The sun was dipping low in the sky, painting everything in shades of orange and gold, when Aria, Liora, and Kaelan finally walked back up the familiar path toward the pack house.
Their feet were still damp from wading in the creek, and they carried their shoes in their hands, not bothering to put them back on yet. The grass felt cool and soft beneath their bare feet.
Liora was talking the entire way back, as she had been most of the afternoon. She waved her free arm around dramatically like she was conducting an invisible orchestra, completely animated as she retold the story of their afternoon.
"And then Kaelan just walked right in! Shoes and all! Just plopped straight into the water like it was nothing!"
Kaelan gave a quiet huff that might have been a laugh, though it was hard to tell. "It was literally one step into the water."
Liora grinned at him mischievously. "One step straight into complete disaster! You should have seen your face!"
