Shy Deer Steppes he runs, wishing he could fly

permission to skip!

the vanishing of her sister is a blow, and she can not hide the dismay writ across her face. vaati, she does not care for; having left her life just as swiftly as having entered it, and offered her very little in the meanwhile. she allows herself to hope, just this once, that perhaps Vaati has taken her sister somewhere safe, somewhere—

she meets her aunt's gaze evenly as she poses her question, and her first instinct is a yes. she loves her aunt, and maegi appears all to be what she has left. but then she sees her mother's empty eyes, the man's warning, all the ghosts that lingered there. of Black Hat, promised to make her strong, all the other's here, and Vengeance. I know enough. he didn't. and this might be the wrong place, but she knew then she could not go back. "no. I think—I will stay here." her voice is soft, but firm, and there is a trace of longing in her gaze still. but she only longs for what was, and knows she can never, ever, have that again. swallowing, "blackfeather can't be my home. not now." not without her mother, not without scylla, not without the security that seemed so fragile now. all this she wants maegi to know but does not say, not in front of the others gathered here.