Dragoncrest Cliffs leave me a literature of toothmarks & tongue-tracks

she is lucky, she knows, that she was delegated to protecting her mother and redhawk's brood (babysitting, a part of her can't help but think selfishly), and that she was not put in danger, and that she is uninjured, unlike the limping lot of the most of her group. but she cannot help but feel a little upset about it. maybe if mother'd stayed with them she wouldn't feel so bad about her fortune. 

the gona sighs and goes to lean a little bit into furi, stealing a moment of comfort as she watches nomi make her way to her den. she should be grateful. why is she so bad at positive emotions? 

if nothing else at least things will go back to normal now - mother appears on the scene, ruining any chance for more self pity (thankfully) and she manages a bright smile, relieved all over again at her mother's returned presence into her life. "mother," she says, moving away from furi to greet her, and chokes up a little. "you're really back."