Verdant Basin he speaks of the sickening longing, the unwell emotion.

my 'ma always sayin', always say whatcha mean, even if it bites ya in yer ass later! she let out a chortle after that, high-stepping among the grass and mud to parry with him. shoulder-to-shoulder, teeth against him in a grabby, possessive game of wrestling.

that wasn't the entire truth; mags hadn't known her mother that well, but she'd learned plenty back home. didn't matter who had said it, only that it had been said.

c'mon vee, we gots the whole wilderness ta ourselves. she let out a hoot, a holler, a howling bray and cantered about like an idiot, coming back full-circle to his other side. coulda made a home if'n ya want. right here.