Greatwater Lake Sawyer, you're going out a youngster

Wildfire had stuck close to the rendezvous site lately to help look after her dad, though occasionally it became a bit much and she found herself wanting to get away from the situation for a while. As she currently loped away from the caldera, she told herself that it was good that he was back on his feet now. Surely he would adapt to his partial blindness and everything would be fine. She took a deep breath, then tried to push these thoughts to the back of her mind for now. She felt sort of bad but she knew that everyone was so busy taking care of Peregrine that they probably wouldn't even notice her absence. That was good, at least, seeing as she technically still wasn't supposed to leave the caldera.

When her thoughts continued to plague her despite her best efforts to clear her mind, Wildfire tried to escape them by bursting into a gallop. Maybe she could outrun her problems. She somehow managed to avoid tripping or stumbling as she hurtled across Meadowlark Prairie, the long summer grasses brushing her underside. She scented a wolf pack to the east of her location and began to sheer more toward the north. She knew that going too far in that direction would prove dangerous, so she didn't plan on going far. She would run until she ran out of breath, then turn and walk home.

Something else stole her breath before the run could rob her of it. Wildfire pressed her heels into the earth as a lake appeared in the distance. She glanced to her left, amber eyes wandering over a pretty meadow, then looked ahead again. The distant waters called to her. She continued, loping more slowly now. Although the lake was her destination, the mountains just beyond it drew her eye as well. Wildfire wasn't exactly sure where she was, though she admired her surroundings as she cantered along. It was really beautiful here.