Ruined

Zee only smiled in response to her thanks, feeling the woman's paw upon her own and her chest clenching at the touch. How could she have ever resented Io for Sirius' affection? It was easy to see why he took to her so rapidly and uncharacteristically. She was left without words for a moment, and watched as the small woman moved to sit in the sunlight to dry. Zee moved to lay beside her, her own legs wet from the stream and needing to dry. The subject of Deathbelle came up, and the warm happy feeling within the new queen dimmed as anxiety gripped her. "I haven't." She admitted, staring down at her paws. "Why, is she alright?" It was true she'd been slightly avoiding the empress, unable to come to terms with the request she'd made and how it would change their relationship. She knew little of Io's relationship to the woman, and didn't know whether she was asking out of concern for a friend or concern as a healer.