you were the one

I made it seem like Chrys had gone MIA for a few days to make up for her not knowing about Nerian's mateship and the details surrounding it...

"Nerian," she questioned the blank den and repeated. Entering her head into their hollow home, Chrysanthemum searched in vain for recent mentions of her admired companion. However, even her cache at the back of their space seemed somewhat vacant. Furthering her inquisition, she was bothered by the neutral scent that gathered even with forceful sniffs of the arched walls. It was unlike their home not to reek of whatever medicines were in season.

Withdrawing herself with a troubled expression, Chrys repeated the same behavior outside to the same results. Nerian was gone, and she had been for a few evenings now. Perhaps just as many as Chrysanthemum...

However, the juvenile remained biased in her concern. She knew why she herself had gone, but the herbalist's disappearance was a bothersome mystery. Thinking back to their most recent encounter, the child could recall only their usual warmth. In fact, Nerian had seemed especially pleased in the days leading up to that now seemingly fateful meeting. Out of ignorance Chrysanthemum had not questioned why, assuming that it had something to do with a particular flower coming into bloom, or something of that nature. In retrospect though, she hated herself for not being more concerned with the exact cause of her nurse's sudden happiness.

Squinting at the sun when it began to bother her face, the young woman became resolved with a grimace. She would no doubt have to explain her own most recent spell of absence, but it was little charge for assuring Nerian's whereabouts. Pointing her nose towards the high noon sun she called for her through tones of childish longing.