Hushed Willows I crumble underneath the weight

She kept to the outer edges of the cave system. It reminded her too much of Broken Boulder, of the sickness, that foul piss-stench, Eris. . . It was too much. If she needed to suddenly escape the demons of her past, she needed the quickest route possible. And it seemed, as she saw the shape flit by as she lay half-sleeping, that others felt the same way.

Lily followed at a distance, chuffing and breaking into a slow trot as the newcomer came to a halt. Hallo, she said, once she was close enough to be heard. I don't think we've met, yet. I'm Lily. She watched the girl in contemplative fashion, not yet noticing the tears brimming in her gaze. Can't sleep? she asked gently.