Wheeling Gull Isle Sip your wine you drink with fools

Now he was broken. But once he spotted Hua, he veered over to meet her -- and though she might have been tired, he was a ball of exhausted anxiety, practically trying to glue himself to her side, licking at her jaw, whining. She wouldn't leave, right? She couldn't. No, no. He was desperate. He couldn't lose anyone else. He was terrified of it -- which probably did make him annoying and clingy. But Aibreann was gone. He'd always done what she asked and she was just gone without a word. Without a reason. Something had to have gone wrong. If she had decided the island wasn't safe because of Cam's death, shouldn't she have said something? Insisted on bringing the children? And Mal himself?

But Hua was here. He was supposed to be here to help her -- or so he'd been saying to everyone -- but here she was trying to help him instead. It wasn't what was supposed to be happening, but he wasn't sure how to flip the tables, let alone how to show his appreciation right now. What could he have done differently? On both fronts... 

His voice was rough, somewhat whispered, A little. She didn't say anything was wrong. I thought maybe she was looking for herbs. That had seemed more normal. It wasn't like they had infants to watch over. It was good to not be sulking, too. This was supposed to be safe, I don't know where she went. But please, don't go too.