Cosette had never been on her own before, not really. She’d always been surrounded by her sisters, and her mother especially had always been hovering nearby. For the first time in her life, she was realizing how big, and intimidating, the world really was. She wasn’t afraid, exactly, but uncomfortable at the very least. She was not built to be a solitary creature. She craved company, even if that company was less than kind to her. She found she even missed the boy who used to pick on her. Even when she came home with cuts and scrapes because of him, she was glad for the attention her cousin would give her afterwards when tending to the wounds. The healers gentle touch had always been so soothing, even when the herbs she used stung. Now, out in the vast world with no one to return home to, she felt like the cold of winter was that much colder.
This place was especially unpleasant, the ground wet and soggy and the tell-tale signs of predators that could be lying in wait. Her mother wasn’t there to swoop to her rescue anymore if she got caught in a prickly situation, and while she had always felt embarrassed when the woman scolded her for being so careless afterwards, she still missed the older woman's harsh voice. Her tail swished at her hips as she saw someone ahead, and she changed her course to head in his direction. She was unsure if he would be friendly or not, but she was desperate enough that she was willing to take her chances. Anything had to be better than being lost on her own at this point.
"Excuse me?" She called out softly, hoping he would be able to point her in the direction of a place that wasn’t so dreadful.
"Do you know what this place is? Or where I might find a more suitable place to rest?" She wasn’t tired at the moment, but eventually she would be, and she did not want to find herself stranded here when she decided to take a break.
"Speech."
