The Heartwood she doesn't know she's in love

how do you know him?

that question brought back memories, oh!  how long had it been since she had seen him prior to their most recent meeting?  did she really, truly still know him?  but that was not the question she had been asked. no need to apologize.

the beginning was not a story she wanted to tell but it felt something akin to lying to leave it out, so she started there anyway.  oh, good!  i was beginning to think we had been forgotten, she says with a teasing laugh.  i met rannoch some time last year when i washed up on the coast.  i traveled inland, wounded and terrified without any idea who i was.  he took me in at northstar vale.

she pauses, looking over the boy.  she knew better than to let her eyes linger on his scars but they reminded her of the ones that raked along her side, marring that sandy brown pelt.  on her, she thought they were ugly.  on him, they were something like becoming.