She lifts one hand, and a steady flame blooms from empty air above her palm.

The flame bends toward the smoke-darkened yard at her direction, crossing the grass as a bright, controlled tongue of fire. It settles inside the cold clay kiln.

Dry fuel catches with a soft rush. Orange light fills the kiln's mouth, warming its clay walls while a thin plume of smoke curls into the night.

Mara studies the rekindled fire, then glances toward the sleeping cottages. Relief loosens her shoulders, though caution remains in her watchful eyes.