Noctisardor Bypass broken pieces

Vaguely in the distance Laurel heard voices; she didn't pay them attention at first, not really wanting to draw attention to herself. She didn't want anyone to see how hideous she looked now with the recent wounds still marring her face. Still, she knew she couldn't hide forever.

Vaguely Laurel registered Sequoia calling out her name. A single ear flicked in the direction of mother and child at first, and only when Sequoia approached and asked her how she'd been did Laurel turn her head towards Sequoia. The wounds that Merrick's daughter had left behind were no longer fresh, but they were in the ugly scabbing phase. A few weeks from now they would probably look a whole lot better; half a year from now, most of them would be gone, hidden by her pelt.

The question was not one easily answered. All she could do was put on a smile and say, Oh, fine, even though it was clear from more than just her wounds — her general body language, the twitch of her lips when she said 'fine' — that that wasn't precisely the whole truth. Laurel glanced at the child, though for now didn't acknowledge her yet.