Neverwinter Forest kiiksiugun ⊎

She had not gone into the water.

She could not brave the lake and she feared asking someone else to go within. Callyope had become undone in the time it took between Panuk leaving and her mother's call. Her nights were spent sleepless and hoping that White @Elk would not mind if she stayed near. He wanted to court her, but they were not yet married.

She thought of how he had only just seen her sister.

They had yet to take the news to her mother but she could not declare it when once more tragedy slung along their shoulders. Yet Callyope carried ramskin along her shoulders too. It was not meant to be a flaunt, but to bring her comfort. To carry White Elk's presence with her when she had to walk the forests.

Forests that were meant to be her sister's.

A sister who still had not returned — nor had the pale hunter.

The Nuiruk daughter looked as if she had not slept in the two nights when she arrived.

It was hard enough to look at her mother knowing what the boy had sent word of. It was near world shattering to have to face her father too. She had tried to reason with herself, to say that perhaps the boy meant a...prank! Only he seemed too kind to joke about such a thing unprompted. She also struggled with some sense of self importance — why would her sister leave with the hunter but not tell her? Even if she asked her to keep it a secret!

She found she had no words she could say to anyone present.

A tired, weary and thin-lipped smile was the only thing she could provide those who gathered.