Kintla Flatlands Unconditional

Her response caught him off guard. If ever there was a time where Osprey needed to be serious and face grim reality with her head up and shoulders squared, this was it. Instead, she wanted to retreat into a fantasy land. Peregrine felt decidedly torn. Should he refuse, insisting she stop running away from reality, since there was no escape? Or should he humor her, giving her a brief reprieve from what was clearly the worst situation in her entire life? What was she really asking him anyway? Was the dragon meant to be metaphorical?

The black wolf took a breath, hesitated, then said, "Osprey..." He paused, then continued as if reading her mind. "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end." Another pause. "You know I don't mind hunting dragons with you." There was a but... implied in there, yet Peregrine didn't voice it. He motioned for Osprey to take the lead. If this was really what she wanted to do, he would honor her request, just like he'd vowed.