Druid’s strength returned day by day, until she felt well enough to range as far as the glacier’s borders. There, she slumped to a stop to catch her breath. Her eyes turned toward the distant Rivenwood.
Suddenly, she couldn’t wait to hear back from
@Lane’s scouts. Druid sent a regretful glance over her shoulder. She would return to properly thank the glacier’s medic. But right
now, she must go home.
Kicking up her heels—including her still-healing one—Druid broke into a gallop.
This can be an RO, though I welcome someone to intercept her!
"druid!"
heda dropped the thigh of rabbit she had been bringing to the den.
"druid!"
her sister, running in the direction of rivenwood. the young war-girl put on a burst of speed and tried to overtake her sibling, terror and anger and confusion filling her heart. this wasn't like her! this wasn't like them.
Hearing her name on Heda’s lips caused Druid to dig her paws into the cold earth and spin, eyes casting around for her sister. She needn’t have bothered, for Heda rapidly overtook her.
I need to go home,
she said, then seemed to realize just what she was doing. I didn’t mean to run off on you. I’m sorry. I just—I need to go back, Heda.
Druid gazed plaintively at her sister, begging her forgiveness and understanding.
"no!" heda hissed, and for a moment her eyes flashed with the same dragedan fire she had shown to tulimaq. "you need to stay here! you're not even — you just got better!"
her sides heaved.
"wait, just wait until they come back, the duskfire scouting party. you have no idea what you're getting into, druid."
She would’ve listened, even without Heda’s passion. But the fervor with which her sister spoke arrested her. Druid continued gazing at her, weighing Heda’s words very seriously.
What about Witch? And mama?
Druid said softly. Mahler?
Laurel? Tears brimmed in her eyes. I have no idea where they are, or whether they’re okay. How can I stay here, doing nothing, when they might need help? Come with me,
she begged.
"how do you expect to help if mahler couldn't?" she argued. her heart broke for her mother and for witch. but heda had lost too many people in her life, and now here was druid, prepared to be lost too.
"i'm not going without the others," she said, voice garbled with sudden, frustrated tears. "lane was gonna go and she waited too! we don't know what happened. what if they're still there? those wolves?" tears were racing down her cheeks. she had to guard druid. she couldn't lose anyone else.
Heda’s words bit deep into her. The tears overflowed, coursing down her furry gray cheeks. They came all the faster and harder when Heda refused her plea. She knew her sister made a valid point—that she wouldn’t stand against Druid without good reason—but in light of all she’d been through, Druid didn’t possess even an ounce of pragmatism at the moment.
I would rather go home and die with them than stay here and do nothing,
Druid bawled.
druid's stricken face made heda feel a thousand things.
"i don't want you to die!" she cried back, shoulders shaking. "that's so ... that's so selfish, druid! if mama is dead — yeah, if she's dead," and her voice was cracking, her heart splintering, "if she is! do you think she would want you to go back there? without — is it better if everyone dies too?"
please stay please please please stay
but she knew she would not let druid go alone.
Heda cut her even deeper with her words, right down to the quick of her. By now, all Druid could do was flinch at their slashing and sink to the ground, weeping inconsolably. All the energy she had left to get home drained from her in thick, oozing tears and sobs that tore gutturally from her throat.
heda felt horrible. she felt horrible and now maybe dying didn't seem like such a big fucking deal.
but she couldn't let druid go.
not now, not ever.
unsure if she was even worthy of touching her sister now, heda crouched in the snow nearby and cried quietly, shoulders shaking and legs trembling. she was going to be sick, she felt.
Druid wept herself into abject exhaustion. When she could no longer cry, she slowly peeled herself off the ground and turned. Without a word, she plodded heavily to the medic’s den. As soon as she reached it, she slumped to the floor and curled into a ball. Tears still trickled steadily down her fine cheekbones, even when she closed her eyes, even when sleep claimed her.