Chapter68: The Riders at the Village

*Leo* The moon hangs low by the time we circle back toward Crescent Heart. Roxy runs ahead of me, her golden fur catching the silver light in flashes. She’s breathtaking like this, wild and radiant–fully herself. Every movement is full of grace and joy. She cuts through the wind like she was born to run beneath the stars. We slow as the sacred building comes into view, rock and moonstone gleaming in the night. I nudge her gently with my shoulder, and she gives a playful yip before trotting toward the arched entrance. I shift first. My fur gives way to skin. The shift comes easily tonight, smooth and instinctive. I stretch my arms, roll my shoulders, and grab the folded clothes I stashed behind the ceremonial screen earlier. Roxy follows suit, her body shimmering as she shifts back into her human form, glorious and gorgeous in the faint moonlight. We take our time dressing, the silence between us peaceful. It’s the kind of quiet that comes when everything has fallen into place. Once we’