Wapun Meadow Today and tomorrow are yet to be said

Mal really hadn't been paying much attention.  He was walking more than consciously paying attention, which might end up bad if he wandered across the wrong person.  Or wrong thing.  But at least with a field he should be able to see what was coming pretty well, right?  Yeah, maybe if he wasn't looking maybe five feet in front of his nose.  Things still seemed pretty hopeless, and he was just not having a particularly positive day either.  It was all empty out here, bleak despite the renewing season.  He still had nothing to provide his sister, and he was starting to wonder if she'd even be willing to go when he did find something, or if by then the witches would have their hooks into her as well.

But thoughts can't last forever.  There was a brief cartoonish moment where he heard the call, froze, and looked up, probably about as attentive as if you'd jolted him awake from a nap.  He looked for the sound, spotted her running sort of in his direction and backpedaled away, bristling defensively, his thoughts immediately jumping to thinking she was after him for some reason.  Always expecting the worst, this kid.  What?!  Mal had missed what she was chasing entirely.