Blacktail Deer Plateau beware the storm that gathers here

Easy was afraid. Underneath the nonchalant face she put on for her father and brother-in-law, she was sick with anxiety. She'd never been away from her father for very long. Even when he'd had to leave sometimes, she'd been able to go with him. This would be different. She'd be on her own, and while Dawn and Aditya were there and she knew they would protect her, Easy knew in a bone-deep way that no one would ever fight for her the way her father would.

But that was fine. They would stick together, and everyone would be safe.

"I will, Da," she said solemnly, enduring his hug with the sort of irrritable tolerance her age group was known for. She was sad that Burr had left them, and upset by all the illness and injuries that surrounded her on the plateau. Now Sunny and Lavender were sick as well, and she just couldn't take life on the plateau any longer. It was time to get out of town.