Heron Lake Plateau searching

"I mean it," Elwood reiterated, then contemplated whether to further the conversation. It seemed like there was more that Eljay wanted to say, but wasn't admitting out loud just yet. He didn't want to make his son uncomfortable, but also felt like he would be doing him a disservice by simply leaving him hanging.

He thought back to the time when Eljay had run away from Redhawk Caldera without letting anyone know where he was going, in hopes of proving himself. Naturally, Elwood didn't want Eljay to leave again -- and was fairly certain that Eljay himself didn't want to go -- but he wondered how else he would meet a girl. Perhaps with the proper planning and mindset, such an adventure could be productive this time.

"Do you think you would ever want to...I don't know, leave the plateau? There just aren't a lot of girls here," Elwood said with a small, rueful smile. "We want you to stay, of course," he added, meaning himself and Eljay's mother, "but this is something that is up to you, and we would support you."