Dawnlark Plains the city is burning around them

as dauntless walks, taking a path that is intimately familiar to him, his mind wanders freely. he does not focus upon one thought specifically; doesn't dare. he does not want to focus his thoughts on his father's death, nor his missing sisters except despite his best efforts it's where his mind goes nevertheless. not specifically upon one or the other but lingering on how hard it'd been to tell easy about burr and how hard it would be to tell lavender and easy if they ever returned about grayday's death. mirza wasn't sure that were was even a way to do it so that it lessens the blow ...but given their mia statuses he isn't sure if he'll ever see them again. khoe had been the first to abandon them and perhaps that flighty nature was simply in their blood because that's certainly how dauntless is feeling: abandoned. he does his best to shoulder and bottle those feelings because they are certainly selfish ones.

mirza is drawn out of his thoughts with a start and a bristle of hackles at the sound of approaching footfalls only to realize that it was just adyita. he feels guilt instantly as the wispy tendrils at his nape smooth back down and he offers the leader a sheepish expression. "yeah." dauntless offers in response to both of the older man's questions before he falls into silence once more, before he draws in a heavy breath and lets it out in a heavier sigh. "how's everyone doing?" after leaving grayday's body dauntless had isolated himself off from everyone. he didn't necessarily want to be alone but he, still struggling along that path of self discovery which becomes less of a path and more of a climb, is afraid that his grief will be an additional burden. he wants to be strong for his family, for the pack and like with burr's death he deigns not to show that he's suffering.