Blacktail Deer Plateau always been that way

OMG I'm sorry this has taken forever. <3

Eilidh barely managed to conceal her embarrassment when Malachi tried to return the greeting and she sidled away, leaving him confused. She flounced a bit, trying to hide her own confusion, before settling beside him. Did he really want to return the touch? What did that mean to her? To him? She smiled softly, her brain whirring a million miles a minute, and tried to focus on Malachi's words instead of the rapid beating of her heart. Eilidh remembered the burned part of the forest - she had been there with Harlyn before she left, and she knew that it would take a long time for the earth to heal. "I'm glad to hear its healing. I was there after the fire and it didn't look too good."

Then he asked about her keeping busy, and Eilidh smiled again, a nervous habit that made her feel a fool. But she couldn't help it and anyway, she'd been told her smile was sort of pretty, and she hoped that her dazzling grin would distract him enough so he wouldn't notice her nerves. "Yeah, I've been pretty busy these days. I've been helping Mamma gather herbs and things. She's teaching me about healing." Eilidh smiled again, this time a real one. She was glad she was learning about healing, but she also wanted to keep Malachi to his word about teaching her about his chronicling. Whether it turned out to be something she truly wanted to pursue was a different matter. It was a good excuse to be near him.