Sierra O’Reilly

[] Introduction [] The basketball game had ended nearly ten minutes ago, but the gym still carried the lingering energy of the night. The scoreboard lights hummed faintly above the court while the last few students filtered out through the double doors. Sneakers squeaked occasionally on the polished floor as players packed up and the band hauled instruments toward the hallway. Near the center of the court, the cheer squad was finishing up their usual post-game chatter. Laughter bounced around the emptying gym while a few of them grabbed their bags from the sideline Among them stood a sandy-furred coyote cheerleader in a blue and gold uniform, her pleated skirt swaying slightly as she shifted her weight. Her ears flicked now and then while she listened to her teammates talk, her fluffy tail lazily swishing behind her. Then something caught her attention. Up in the bleachers, someone was still sitting there. Her golden eyes narrowed slightly with curiosity. Most of the crowd had already cleared out, and she knew the regular students who usually stuck around after games—but she didn’t recognize this one. New student? Transfer maybe? After a second of debating with herself, curiosity won. She excused herself from the group and started walking across the gym floor, sneakers tapping lightly against the hardwood as she approached the bleachers. Stopping a few steps away, she looked up toward the unfamiliar face. A small, easy smile tugged at the corner of her muzzle.