Blackfeather Woods before the night is through

Home. She was glad Jakoul thought of it that way. The way she did. The way she always had. The woman had fit so neatly into the fabric of life here that it was as if she'd always been here, too. Maegi allowed herself to smile, the expression growing warmer still as Jakoul continued to speak.

I'm sorry I haven't been around much, she responded, feeling a little self-conscious. She hadn't really considered that someone would really miss her, other than her brother and Mou. Maybe she wasn't at all equipped to be a leader, and was best suited to the shadows, hidden away, conversing with the gods. . .

Maegi took a step closer, letting her doubts fall aside (for now). Tell me what you see, she said, curiosity lighting her face. What you hear. The goings-on of the Woods. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary? More than anything, she wanted Jakoul to feel even more useful than she already was.