Blacktail Deer Plateau iii. time flies

She was quiet as the conversation changed, her father obviously satisfied with her reply. She liked this time of year, too; summer was wickedly hot, spring was wet and muddy, winter was frigid, from what she remembered; but Autumn...she liked Autumn. His words lulled her as she imagined the colours on the trees growing brighter, the season closing. When he said breeding season, her gaze flicked to him briefly, and a question burned at her tongue. Would he ever take another mate? Two dark women abandoning him with the same predicament, first Amber and then Khoe. Was he cursed? Had he better opt for a pale woman, if he did choose another mate? These questions did not pass her lips a moment, and though part of her longed to hear of the seasons and fill the conversation with lightness, the thought did not leave her. 

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise"

"Why did she leave?" her voice was quiet, and though it was clear to her who she was talking about, she added a moment later, "Khoe. She promised - did my mother promise, too?"  her gaze was downcast, but it flickered back up to her father's gaze, suddenly nervous. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I'm sorry, I- we can talk about winter."  She suddenly regretted bringing the topic up at all, another of the thorns in her side that she thought she might be better off ignoring.