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

yes, she says, confirming what she had just said.  she didn't think he was dull for it; many individuals chose to fill the space in conversation with such quips.  were you?  i was not around long.

she was pleased to hear that they were finally headed back to the vale.  although it had only been a few weeks, it felt like an eternity she had waited for their eventual return.  i'm not sure, i actually came from that way, she motions towards tindome's direction with a swing of her head, the gentle arc of her paw, i left before rannoch.

his final question caused her ease to dissipate.  she cowed before him, her ears flicking back uncomfortably. once again, she wasn't a liar and she did not keep secrets, but she did not know what good it would do to go through it all again.  perhaps if she told everyone straight from the beginning, she could tuck it somewhere dark and never think about it again.  

no, but i wish they were.  later, she would apologize for the bitter tone that gripped her voice.  i left northstar vale to join a pack led by mato, someone that rannoch thought the world of.  i did, too.  we were together, briefly, before i strayed too far from the borders and was captured for three weeks.

she cleared her throat.  she could leave it there, but she was afraid of the eventual questions that might come that she inevitably would not want to breach.  i escaped, and mato met me at the borders like a stranger, like i abandoned him.  he called for the end of our relationship, a break, so i turned away from his pack and headed for the vale.  i ran across rannoch in my travels, obviously i never made it to the vale, and have been waiting here since.

she turns her head back up at the boy, ashamed, but her quiet and inviting demeanor had returned.  i'm sorry!  i'm sure that's not what you were wanting to hear.