Swiftcurrent Creek soothe

Your fault? Bazi frowned into the blubbering youth's fur, but said nothing for the time being. Apologies turned to babbling turned to outright wailing, and she suspected that her fur would be matte with tear-diluted snot when she pulled finally pulled away. By then, the frenzied crying had died down to more manageable, staggered sobs. Bazi studied her quietly for a moment.

"You won't believe me, but whatever's going on with Ferdie started before you came," she started to say when the weeping allowed. "He was going this way before you arrived. If anything, it's my fault - I didn't notice, or if I did, I didn't think it worth acting. He wasn't eating properly, he was becoming more and more withdrawn - I thought he might be sick, back there, when he launched himself at Sky. And he might be. Do you understand? Even if it's in his mind and not his body, it was happening before you came here."