Dahozhoni Meadow I can feel it gettin' near

it had taken some convincing, but verapaz's resident recluse had agreed: they would watch the den while soto prowled after leto.

he imagined she was den-crazy, cooped up. he recalls marciela feeling the same, lamenting the freedom of their pre-child life. soto spent evenings wrapped around their daughter as marciela took to the woods. many nights, she returned empty handed -- but soto never faulted her for this, and believed that the excursion itself was as important as a full belly.

but leto was not marciela, and he worries as he trails after her. her gait was aimless, the pattern of her tracks inconsistent. he lopes after her with his good eye scanning for the telltale signs of her pale figure.