Otter Creek that what you wanted to hear?

He was a coward. To flee in the face of danger proved it so. But then, Maegi had run from danger before, too. . .so it took one to know one. Her mouth twisted, but she said nothing, unable to form the right words. Silence once more rose up between them, choking, heavy.

Are you here to stay again? she said at last, trying to keep the hope from her tone. It would do no good to plead for members, even if desperately needed. She would not beg for his sake, nor hardly anyone else's. Or did you just come to see what you left behind?

There was some vitriol in the second sentiment. It wasn't his fault. At this point, he was just an amalgam of all those that had left her, and unfortunately, he was here to take the brunt of that blame.

At some point, they parted. He wasn't coming back, it would seem. But they never really did, did they?