Sweet Relief, Summer Heat

Summer sunlight beat down on Karabela's dark pelt as she wandered once again from her packlands. She still felt sick after finding Nah's battered body. She'd been taken with how similar and yet how different it had been from the bodies of her family members, shredded by the bear. The bloody wounds set in their own unique patterns. Raba stopped and shook her head but the images wouldn't leave.

Karabela… are you happy?"

The question rang out again. The question her mother had asked her in Somnium. No. She supposed she wasn't and hadn't been in awhile. She'd put on her usual mask of amiable assertiveness, sprinkled herself with her carefree zeal and paraded around as if there hadn't been a growing doubt inside her.

The road before you will be full of twists and turns…

Yea, no kidding. Karabela scowled but the scowl softened.

but never doubt that I am proud of you.

Even if she failed? Would Dægmar really still be proud of her? Karabela sighed and groaned as she glared up at the sky. This heat was unbearable! She took a turn and headed for the Firefly Lake she'd heard so much about and she didn't care if there were a billion mosquitos she was going to cool off it was the last thing she ever did! As soon as the waterline was in view Karabela was off like a shot, bounding and with a final leap, landing with a giant splash in the water. Ahhh….so much better. She turned around and blinked in surprise to see a lovely blue wolf staring back at her. "Oh! Goodness, I uh… I'm so sorry. Are you the spirit of this lake? I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Speech"