Blackfoot Forest Step by Step

Andalusia bared her fangs. He argued his innocence through looks alone - and by looks alone, he really did look like he was telling the truth. But Andalusia wasn't some sapling girl; she trusted freely, but she wasn't naive. She'd let herself slip, had given him the wrong impression. Of this she was certain. I'm not sure what I did wrong. She nearly snorted at his excuse.

"Of course not." Maybe he didn't know, but she knew what his gentleness would lead to. Affection was two-fold, and began with easing into another's touch - a head on his shoulder, a nudge to his cheek. Andalusia's throat clenched and her gaze hardened, and her thoughts shut off before her memories could rouse. She wouldn't give herself to another, nor would she give a man even the thought she would.

She was overreacting, but guilt blinded her, and the brevity of Sebastian's touch was enough to conjure deep memories she'd buried long ago. "Next time, just kick me awake." At least then it would only feel like one of the flying limbs of her siblings, and that she could handle.

The initial shock still lingered, and adrenaline prompted her to move. Andalusia would still help Sebastian, but she would be careful now. She had been too giving of herself, and she heard a distance in her voice when she spoke again. "We should get moving." Hunger didn't cross her mind. Her nerves still fired with the prompting of flight, and food was least on her mind.