The plan had been simple. Go home with Kyra, turn in early, catch up on sleep. Stay out of trouble. Then the next morning she could wake up feeling alive and refreshed, ready for another day of playing with the Earthwylves, and avoiding Mak's searching gaze, and forgetting everything that came before.

But, like always, her plan collapsed before it could even start.

For one thing, Mak decided to take Kyra home with him. Apparently, they just wanted to 'talk through some things'. There had been a whispered argument between Jael and Mak about whether it was 'safe', and Felicity couldn't help listening in, her curiosity about her neighbour stirring. But both Earthwylves had been very ambiguous in their statements, and she was still none the wiser. Still, she was glad that Mak won, even if it did mean altering her plan slightly.

Little did she know, its downfall had only begun.

Walking through the streets alone, feeling the cool night air as twilight gradually closed in, her paws moved of their own accord. A left turn, when it should have been right. Creeping down a darkened side street. Slipping through an overgrown bush, to reach the base of a lonely tree. Pulling back a loose root.

With a sigh, she had reached in and pulled out the stolen diamond.

Even in starlight, it glittered with a radiance unmatched by the dirt it lay in, as if announcing how unfit this place was to hold such a beautiful gem. I don't belong here, it seemed to hiss, with every throbbing glow. I've been stolen.

In one respect, it had terrified her to see it. The reminder of the incredibly unlawful thing she did, that she should never ever do again.

Yet, in that moment, as she had gazed upon the diamond, her heart thrummed with exhilaration. That feeling was why Felicity wasn't curled up peacefully in bed as planned.

Instead, she was up a tree.

Her claws dug into the branch as she shuffled forwards, her chest scraping roughly against the bark. Leaves rustled noisily as they collided with her snout, and she jerked her head towards her paws, peering downwards. Any second now, he would emerge. Surely a different wolf would take the night shift.

That is, if it was his shift. Otherwise, this massive jeopardising of her plan would be for nothing.

There was the harsh creak of a door being shoved open. Holding her breath, she pressed further into the branch, trying not to think about how stupid of a risk this was.

Thumping paws. An indistinguishable grumble. Was that his voice? It was hard to tell. Then the door slammed, making the old wooden wall shudder, and he appeared.

It was him. The same grass-green Pelt, speckled with dirt, and the same stumpy paws. The Watchwolf cloth had been rather pretty, but that was gone now, revealing more of his tangled fur.

Felicity tried desperately not to breathe too loudly as he walked beneath her branch, still muttering to himself. Hopefully he was too caught up in his complaints to notice a flash of pink amongst the leaves. Leaning forwards slightly, she kept her eyes trained on his squat figure, determined not to lose sight of him.

Until her paws slipped.

Eyes widening, she grappled for her hold on the branch. Luckily, her claws caught well on the ridged texture of the bark, and she was able to right herself quickly. But surely the noise could not have gone unnoticed.

She clung tightly to her place in the tree as she searched for him again. Oh Luna, thank you. He was still walking away, back turned, paws scuffling the grass in irritation. She was safe.

I think it's time to get out of the tree now, Felicity.

As silently as she could, she wriggled her way back along the branch, and slid less-than-gracefully down the trunk. Her paw pads welcomed the soft touch of the earth. But she couldn't celebrate for long. Her heart raced as she watched the Toxiwylf round a corner and disappear from view.

No, it was fine. He had turned left, she could see that. All she had to do was chase after him.

Running both quickly and quietly was a challenge in itself. But, somehow, she managed it, and caught up to him before he could vanish completely. Ducking her head down, she thrust her body into the shadows, hoping night would shroud her in the way it was supposed to hide thieves.

The moonlight glinted off her dazzling fur. Crouching further, she soundlessly cursed herself for allowing Kyra to dye her such a vibrant colour. The previous purple-pink would have been so much more useful.

With only his starlit green glow to guide her, Felicity followed him along the paths, flitting between patches of darkness. Throughout the entire journey, he only looked back once, and it was barely a glance. She got away with flattening herself against the wall of a nearby house. Clearly this wolf wasn't too worried about security.

Suddenly, he halted, forcing her to stagger to a stop. She bent as small as she could under the shelter of an oversized thatched roof. They had travelled across the Leaf District, but hadn't crossed into either Fog or Gold, which had been the outcome she had been hoping for. Not overly privileged, but still a level above her. It didn't excuse his rudeness.

With a final mutter about how his job was awful, and how much he hated everyone, the Watchwolf shoved his shoulder into a wooden door and marched inside. The abrupt slam made her wince. It echoed eerily across the deserted streets.

But, she noticed with a delighted glimmer, he didn't bother to seal the door shut. It rocked slightly, creaking on its hinges, before falling silent once again. A clear crack of light snaked down one side, marking the opening.

Right then, she could have crossed to the house and slipped inside. She could have stolen anything, and he might not have noticed.

Yet as Felicity glanced at her conspicuous fur again, she shook her head slowly.

Not now. Not today. The risk was too great.

Yesterday, at the busy party, going unnoticed had been simple. She could just blend in amongst the other brightly-coloured guests. But here, in such a quiet place, it was hard to hide. All it took was a restless neighbour to peer out of their window, or a late-night walker to pass by, and her cover would be blown. There would be no more fun with Kyra. They'd all find out what she really was.

So, with a final glance at the building, she turned and crept away. The city had become more familiar to her now, and so it wasn't too difficult to navigate her way in the direction of the Fog District. Home.

Maybe the old plan had been fated to fail. The tingle she felt in her paws as she had tracked the Toxiwylf still lingered, reminding her of the solace the act gave her.

Perhaps, instead of trying to distract herself with normality, it was better to channel her buried emotions into... this.

Revenge, supplied the dark voice. Justice. A way to give the wolves that wrong us what they deserve.

All she needed was a new plan. This one wouldn't be nearly as sensible as the former, but it might be the key to finally moving on. A way to grasp happiness.

And it would start with a disguise.

The next morning, Felicity woke by herself. It occurred to her that this was the first day since her arrival that Kyra hadn't come in to wake her. A smile tugged at her snout as she rose. She must have spent the night with Mak.

Despite her joy at her new friend's developing romance, Felicity did feel a pang of loneliness as she surveyed the empty room. At some point, she'd have to think about furnishing it. She couldn't keep putting it off like this.

A glance outside confirmed that it was late enough in the morning for Kyra to be awake. Clearing her throat, she bent down and tapped the magical band strapped around her paw. "Good morning! It's Felicity. Would you like me to come and meet you?"

She waited to hear Kyra's energetic tone spring into her mind with a fresh wave of enthusiasm. Or at least a gentle reply.

The last thing she expected was silence.

Frowning, Felicity stared at the band. Was it not working? Maybe it only lasted for a day or two. She hadn't tried using it since yesterday, when Kyra had insisted that they show the others how amazing their 'friendship bands' were.

But when she traced a claw across the leather, she could still feel the faint hum of glittering magic. Perhaps she hadn't tapped it right. Carefully, she repeated the action, and called, "Kyra? Are you there?"

Once again, silence met her words.

With a sigh, she nosed the door open and emerged into the cool breeze. It carried a slight chill today - the sign of autumn creeping ever closer. She was half hoping that her friend would be waiting out there, giggling at her practical joke, but the only wolves out on the corner were a pair of wrestling pups.

She knew it was possible that Kyra simply was too busy to hear the transported thoughts. But something in Felicity's heart constricted.

This wasn't right.

Just as panic began to weave its way into her mind, a whisper penetrated her thoughts. I'm here, Felicity. Don't come over. See you later. The tone was almost unrecognisable. It was far too subdued and unsteady to be the same Glitterwylf who had been performing pirouettes with Sana yesterday.

"Ok," Felicity replied uncertainly into the band. "Just... let me know if you need me."

The words lingered, awaiting a response. They didn't receive one. Her conversation with Kyra was over.

Gritting her teeth, Felicity glanced at the floor, then at the sky, her paws shifting constantly. Her fur prickled with unease. She remembered Kyra's frozen expression, her vacant eyes. The deep terror as she stared at the pair of wolves, as if... as if they were the source of her pain.

Shaking her head, Felicity let out a short growl. She cared for her new friend. Far too much.

If Kyra was in trouble, there was no way she was staying here. Not a chance.

The new plan wasn't just about delivering punishment, she decided, as her paws spun in the direction of the Leaf District. It was also about helping those who were kind - rescuing them from their troubles, and leading them to the better life they needed.

You're wasting time, snarled the darkness. Tonight, we strike the next deserving victim. We must be ready. Justice, Fliss.

But she only picked up her pace. Justice works both ways. This way, I give everyone what they deserve.

The voice hissed, but it did not retaliate. It couldn't. She had promised herself that she wouldn't let it control her again, and she was determined to keep that promise.

It may be right about her nighttime activities. She knew that from the electric fizzle in her veins as she thought back to the evening chase. But there were other things that could bring her joy, too.

Her heart pounded along with her paws as she ran faster, her breath coming in sharp gasps as she raced through the streets. Her gaze hardened.

Whatever was causing Kyra pain, she would be ready to tackle it.