Elara
The birthday ribbon had fallen into the washbasin.
Elara found it beneath the clean cloth she had left there that morning. One end was wet. The other had somehow collected soil.
She held it up.
Kira watched from the doorway.
"You didn't do this."
The fox's ears moved.
"I know. I'm saying that for both of us."
Elara rinsed the ribbon and hung it by the window. She tied her hair with the plain cord she used for work.
At eighteen, she remained capable of putting something carefully in a place where it would get soaked.
The thought made her laugh.
The keeper looked in from the path.
"The trays?"
"Checked."
"The cutting?"
"Still in the holding space. I haven't used it."
He nodded toward the bench outside.
"Then leave the rest until tomorrow."
She wanted to look at the field diagram once more. The registration clerk had promised to send the question to the event staff, and Elara kept thinking of one clearer sentence she could have added.
It was already submitted.
