Dragoncrest Cliffs But I’m still tired of sleeping with the light on

The noise that escaped him made her single functional ear twitch. It was followed by a breathy apology. Her gentle smile remained in place as her amber eyes roved back and forth between his, almost searchingly.

It’s okay, Meerkat said, letting the last vestiges of bitterness carry away on the salty summer breeze.

She said nothing else for a long moment, reflecting briefly on everything she could tell him about her own life. But Meerkat truly wanted to hear about his, hoping a third gentle nudge would get him talking.

You look like you’ve been to hell and back, she said, her smile going a little lopsided.

She hoped that wasn’t the case, though Meerkat figured it was was only par for the course. She was having a streak of good fortune lately but she knew that life sure liked to throw its wrenches. Bronco had probably seen his fair share during their time apart.

Tell me about it.