Broken Antler Fen From high hopes to the ground

more voices lifted into their small circle, though it was wraen's arcturus lingered longest upon. it was not so much what she said, but was left unspoken -- was she disappointed?

his gaze slid to lilitu, tended then by maia. a brave girl, thought arcturus. he waited then for the question that lingered in the air. who would serve on the council?

he could not help the way his gaze pulled back to wraen. subtly. expectantly. to him, she was the textbook example of a leader -- the rest he did not doubt, but it was her he knew best.

teya's surprising nomination had the mountaineer turn his attention subtly upon her. he did not know her, but he was no judge of his peers -- and in his mind, it was better her than him. his love for leadership had died back at the spear.