Swiftcurrent Creek sparking up my heart

He didn't reprimand her, but the silence was almost worse. It wasn't as though he could sweep her little field trip under the rug, and his eyes offered her no clue as to the extent of the work she would need to put in to regain his trust.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"No," Bazi answered, misunderstanding his question. "Tuwawi.. Tuwawi is gone. The Glacier had a problem with lynxes, and only Njal and Maera remain. The cats made of with Larus, Val is nowhere to be found, or Jökull.. it's a huge mess. Nothing like the idyllic family pack I had imagined..." She trailed off, eyes widening as realization came upon her. He hadn't meant literally. Flustered, the girl began again, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "I just wanted advice. Tuwawi, Danica, and Paarthurnax were all just gone, and I hadn't planned to be gone for more than a quarter moon's turn.. I ran there, and I was going to run back.. but I fell."

That was that, really. Heeding Kaskara's advice, Bazi left out that she had considered fleeing outright. The feeling had lasted for all but a split second, and as soon as she was beyond Swiftcurrent borders, all she had wanted to do as turn back. "I suppose I found what I was looking for in that pit, though," she mumbled. "I regret leaving. Even if I was only intending to be gone for a little while. Please believe that."