Northstar Vale acacia leaf

Discussing his leaving Aquene had done nothing to prepare him for the reality of actually leaving her back at the canyon. She needed his support now more than ever. And he carried a heavy knot of guilt in his stomach over how he was not there to take care of her. 

So needless to say, he was grumpy and quiet. This was important for their future here, and he would do what needed to be done, but that didn't mean he had to be sociable. The soldier had taken to patrolling around the group as they traveled; it gave him a distraction because he took their safety seriously, but it also gave him a way to avoid the others. 

When they finally reached the valley, its beauty was tainted by the knowledge that she wasn't here to see it with him. But he didn't want to mope. Sulking was more his style, anyway. 

They had only just arrived when Kallik turned to the group. I am going to get to work mapping out the territory and setting the borders, he told them; it was the most he had said at once the whole trip. 

He turned and trotted off.