Hushed Willows like a rolling stone

atwood had not gotten close to cortez, per se, but his presence has been a constant in his young life, much like ariel's. he finds, though, that this is very different from ariel's death. for starters, ariel had not chosen to leave -- atwood had been there, he'd seen what'd happened. this is.. something else. from between seabreeze's legs, atwood levels cortez with his sharpest, meanest stare, his babyish face pinching into a moue. nobody seems upset -- certainly not reif, who looks more confused than anything, and sundance - traitor! - looks sad.

well. atwood is smart enough to recognize when he is being abandoned. his mamas nudge him expectantly, but he scowls and turns his small face into their legs, done with the scene. his mamas, kindly, do not press him on this (perhaps misinterpreting his anger for sorrow?) as they usher the family back into elysium. 

once they reach the den, atwood skulks off to lay in the roses by his lonesome and be mad in peace.