a moment's breath

Avantika was at the festival. With Audra. While it was a bit nerve-wracking to leave the safety and vulnerability -- how it could be both at the same time was beyond her, but it was nonetheless -- of the Hallows territory, she couldn't bring herself to argue with Audra about it too much. She had her pack duties, but she also had a duty as a girlfriend. The Hallows had plenty of other wolves who could hold down the fort for a day. It would be all okay. She hoped. But she felt more and more dread begin to pool in a heavy weight in her stomach as every second passed.

She tried to force down the nerves, or at least hide them for Audra's sake, but her smile felt more and more fake as the seconds crawled by. How could she leave? Who knew what could happen while she was gone? Calm, she told herself. Breathe. But then, it would be just like the world for an attack to come the second she was away. Looking into Audra's eyes didn't help matters. One beautiful golden eye remained, but the other had been blackened and rendered useless by a force that Avantika couldn't stop. She didn't look at Audra's eyes much anymore. She hoped she didn't notice. "I don't know." To be honest, she couldn't concentrate much on looking around at the moment. Her mind was still home, worrying over her pack like a helicopter parent. She felt sick. "You decide."

"Speech"