Redhawk Caldera The Mountain

"I risk sounding very inconsistent," Dwin admitted, resting her head against Maia's fluffy shoulder, not yet willing to let go of that embrace. She would not haev tolerated this from anyone else, but mom to her still was the most important and favorite person in the world. "But... I like it here as well. I have spent nearly all my life here and I have grown attached to the place and, while I know that going out in the world will be the best thing for me, I am also... you... I feel... leaving would feel as if I am abandoning a good old friend," she exhaled, then retreated to meet Maia's gaze briefly. 

"I... kind of want to be here, stay here, if many things were different. But then - if they were, it would no longer be here," she chuckled at her lack of talent, when it came to expressing intricate thoughts in words. "Maybe... yes... a lot can change. Maybe I will change my mind too. Who knows..." she agreed thoughtfully. "You know... I think that the greatest regret is that dad will be sad," she referred to Eljay's unwillingness to let any of the kids go."And my fear is that I... he will... you know..." she was not a superstitious person, but saying "he will die", felt as if it would invite the inevitable much sooner than necessary. 

"I would not want to think that our goodbyes now would turn out to be the final ones," she said with a sigh.