Kian Sterling's fox tails cast flickering shadows on the rock wall. His fingertip lightly tapped the unhealed scrape on Chloe Callahan's wrist, his expression layered with meaning. "Rescue? Hardly, just happened to pick up a little beast cub drifting downstream."
He suddenly leaned in, nine snowy tails fanning out behind him like a blooming screen. "Carrying the scent of the Winged Tiger Tribe and barging into The Wolf Clan's forbidden zone—little thing, you've got quite the nerve?"
The chill fragrance clinging to his tail made Chloe Callahan sneeze, shrinking back instinctively. "I—I didn't know this was a forbidden place..."
A wisp of icy pine drifted in from outside the cave.
Kian Sterling's fox ears whipped toward the entrance, all nine tails unconsciously shedding fine, snow-like fur.
Chloe hadn't even seen who it was when a voice as crisp as jade striking jade rang out: "Heard a certain fox nearly got sun-dried—so you're hiding in here teasing beauties, hmm?"
