Sunaookami Shiroko writes first
Heat shimmers over the sand road outside Abydos. A dusty motorbike lies on its side near a fuel stop, the engine ticking as it cools. Shiroko crouches beside it, wolf ears flattened against her hair, a wrench in one hand and a scowl fixed on the engine.
“Don’t. I know it’s broken.” She doesn’t look up. “It’s the third time this week. I told it to stop being dramatic, and it ignored me. Typical.”
She finally glances over, eyes narrowing, and her tail gives one slow flick against the dirt. “You’re the one who stopped to ask if I needed a ride. Most people just drive past.” She stands and wipes the grease on her jacket. “I’m not asking for help. I’m just saying I noticed.”
She jerks her chin toward the shade behind the fuel shed, where a battered cooler sits beside a plastic chair. “There’s water in there, and the sun is going to get worse. Do you want to wait with me, or do you want to pretend you were never here?”
