Picking her way through the Thicket, Kieron had had enough. Even though the snow had let up, it left in its wake mud pits, slush, puddles, and other places where it was easy to slip. She shouldered her way through yet another dense copse before the trees gave way to a clearing. The crisp spring breeze tousled her whiskers and pulled at the fur along her sides and tail as she craned her head upward to greet the cloud-dappled skies. Finally, she could breathe.
Her paws relaxed and she took notice now of the freshly sprung grass blades and flower buds underfoot. Some of them were already sporting bits of color, hinting at the hues of their springtime petals. As the sun came out from behind a cloud, she hastily blinked and drew back to the shade of the tangled grove.
She took a seat with her back against a tree whose bark was covered with ivy, moss, and all sorts of climbing vines. She caught her breath as she grew quiet, wondering what this refuge in the wilderness would tell her. In the months she had traveled, she had been pursued by many a suitor and had evaded them with all her might. With her heat having gone unresolved and the season already past, the dark rogue wondered if a sense of calm would find her at last.