Broken Boulder there’s an old voice in my head that’s holding me back

Lily looked abashed at Alarian's exclamation, gazing suddenly down at her toes. His admittance broke her heart, and she mumbled, "Is there any way we can help him get better? I mean, what can we do if he's withdrawn from us?" She stopped to mark a thicket with her scent, then moved on, mouth twisting in a troubled fashion.

"I just-- I know you love him, Ali. But we do need you. You're our leader," Lily said, a small smile coming to her face as she gave him a glance filled with faith, and hope. "You found me, gave me a home. I'm forever grateful for that." Her sunset eyes stared across the border, to the plains beyond the woods. "We can give others a home, here, too. That's good."

It was quiet and sheltered, here by the broken boulder, nestled into the forest. While the relationships she'd forged seemed to have crumbled a little since leaving the mountains, she had hardly felt as peaceful as she did here. This was her place of zen. . .and she wanted to make it so for others, as well.