Dragoncrest Cliffs Arowana

quennell had not grappled grief before.

in fact, last time things had become so sad, he had gone down the coast. a wordless adventure wandering and when he had come home things had seemed so much better.

he couldn't do that here.

not like swordfish just had, not like he himself had once before.

his own gaze stung some. he felt all the welling of a million sorries on the tip of his tongue, but he could not speak any of them. not yet. she talked about requiem coming back and quennell wondered all at once if the sea was swallowing him whole. the guilt felt like it. he had no control of the situation, the sadness, the hope he had crushed much like the bird had been.

we din' know, suzu... and they hadn't. just a couple of boys, hunting what they thought the sea had given them. only suzu had given it to them by virtue of kindness. kindness that they had taken advantage of without even knowing.

we can...we can do whatcha want wit' 'im. maybe de meadow? or-or keep 'im — he didn't realize that he sniffled now. nearer de sea.