Bearclaw Valley and i hit the ground running

she'd accepted his offer and worked beside him in silence, but not once did she ever truly look upon him. she found her gaze drifting to his paws as he worked, but that was as much of him she stole before pulling herself back to her own work.

gentle nudges were given to each of the gathered trinkets as she continued to organized them. words left his mouth, but all she ushered forth were quite mumbles of "mhmm," to keep the conversation going. what was she supposed to say? what if she said the wrong thing? better then to say nothing at all.

but he had to go and ask the question, didn't he? she paused, a heavy stare burning a hole into the ground beneath her as she went over all she'd felt these past few weeks. but when she finally brought herself to look him in the eye, to truly acknowledge him, the only words that left her mouth were lies.

"i've been good," she said, because she would not, could not, bring herself to share her burdens with him anymore. "and you?" she asked, if only because it seemed polite to do so.