Stavanger Bay there’s a sky underground

Doe, too, avoided the inlands reaches of their territory. It had become a habit to skirt them when Skellige still reigned, as she'd been wary of incurring his wrath. If the silver-banded Leviathan hadn't needed the woods, then neither would she. As the days and weeks and months dragged on, it'd simply become second-nature to ignore the darkness that laid between the trees. Even after their brother left, she and Szymon had remained loyal, had clung to their life upon the shore.

No longer, apparently. The return of their daughter had left Doe feeling giddy and light, and she'd followed after her husband that day in hope of wearing down some of her excess energy with some adult exercises. It'd become a sort of foreplay for the woman to sneak after her mate - the way a cat stalks after her prey.

But instead of turning to meet her with a grin on his maw, he disappeared, a strange yelp coming from his throat. It was a comical sound - one she had trouble associating with her stone-faced husband - and Doe might've laughed if she hadn't been so worried.

"Sy?" she called, bounding toward the place where he'd disappeared. Fallen, she corrected herself, looking down the narrow chute that his body had furrowed into the earth. There was a dark tangle down below, and at the end of that was her mate. Doe couldn't see him, but the sound of his voice was enough to send her leaping - and then tumbling - after him.

Doe landed on a warm, white cushion with a quiet umphf knocking its way out of her lungs.