Noctisardor Bypass rokshawa

Druid tried to think of any fitting boys’ names she might know. Few were the masculine presences in her life, though naturally she thought of Mahler first and foremost. Would he want a—what sort of creature was it, anyway? A squirrel, perhaps?—named for him?

The critter drank at Skaigona’s urging, earning a wave of Druid’s tail. She continued to ponder the name. Her sister seemed convinced that christening him might help him survive. She licked her lips, giving the responsibility the gravity it deserved. She just hoped she could do right by Skaigona and…

Cleetus. It came out of nowhere and resembled no one’s moniker she knew. It wasn’t the name of an animal, flower or anything else she recognized, either. Druid didn’t know where it came from, just that it popped into her head with clarity and certainty.

Would you like to eat a fish, Cleetus? Druid wondered, venturing closer to the edge of the water to peer into the depths, looking for any sign of movement.

There was none that she could see, though the stone beneath her paw shifted slightly beneath her weight. Druid scooted back a little to appraise it, noting that it was partly underwater. A mixture of curiosity and instinct compelled her to push against it, shoving it deeper into the water and momentarily clouding the shallows.

Something darted out of the murk! Without really thinking about what she was doing, Druid thrust her snout into the water in the hopes of snatching whatever it was.