![[Image: 500_by_memuii-dbfxt60.png]](http://orig02.deviantart.net/75f6/f/2017/192/d/5/500_by_memuii-dbfxt60.png)
" BEXLEY BRIAR "
The sky above her is lit wholly in yellow - a mirror image of the sun set within it, which has been, for days, shining relentlessly. Elatus Canyon has baked and cracked under the overwhelming heat of it; when Bexley places her steps, chunks of sand and stone roll from under her feet; the few plants that have ever survived her are now dried, and yellowed, and withered; even worse is the stench of the dead Teryr filling each crevice of the canyon, so that when Bexley’s head swings left, all she breathes in is the sweet, rancid scent of carrion, cooked through like a forest fire turned to ash. She drops her head to her chest and turns right, continuing on her walk with a determination to avoid as much of the foulness as she can.
Her body protests with each stubbornly taken step. Stop walking! Of course, she doesn’t. Who would Bexley be if she always stopped to pay attention to her imminent mortality? Over the past few days, the small bruise on her side has warped to a blackish, purplish spot that stretches from hip to shoulder, and the cut just below her neck has festered, then closed, leaving a thick, scabby line over that previously unscathed golden coat. It’s not the prettiest thing ever, but she’s strangely proud of it. A marker of how she helped her people. And that stupid bravery obviously worked, since Maxence named her champion of community-! Though she’s alone, a bright, genuine smile flashes over her face; they may not like each other, but at least he respects her now.
The smile doesn’t last long - Bexley raises her head to see a black blob a couple hundred yards a way and frowns to herself. Avdotya? No, with a few steps forward, she realizes it’s the one with wings, um… Inkheart. They haven’t talked much, not really, and Bexley has been working on not judging people so quickly, so she takes in a heavy breath and resigns herself to being nice. With a few quick strides she’s within hearing distance and calls out, as prettily as she can manage (working against the heat and the sweat and the pain) - Hey, Inkheart, right?
@inkheart <3
