Alice Violett, Pennant 784

She grabbed me by the sleeve and pulled me round the back of the building where she’d hit the metal jackpot. As the lack of rust on her payload indicated, it was relatively sheltered. We hunkered against the wall and clung to one another as great swathes of dust – ash from the long-ago fires – swirled away from us and reduced our visibility to practically zero. If I’d been on my own, I’d have been terrified out of my wits, but Cam’s solid, calm presence assured me that this would pass, and we would be okay, even though we couldn’t hear one another’s voices over the now howling wind. And sure enough, after what felt like an age, the wind dwindled to a low moan, then ceased completely, and we were able to see the landscape – now bruised where the dust had met resistance and settled – again. Cam gave my hand a squeeze, and we edged around the building, back to the path. Despite our caution, what we saw on the path pulled us up short. A long, lithe brown mammal sat on its haunches and shook itself all over – from the unbelievably long ears that stood proud on the top of its head to the stubby, slightly fluffy tail that protruded from its rear – to dislodge the dust from its fur. ‘A hare!’ I whispered to Cam, excitedly.