Sun Mote Copse Today's the first day of the rest of your life

arcturus had never understood an out-of-body experience so cleanly, as he had the night they walked from the spear. what came after -- what was said, and what was done -- was all a meshed blur.

he found he could not sleep that night, and kept replaying it all over and over. his first interactions with ying. his earliest memories of hydra. his father's, mother's faces. revui. over and over, until the lamplight glare of the moon dimmed and mealy rays of sunrise shone through the den.

he shook his fur and stood. if his mind would not let him rest, he would roam until his mind at last begged for respite. finding the borders was easy, and it was then he started to trace the unfamiliar terrain, missing terribly how familiar the pathways of his home had been.

hearing the tread of another, arcturus slowed and turned to investigate. finding wraen alone on the trail, it was all arcturus could do to keep from blurting how sorry he was for all of it. he thought maybe she looked tired, or simply worn out -- swallowing a nettling sting of regret, arcturus waved his tail. "wraen."