Grouse Thicket Bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh,

Intended for Dionysus

Waawaashkeshi thoroughly believed she must be ill. A fever, maybe.

Her condition seeming to flare up, the sunflower girl had left the copse for the afternoon so as to avoid worrying Nasamiituuq. For now she lay in the comfort of a thicket, the chirps of grouse birds soothing her mind for the time being.

But in truth, this was the last place she wanted to be.

She longed to return to her friend, to curl up with the Moonglow daughter and nibble her fur clean, to act as though nothing else mattered today. She pushed it from her mind, or tried.

The boulder had taught her how to feel lonely. Now more than ever, she wished it had not.

The song of the season drew Dionysus off of his intended path. His companions, left somewhere far behind, could wait. Casco Bay could wait. All of it would still be there when he returned, and this — he needed to do this.

He called out a low, crooning note to the faceless woman as he pursued the source of the scent. If his company was undesired, now was her chance to flee; otherwise, Dionysus would seek her out.,

A voice sounded, a man searched for her. A stranger, and yet she called back to him nonetheless.

She struggled to understand why her paws brought her to a stand, carrying her towards his call. It was not him she wanted, but he was company. He was something.

Spotting him; androgynous, beautiful, and colorful, she decided she would stay.

It was time for this sunflower to bloom.