Greatwater Lake their hearts and their bones won't come undone

The dark child had known very little other than her own company was the most reliable she'd ever found. She had spent far too much time outside of the wilds. So much had changed since she had left. Lucy wondered often if any of her family remained, or would remember her. She had remembered an awful fight with her mother. It had been the last time she had seen the woman who had birthed her. The memory drove a melancholy nail into her heart. The inky girl pressed forward, hoping to see if she could find Cypress or Rannoch. She hoped, more than this, that they would have missed her in her absence. Surely, they would not. She knew that it was not likely their lives would have paused at all. Rannoch was probably the leader of the forest by then.

The Blackthorn trailed the outside of the lake slowly. Her small paws stepped delicately against the bank. She did not dare disturb the peaceful waters. If she drew close enough, she could see her own dark reflection against the surface of the water. How strange it would be to have a life beneath the lake. She kept a watchful eye on her reflection and continued to trace the outer edge of the pool. It was quiet and Lucy felt as though she had reclaimed a strength inside of herself.

Sobs sounded over her head. The girl stopped immediately and held herself alertly. The length of her ears was stretched upward and sat intently atop her head. Her pale blue gaze scanned as quickly as she could until she locked them tightly on a lone figure that she did not recognize. She was not certain that she trusted another weeping stranger in the woods. Nevouku had been harmless enough, but she did not want to press her luck. She picked her way quietly toward him, hoping to see if he had company.