Heron Lake Plateau This town is colder now, I think it's sick of us

Eljay swallowed thickly, not sure how to deal with this news. It was like malfunction in his brain, where he just kept trying to find a good solution to all of this but couldn't. He didn't realise at all that this might be an easy way out from underneath Towhee's scrutinising gaze or a ticket out from the Plateau -- all he could think of in that moment was Wiffle is leaving! Every time he swallowed again his head just seemed to be getting heavier and his world smaller, less headspace to fill with useful thoughts, more panicky alarm bells going off in his head.

As Wiffle said 'we'll be neighbours' Eljay noisily choked back a sob. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, he kept telling himself while he responded as nonchalantly as he could with "uh huh". Then Wiffle said that she still planned to visit the Caldera 'in the spring', which seemed to indicate that she was leaving... what, now? Eljay wanted to drag her to the Caldera to visit it right then so he could get away from the plateau and away from everything else that surrounded all of this right now.

He wanted to say something smart or something casual or something... Anything but having a panic attack. "When—" did he ask before he had to choke back another sob. Oh god and Raven was still right there, too. He'd wanted to ask 'When are you leaving' just all casual-like, but he got stuck not even halfway.