Wheeling Gull Isle i.v : who was told what to do by the man

things have been tense -- tense enough to drive her briefly inland though she does not dare stay from the island too long. reed has largely withdrawn into her mother's company, finding herself suddenly afflicted with a desire for solitude, a wish to avoid even her beloved aralez in the wake of the strange attack she did not witness. it is not the attack that bothers her so, but truthfully, maegi and mou's departure, though she would not admit so aloud. 

turns out being ditched by your dad as a newborn does give you some issues vis-a-vis abandonment. but no matter. mou ... was an odd boy, and she can only hope he has not managed to get himself into deeper trouble without her pratical and stern presence to guide him. maegi has surely moved on to brighter, bolder futures for herself. briefly she wonders if her friend had ever tracked down her wayward patient, but dismisses it. whether she did or not, reed can't know, and it is useless to dwell on such unhappy thoughts.

and yet, as if summoned by her own thoughts, there is a howl that disturbs her from her fitful slumber, summoning her from her sandy den toward the landbridge. grogginess sharpens her voice (perhaps unintentionally) as she drawls, "i must be dreaming." a smile cracks her mouth, but she does not rush to embrace maegi, her stance guarded in spite of herself. reed's never known how to show her feelings correctly, after all.