Jade Fern Grove You assume I'm fine, but what would you do if I

mahler scarcely comprehended her words at first, so struck he slowly became by a trembling awareness of something stirring between he and wylla. and it was not the unsaid words that beat upon the back of his tongue; he had moved closer in his plea and now stood stiff-legged and marvelling.
their yearlings were surely leaping about in some snowy recess or another.
mahler pulled the sound of her voice back into his mind. "you are not here for me. that does not mean each time you come to see them ve must fight, vylla."
— the sound of her name held between tonguetip and tooth a moment too long.
mahler drew away, straightened, tried to will away the compelling softness that seemed to suddenly limn each one of her features. "please come and go of your own accord. the others vill be informed. it is ah," faltering, cursing himself, "better, perhaps."
she did not wish to see him, had threatened him only minutes before — he would remove himself and in his mind, give her the respect of an unimpeded causeway.