Qeya River c is for clara who wasted away

In another time, Gideon would have listened to Ezra with rapt attention and a smidgeon of envy for the things his brother had seen and done. Well, the bit about being harassed in the mountains left little to be desired, but a Great Hunt! Hundreds of wolves! It was grandiose in his imagining, and overshadowed entirely by the news that mom wasn't coming.

Gideon was slow to process it, his brain churning over the details while his emotions played across his brow. Finally, it scrunched and he said, what? But if she's sick, she needs us! Even as he said it, he knew the answer would be no. This was not what mom wanted, and even if Anselm would heed her, Ezra would never have left her behind if it wasn't true. Knowing it did nothing to stop the bargaining Gideon fell into.

We can go get her, he said with a frantic edge, the slow deflating of his ears til they hung listlessly, and bring her here, and if she's sick, she can just... Stay away from everyone until she feels better! There's lots of food here! Sun Eater made sure of that. She'll get better if she's here. I'm learning to make medicines, I can try to cure her. She'll get better. She... She has to.