Firefly Glen And what once was a world is a star

The cool press of his nose made Meerkat look at him, their eyes connecting briefly before she pressed closer, hiding her face between Bronco's neck and shoulder. They held onto one another for a while, until his grizzled chin brushed the furs on top of her head and he suggested they find somewhere to rest.

"Wait," she whispered, wishing with all her might she didn't have to do this. But they needed to know. "It wasn't just Toad and Desdemona. There were others killed, after I left." She took a shaky breath. "Osiris. Leta. Some others, from Easthollow."

She looked down at her feet, gathering strength for the final bit of bad news. When Meerkat raised her gaze again, it was wet. "And..." Even though Atlas wasn't dead, this part turned out to be the hardest for her to say. "I fucked up." She was pretty sure she'd never said "fuck" before, yet there was no other way to convey the gravity of the situation.