Noctisardor Bypass einweichen

Wylla dozed, stepping gently in the realm of in-between, of half-formed dreams and muzzy contemplations. The wires crossed more often than not, so she couldn't untangle whether her thoughts about Thade in the wild were real, or the dream that he had come home. They always seemed to miss one another, mother and son, one always present whenever the other was away. She never thought of him with disappointment, though Wylla felt certain the reverse was not true.

The low chug of Mahler's voice lifted her from the threshold of dreams back to full wakefulness. She lifted her head, blinked blearily, then curled her tongue in a wide yawn before finding her paws and stumping out into the sunlight. Her shoulder protested every movement, stiff and sore, but at least she was able to walk a little ways. Soon she would be able to get around the valley proper.

She didn't know if she would bother to do so. It was easy to pretend they did not exist. Much harder to face them. At least here, in this cave, she could tell herself she was living the life she'd wanted to lead, and not a life where her interests perpetually seemed to come second to whatever else was happening.

Wylla said nothing as she poked her head from the ferns, only regarded Mahler with something like warmth and came to stand dimunitive before him, where she gathered her assumptions about her: he must want to take a stroll to test her leg, or wanted to examine it in the light, apply another cooling poultice.