Whitebark Stream She feels no control of her body She feels no safety in my arms

Slowly her ears slid back on her skull as she released the held breath shakily, knowing for sure that something was wrong when the man avoided her gaze at first. Lainie no longer wanted to be at the borders, she no longer wanted to know whatever the man was about to say. Before she could say anything about it warm brown eyed met hers and the man delivered the news. At first she didn't believe the man, thinking it some sort of sick joke "No that's not...he was perfectly healthy" she said shaking her head eyes widening as she looked behind him calling out to her father desperately. Falling silent there was no response and stubbornly she stared into the man's eyes sure that she'd hear the sound of her father's voice calling back to her to assure her he was safe. Instead she was met with birdsong and the wind blowing through the trees, her eyes filled with tears and she choked on a cry swallowing it down as fast as she could. Gritting her teeth and sniffling hard to suck everything back in she looked back toward Artyom with eyes that did nothing to hide her pain like she tried to.  "He has kids with someone named Grezig. Would you give them all my condolences?" she asked her voice tight with the effort it took to contain the scream she wanted to release. Papa was all she had...his strong embrace was the safest place on earth and now she would never feel it again. It seemed too sudden to be real, it was only a few weeks since she had reunited with him.