The st thing Ruby remembers is sitting against a tree, struggling to keep her eyes open.

  And then-

  She's here.

  A warm breeze brushes past her cheeks and ears, carrying the scent of spiced bread, fresh fruit and roasted meat.

  The air is filled with sound-the ctter of hooves on stone, the hum of distant chatter, the ughter of children darting through the crowd.

  She blinks, ears twitching as she takes in her surroundings.

  She's standing in the middle of a bustling market street.

  The roads beneath her feet are smooth, paved stone, not the dirt paths of the vilge.

  Tall buildings loom around her, their stone walls decorated with banners, flower baskets, and signs carved in looping script.

  Street mps line the roads, their iron posts twisting elegantly like vines.

  Everything is so big. So loud. So different.

  But...

  It's not unfamiliar.

  Somewhere in the back of her mind, she feels like she's been here before.

  She just can't remember when.

  But that doesn't matter-because this pce is fun!

  A bright, excited grin spreads across her face as she spins in pce, taking it all in.

  "Wooooow! This pce is so cool!"

  She ughs and stretches her arms above her head, tail swishing behind her.

  Then-her nose twitches.

  A scent drifts past her, sweet and buttery, with hints of warm honey and sugar.

  She snaps her head towards it.

  A nearby stall is stacked high with pastries and candies, their golden crusts glistening with gze under the morning light.

  Her mouth waters.

  "Oooh," she hums, lowering herself into a pyful crouch.

  She stalks forward, eyes locked on her prize.

  If this is a dream, she doesn't know it.

  And right now, all that matters is getting those sweets.

  Ruby grins mischievous as she prowls closer to the sweet stall.

  The scent of sugar and honey is almost overwhelming, making her mouth water as she watches the vendor arrange a fresh batch of golden pastries.

  She lowers herself slightly, tail flicking behind her, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. (Which is difficult, considering her hair and tail are literally bright red.)

  She gnces around, making sure no one is watching.

  Then, with quick, nimble fingers, she reaches forward, aiming for a handful of sweet goodness!~

  The moment Ruby's fingers close around the pastry, a vice-like grip seizes her wrist.

  "THIEF!" The vendor's voice booms through the market.

  The entire world shifts.

  The lively chatter vanishes. The crowd stops moving.

  A cold silence washes over the street as dozens of heads turn toward Ruby in perfect unison.

  Her eats ftten. Her tail bristles.

  "Oh. Oh no." Ruby thinks to herself.

  From the edge of the market, heavily armored guards snap to attention.

  Boots thunder against the stone road as they rush towards her.

  Ruby fils slightly, trying to pull her wrist free. "W-Wait! This is just a-"

  The first guard reaches her, towering over her, his expression unreadable.

  His eyes lock onto her face. Then-his gaze narrows.

  Something in his expression shifts.

  Recognition. He knows her.

  Ruby swallows hard. "Uh-wait, hold on, I think there's been a-"

  Her voice catches in her throat.

  Nobody is listening.

  The vendor tightens his group. The guards close in.

  And the watching crowd doesn't move. They just stare.

  Before Ruby can react, the first guard lunges forward, and grabs her other wrist.

  Thick, iron-pted fingers cmp down, completely engulfing her tiny arm.

  Another guard steps in, hands seizing her shoulders, his grip like iron shackles.

  Her feet leave the ground for a moment as they pull her forward with ease.

  "W-Wait!" she kicks her legs, ears fttening against her head. "I didn't-! This is a misunderstanding!"

  They ignore her completely.

  Their grip tightens.

  She twists, struggling, but it's like fighting against stone walls.

  They're too big. Too strong. Too cold.

  The marketpce around her blurs as they drag her forward.

  The people?

  They just watch. No one moves. No one speaks.

  Their faces seem blurrier now, as if they're melting into the background.

  The street ahead stretches unnaturally long, as the buildings looming higher with each step.

  The air grows colder, her stomach twists.

  She knows she's in trouble.

  But what terrifies her most... Is that she still doesn't know why.

  Ruby struggles, her small frame dragged through the cold, stretching streets.

  The buildings loom higher and higher, their once-warm banners tattered and faded. The world around her blurs at the edges, twisting into something unreal.

  Then-

  A fsh of white hair.

  A glimpse of leather armor.

  Ruby's breath catches. She knows that face.

  Her heart leaps in her chest.

  "Aria!" the name bursts from her lips before she can stop herself.

  But- Aria doesn't turn.

  She stands stone-still in the marketpce, her back partially turned, eyes fixed on something unseen.

  She is close enough to touch.

  But as Ruby reaches for her-

  The guards yank her forward.

  The world stretches again, the marketpce pulling away like melting paint.

  Ruby twists in their grip, kicking wildly.

  "Aria! ARIA!" Ruby shouts.

  Not a word. Not a gce. She is dragged past her.

  Aria is gone...

  Ruby twists in the guards' grip, still struggling.

  "Aria!" she screams, her voice cracking.

  But the guards yank her forward, dragging her down the long, cold street.

  Ruby's ears ftten, panic cwing at her chest.

  She kicks hard, trying to twist free, but the guards don't bulge.

  The marketpce stretches behind her, fading into gloom and distance.

  But-

  Her breath catches. Aria is still there. She isn't gone.

  She's following. Step by step, silent as shadow, Aria walks behind the guards.

  Not stopping them. Just watching.

  Ruby's stomach twists. "Aria-help me!" she shouts, her voice raw.

  No response. Aria's light green eyes remain unreadable, her face calm, untouched.

  Like this isn't her problem. Like she's just another observer.

  The cold stone walls of the jail loom ahead.

  The iron gates creak open.

  And still-Aria follows.

  The moment Ruby is dragged inside, the guards barely slow down.

  The iron-barred door creaks open-and Ruby is shoved forward.

  She stumbles, her feet smming against the stone cold floor.

  Then- the door sms shut.

  She whirls around, gripping the bars. "HEY! You can't just-!"

  But the guards turn away.

  She scans the room-the holding cell is small and cramped, but the rest of the jail is much rger, lined with torches casting flickering orange light.

  And that's when she sees her. Aria has followed them inside.

  Ruby's breath catches.

  Aria walks forward, her boots echoing sharply against the stone floor.

  She doesn't look at Ruby. She stops beside one of the guards, her voice steady, clear.

  "What's going on with her?" Aria asks.

  The guard she speaks to barely gnces back at the cell.

  "We've been dealing with a spree of violent thefts," he says gruffly. "Merchants, nobles-even a few bodies left behind. Witnesses describe the same thing every time."

  He turns fully now, his eyes cold.

  "A red-haired fox beastkin."

  Ruby's stomach twists.

  "Two different-colored eyes."

  The blood in her veins turns ice-cold.

  "Right eye, lime green. Left eye, deep forest green."

  Exactly like hers.

  Ruby's ears ftten. Her hands grip the bars tighter.

  "No, no, no-I didn't do that!" She shouts, heart pounding. "That wasn't me!"

  The guard doesn't acknowledge her.

  Neither does Aria.

  Ruby grips the iron bars, her heart pounding.

  Aria's expression is unreadable at first-just shock, disbelief.

  Then-her jaw clenches.

  Without a word, she steps forward, her boots echoing against the cold stone floor.

  She stops right in front of the cell.

  Ruby forces a shaky ugh, trying to keep her voice steady. "Aria, please-you know me! I didn't do any of that!"

  Aria's eyes darken. "Stop Ruby."

  The word is sharp as a bde, cutting through Ruby's desperate plea.

  Ruby flinches.

  "I thought I knew you Ruby." Aria's voice is low, trembling with rage. "I thought you were better than that."

  Aria takes a slow, measured breath, her hands clenching into fists.

  "Murder? Really, Ruby?"

  Ruby shakes her head violently, ears fttened against her skull. "No, No, you don't understand-I didn't-!"

  Aria's hand flies up, cutting her off. "Save it." Her light green eyes are now cold, her voice colder.

  "You'd better pray I never see you again." Aria's gaze hardens. "Because if I do... I'll make you regret it."

  Aria turns away, and doesn't look back.

  Ruby stares after her, frozen. Her throat feels tight. Her chest aches. She opens her mouth, but- no words come out.

  The torches flicker. The cell walls seem to close in.

  And for the first time since this nightmare began- She feels truly alone.

  Ruby sinks to the cold stone floor, her fingers loosely grip the iron bars. Her ears droop.

  A single tear trails down her cheek. Then another. Then another. Until she's crying silently, shoulders shaking as she curls in on herself.

  Aria is gone. No one is coming for her. The guards don't speak. They don't even look at her.

  But others do. By midday, the first vilger enters the jail.

  Then another. and another.

  They stand just beyond the broken bars, their expressions twisted with disgust.

  A middle-aged man sneers down at her. "This is what you deserve."

  A woman shakes her head. "Murderer."

  A merchant from the market crosses his arms. "People like you should have never been born."

  Ruby squeezes her eyes shut.

  Their voices blur together, a rising tide of hatred and scorn.

  She clutches her ears. "Please... stop..."

  They don't.

  More faces appear, crowding the jail, their voices piling on top of each other, suffocating her.

  "This is justice.""You deserve this.""Murderer.""Thief.""Monster."

  The torches flicker wildly, the shadows twisting, warping.

  The air grows thick, suffocating.

  Her vision blurs. She can't breathe. She can't move.

  The walls close in. And then-Darkness.

  Ruby_Foxgirl