Noctisardor Bypass bittersweet

Laurel had tucked herself away from @Mahler in recent days, for he was a reminder that she would never matter more than everyone else to him; and she longed to matter more than anything to someone again so much. It was hard to avoid him, for he cared and worried much. It was bittersweet, the way she saw that he cared. A glimpse into when she had just met him, and she had thought that maybe a life of peace was possible; she hadn't thought of love, then. It was only since the heat had clouded their heads both that Laurel's heart had grown so conflicted. She longed back to the time when she had just come to Rivenwood.

When she still had hope.

Laurel was on her way to take a drink at Birdsong Lagoon when she felt the sudden twinges of pain. She recognised them right away, being a third time mother, and instantly she turned away from the lake again to head back to her hidden den. It was too late, though; she lay on the ground in the open fields east of the rendezvous site and her ears pinned back in pain as she started to go into labour.

---

After a few hours in which no one happened upon her, there were two children -- One was a dark blob, unremarkable in every way; @Abel Redleaf . Laurel's eyes lit up as she lay eyes on @Indra III ; a little ginger blob at this time, no more. But she knew it, she felt it in her heart. It was her Indra. She was back.

She would be loved unconditionally again.

And perhaps, with that, Laurel could learn to love others again, too.

A fresh summer breeze accompanied Laurel as she started to lick clean Indra (and later Abel) to place them at her side, while she presumed Mahler would not be long in being by her side to help bring them someplace more sheltered.