Sunset Valley yeah. i couldn't either.

he only listened for a long while.

there were a million fears tucked closely to his heart. the fear that going home meant bringing the spirit of shardik there to their family. the fear that they wouldn't even make it home. the fear that if they did make it home, they'd all see how foolish it had been for quennell to spearhead much of anything — which was selfish. that much he knew.

he wanted to go home too.

he wanted to know that they'd be okay, that sapphique was okay and that shardik's spirit did not terrorize them now too.

'm sorry, s'ord. he mumbled through the hushing of his cries. he tried to roll, to be closer to the boy he called friend. brother, practically. only to feel the pain singe up his spine.

the walk home him might kill him if the bear did not come back to finish it up.

we be makin' it. promise.

he just did not know when he would find that energy to move from their dented places upon the earth. he did not know if swordfish would even be capable of moving himself either. maybe they should call, yet he feared the bear would hear that too.

he had also herded them far from sapphique for safety of home — and now he felt dumb for that decision too.

on t'ree?

if swordfish was not already asleep, for quen felt the gentle pull of it too.