Swiftcurrent Creek the heart remembers things that the body doesn't want

indra followed his gaze, though deviated from the path the grouse had fluttered as she witnessed the swallowing expanse of the sky. her breath paused as she studied the endless zenith of the upperworld -- an other-world she would never experience for herself.

her gaze returned sharply to earth as he asked if something was bothering her. everything was bothering her. her lips pursed and she shifted, clearly uncomfortable with answering the question. he was a stranger -- she would not yoke him with her troublesome problems. "no, just an observation." she answered after a pause, shifting her paws once more in the cold snow. "i'm indra," she finally offered, a threadbare smile slow to rise and quick to fade from her lips.