Willows

The night drew on, and he dozed contentedly for an hour or so, drifting in and out of awareness, ears swiveling and flicking, twitching at small sounds here and there. The fire died down to hot coals, and he rose to his paws with a stretch, moving to turn the racks before he gently added logs onto the coals and bending to blow on the coals until the wood caught.

He moved lightly, not wanting to disturb the girl as he returned to his spot and wriggled around before stretching out with a long sigh, watching Lia for several moments before his eyes slid shut again, unaware of her earlier thoughts. He hadn’t known anything he’d said was close enough to the truth for her to wonder about him. True, he was under the assumption that whatever had happened to bring her to the Armada had not been good event.

He could take small guesses from what she’d given. She hadn’t said anything about her mother or aunt in the present tense, particularly her mother. So, death was possibly involved. Had he known the whole story, he’d have been strongly reminded of the tale of Erani, one Aurielle and Regulus both told him.

His legs stretched with a shudder, toes stretching widely apart before he went limp. What sorties would be told of him when he was gone, he idly wondered. He hoped they would be favorable, that any children he had would be as proud of his memory as he was of his great grandfather’s.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think