Redhawk Caldera i can tell you how the story goes

Looking for a @Bridget!

Things felt weird. Reyes was still gone. She felt like she was the only one affected by it.

Sorana departed the rendezvous early in the morning to go hunting around the borderlands. After several failures, she managed to secure a squirrel, which she carried back by its tail. At first she felt proud of her catch, but the closer she got to home, the more a little voice in her head said it wasn't a very good one. She had torn the pelt with her teeth in her eagerness. The squirrel's head was a bloody pulp.

Ultimately, the voice beat down her pride, sending Sora careening in another direction. Suddenly, she didn't want anyone to see what a mess she'd made of the squirrel. Her steps grew furtive as she made her way up toward the lake, intent on throwing it away.

Bridget still carried the guilt of her conversation with Teya, but she tried not to make things complicated. Everything was hard enough as it was - she in no way needed to add to it. Her search for Reyes had died off a bit after she'd scoured most of the surrounding wilds and found no trace of him. There were things here that needed her attention more and, at this point, there was little doubt in her mind. If he came back it would be because he somehow found a way to - just as she'd done. Maybe someday there would be word.

Sorana was easier than Teya, and Bridget tried to spend time with the girl when she could. Something that would take priority now that she was no longer leaving the territory near daily.

Sorana! Hey! Something was up. Bridget had spotted her running, but there was no one else around, and she seemed to be running with a purpose vs for the joy of it. Her first instinct was that something spooked her and, if that was the case, Bridget intended to let her know she had backup here.

There was no way she'd catch up, but she still followed at an easier pace.

When she heard her name, a clawing sensation ran up her throat and came out in a quiet squeak. She flung back her ears and curled her tail toward her body, turning before she could catch herself and school her reaction. It was all she could do not to hurl the squirrel into the nearby undergrowth. The only thing stopping her was knowing that Bridget had definitely seen it, so flinging it now wouldn't go unremarked.

She dropped it instead, attempting to shuffle it between her paws where her sort-of-aunt wouldn't see the mess she'd made of it. Oh, um, hi Bridget! she said breathlessly, flashing a smile that was a little too dazzling to be real. Sora wasn't half so clever as she thought she was; everything about her screamed nervous energy despite how casual she felt she was being. What's uuup?

Well, something was certainly off. Bridget hadn't pressed about the Reyes situation because she didn't want to go in heavy-handedly for Sorana or Teya. But Sorana was at an age where this kind of thing hit, and despite Bridget knowing she'd turn out great with time, that didn't mean she wasn't slightly worried. Outwardly she wouldn't give a hint of it.

I wanted to see if you were busy. she replied easily, smiling. I've got to go restock on some things and could use a second set of eyes. And a second carrier. Even my big mouth might take a couple trips for this. She winked, then paused to see what Sorana would make of that.

Her first instinct had been to ask what was wrong, but she was easily sensing now that the girl was hiding beneath the smile and the front. It might take a minute for her to calm down enough to talk about it and that was time she could easily give on a walk and gather trip. Now she just had to come up with something she might be 'short' on.