Chimera Fields apollonius

she looks at Karst for a long moment, then says, flatly, no. her answer is more nuanced than she could ever express; it is only Aventus that prevents her from returning. should he somehow be absent from the territory, next time she stumbles across it. . . 

but how can she say so? she barely has the single word she's offered.

instead, Avicus begins to lave the blood and dirt from her paws, cleaning the flesh between each toe. no more than a flicker of attention is given to the boy, now, immersed as she is in grooming.

time enough to regard him—especially if they are now in this together.