The Heartwood heart to heart

Alya's teeth snapped after his seeking muzzle and caught only air - he was lucky. Vaati's sudden movements would be greeted with violence until she got used to the idea that they were no longer enemies, but that didn't mean she didn't appreciate his gestures in retrospect.

And Alya, being inclined to romanticising even the briefest of encounters, found herself watching Vaati retreat with her heart all a-flutter. They were certainly not... involved, or committed, but they'd agreed to see each other again. That was something, wasn't it? Either way, she decided she didn't care as long as they eventually figured this out. She had an idea that examining his equipment might help her to understand what needed to be done, but that would have to wait until next time.

"Coming," Alya called, heading off toward her sisters. They had a lot to discuss.