Blacktail Deer Plateau people let me tell ya bout my best friend

he rolled his eyes at engel's quip, casting him a brief bland glance sideways--he was starting to pick up the gesture from grayday and his daughters--before resuming his ocean viewing.

"it never freezes, though," adi said, though he suspected engel knew that already. "it could get colder than anything and still not freeze." but it was a fanciful idea. his own ancestral home lay across that sea. what would it be like to get there? to speak their language, to meet distant relatives?

his mouth twitches in a smile at engel's question. "i was, erm, counting birds," aditya responded. "i know, it sounds silly. but it's a great way to keep your mind calm, when it's racing."