Duck Lake deset

suliya moved along the lake’s edge, her gaze drawn to the soft shimmer of moonlight playing on the water. the night was unusually quiet, save for the distant breath of the herd and the gentle ripple of the cold surface. she had seen ice diver earlier—her towering frame unmistakable even amidst the vast expanse of this land—but had not crossed paths directly.

now, with the air thick with chill and solitude settling in, she thought of her. her lips twitched into a small smile as she glanced across the reflected light, speaking low as though ice diver might already be near.

how did you end up here, ice diver? she called, voice soft but carrying.

suliya's greyed eyes flicked toward the figures resting in the moonlit distance, then back to the water lapping at her toes. she had no need to fill the space beyond those words. ice diver, she thought, would answer when she was ready, and suliya would listen.