Otter Creek remain until the end

not at all!

Mou had returned to the woods, especially during the day, and so she did the same. If they were to live in the forest once more, the borders must be bolstered again. The downed trees and general wreckage made her uneasy, though, and she found herself looking out much more than she looked in, as she walked along the edge of the territory.

It was nearing nightfall when she crossed the trickle of creek that led into the forest and paused, noticing a shadow upstream. The water was healthier there, flowing better, uninterrupted by fallen objects. She padded along the bank to find a tiny dark woman at rest—Coelacanth?

No, but quite like. It made her more willing to trust the stranger, and Maegi approached her, tail flagging. You looked like someone I know, she remarked, striving for a casualness she'd lost in the wake of so much grief. The words still were stilted—but they came easier, at least.