Ankyra Sound the fault is not in our stars, but the moon; that idiot rock ruins everything

She’d wandered back to Drageda with her two friends, determined to make things work for them. They’d have a place for winter and can figure things out later but neither of them really wanted it. Saarthal disappeared within weeks and Max went after her, even after her own search turned up empty handed. She hates it, but she knows she failed the both of them—all of them—and nothing she does it going to make a difference. She has somewhere warm to be, at least, and Blixen doesn’t fault her for her friends leaving (maybe they’ll be back, but who is she kidding?).

As the day starts to fade out, the high noon sun turning into early afternoon (which may as well be evening, at this rate), Mallaidh finds herself outside of Drageda once more. It is no surprise that she wanders off, her own thoughts plaguing her until she’s driven out in an attempt to sort them for next time. She doesn’t know how to let things go and none of it ever gets any easier.

The sand is cold beneath her feet and she welcomes the change of terrain when she leaves it behind, slipping into the monolith forest. She never spent much time here prior to Grimnismal moving in but they’re gone now and no neighbors to worry about (she’s blissfully unaware of a bear having once ransacked this place). It’s been a long time since she’s seen Ingram, or anyone from that crew for that matter, and she doesn’t expect to again lest they foolishly try to come back. She doubts Drageda would allow them refuge a second time.

The forest is dark, what few rays of light coming in from up high, and she wanders through carefully this time.