looking for you but you're right here

 He looked over her shoulder to the copse of trees beyond, swathed in the shadow of dense, luscious foliage. 

 “Yeah.” The word felt flimsy and he coughed, following it up with a nod. “I just woke up here.” But he remembered plenty. He remembered everything. And he wouldn't tell her any of it.

 “I try thinking of my life before but it's just...nothing.”

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"Strange," Edith said, frowning. She wasn't entirely sure if she believed him—as he'd proven to be untrustworthy before—but all she could do was take his words at face value. If he were to slip up, she'd be there to point out his misstep and rub it in his face. 

"What've you been up to since I kicked your ass?" she asked next with a smirk. She wasn't entirely sure why she stuck around, but something about him made her stay.

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 He scoffed. Finally finished with his meal, he rocked back on his haunches, swiping his tongue across his maw. “Your memory sucks, Princess.”

 Rafferty shrugged. “Just been making my own way, I guess.” He'd been looking for something, anything, he recognized. “Don't really have a place to go.” It was meant as an off-the-cuff remark, but the nonchalance rang false.

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"No, I think that you're the one with the shitty memory," Edith replied through a mouthful of meat. "You have to admit—I did get you good." (enter smirking emoji here). 

Rafferty explained what he'd been up to as she finished the last scraps, and she noticed his lacking tone. "Whatta shame," she remarked; she wanted him to beg for a place to stay. "I've been good—been well fed and I've gotten lots of rest." Edith lifted her chin and grinned.

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 He refused to admit anything.

 Instead, he swung his head and saddled her with a look. His gaze swept up and down as if he saw all of her and still found her lacking. 

 “That tracks - Princess. It's easy to look after yourself when you have so many subjects to catch you if you stumble. You wouldn't last a week on your own.” 

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Rafferty was full of surprises—maybe that's what kept her around. 

"I would," Edith scoffed back. "Better than you have, at least," she looked him up and down, mimicking his scrutinizing gaze. "You're nearly skin and bones." she was lying, of course.

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 He barked out a laugh. “Oh yeah, sure. Cuz clearly I can't hunt for myself.” His dry reply punctuated with a swift look down. 

 Rafferty got up and shook out his fur, suddenly caught between wanting to go and not knowing where to go. 

 He moved. “See you around, I guess.” It seemed inevitable at this point.

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Edith watched Rafferty go. She wanted him to turn around—to bark another insult in her direction—but it never happened. She began her trip home once he was gone, wistfully wondering if she'd ever see him again.

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