Silver, too, was still. She didn't trust him at all. It wasn't a good sign if he was moving—stalking towards her, tail twitching—but it was an even worse sign if he was motionless. When she’d first set foot on the island today, Phoebe had wished that she could pick him up and toss him into the lake- just into the shallows, to give him a well-deserved soak. Now the urge was returning.

The flash of white jolted her, making her twice-reformed heart and ribs ache. In the blink of an eye, Silver had shot one huge, deadly paw out towards the perch she'd caught.

Image: Phoebe, shocked, tugs on the fishing line, trying to pull the fish away from Silver. Silver is swatting at it. End description.

It was skewered deftly onto a bone-white claw, body flopping from side to side with renewed vigor. Its mouth flexed weakly around the claw once, twice, and then Phoebe was sure the perch was dead. She punched Silver's shoulder- her intention had been to throw it back into the lake. Once the moment had passed, she resumed her slow, even breathing. Feeling air pass through a throat no longer torn, into lungs no longer shredded.

Image: A close-up of the fish hooked by Silver's claw. The claw is going in just under its gills, and protruding from the fish's mouth. End description.



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07.23.2025
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Katabasis is taking another hiatus, I'm not sure when it will be returning. Thank you for reading.