Stavanger Bay [m] Be our guest

He doesn’t think he would be surprised, though of course he keeps that thought to himself. Bushtit enjoys Kirain’s bright outlook on life and hopes he can hold onto something like it. He hasn’t experienced much hardship, though he knows it’s only a matter of time. His mother’s death will probably be his first test, though he doesn’t want to think about that right now.

I mean, he counters as they walk into the woods, I definitely want to stand beside one of these things and…

His voice trails off as he comes to the foot of a sequoia and stops, head craning at a nearly 90° angle as his gaze travels up its enormous trunk. Bushtit just stands there and marvels in silence for a minute or two. Most trees are a lot larger than him, of course, but this one just blows his mind.

He realizes he never finished his sentence and drops his head to say, I came here for the company too. I was hoping to see Solenya but you’re not a bad consolation prize. Bushtit winks. Is it just the two of you living here or are there others?