Padding footsteps wound between clumps of disturbed earth that had settled into strange mounds, leaving oddly angled trees and partly buried brush. Above, the sky burned like rust on iron, leaving the shadowed landscape crying for light. A pair of magenta eyes moved on prowling paws along the edge of an indescribable manor, watching any and every source of life in the desolate place. And despite appearances, there was much to be seen.

The manor was not empty, but waiting. Light moved across windows, and all of the doors were secure. The beast had checked. Foxlike, it moved on all fours with confident strides alike to upright running. Once he had been full of words, but his mind had turned to pondering and watching others as they flickered in and out of the house. Now he sat on his haunches, purple fur nearly invisible, to watch an exchange between three men, bedecked in faded crimson, on a neighboring hill. Their voices rang clearly across the distance.

He knew them, and had heard many of their stories.