waylaid

The boy introduced himself as Clovis and he fell quiet, deep n thought. Birna remained stoic but already she knew that was not a good sign. If he had to think about it then it had definitely been more than a few days and most good mothers would not leave a child alone for such a long time unless something had happened to them. Despite her composure when he stuttered out fifteen or twenty days she winced, her breath hissing out. Knowing it would not go unnoticed she swiftly apologized. "I'm sorry. That is a long time for a mother to be from her child unless something has happened."

Birna turned to her raven. "Guelder, be swift. See what you can find of this boys mother." The raven nodded and took to the air. She felt no need to give the raven more instruction. After all, the boy was such a unique creature it was unlikely the raven would misidentify the woman, alive or dead. And after learning what she now knew Birna feared it was the later. In some morbid way it might make it easier for Guelder to find her. He was a carrion bird after all.

Clovis explained he was instructed to stay in the mouth of the cave so that predators couldn't smell him. Spirits… what was she going to do? It occurred to her that if they could not find the boy's mother, especially if they could not find her alive, then Birna would need to take him with her. She could not in good conscious leave him to die. Birna had no plans to be a mother and a rush of nerves started to knot in her stomach. She quickly focused her mind away from them and into the present moment. "If it has been that long I imagine you're quite hungry? I have some dried elk meat with me you are more than welcome to it."

As the boy asked about the raven, Birna's head tilted first one way then another. "It is hard to say but I think so. Guelder is very keen. There is little that escapes his sight and smell when he is scouting."

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