Noctisardor Bypass bittersweet

Mahler took Abel without question, and Laurel took little Indra III in her mouth. They walked in silence to the western edges of Dawnleaf, where Laurel moved to the den that she had created for herself there. Just a dirt den in the middle of the forest, but it was good enough for her little family.

Laurel settled in the den and, after putting Indra attentively at her side, she instructed Mahler to bring Abel to her side as well. Thank you, she said, a little awkwardly — stuck between too formal and cordial and a streak of odd uncharacteristic warmth — and she nodded at Mahler when he said he would return with food in a while. Laurel felt a mixed feeling to her gut, but she pushed it away for now. Once Mahler had left, she could relax better and she sighed as she settled beside her two children. Abel kept screaming, but she knew that he would eventually decide to eat and sleep, and then she too could rest at last.