Blacktail Deer Plateau any colour you like

It had not been a good trip. The start had been fine, and so had Easy's wanderings on her own - but whenever she was with Dawn or Aditya or - God forbid - both, things had been awful. And, lately, increasingly weird. There was something going on between those two, and not the usual lovey-dovey stuff that Easy hated so much.

Somehow, it was even worse.

"Whatever," said Easy, turning her back to Aditya and moving toward Catori. It started off as just a way to get away from the dumb, stupid boy, but by the time Easy had her mother's scent in her nostrils, she was booking it. "Mom!" she cried, trying to fit herself under the crook of the woman's neck. It was jarring to realize she didn't fit. All she needed now was Dad, Pema, and the rest of her siblings.

She realized, with a pang, that Burr would not be coming to greet her. He'd been taken back to Easthollow.