Dear sweet child [Atka]

The woman told her she could keep the bird, and what was in Atka's eyes an abrupt change of mind left the girl blinking. If she didn't want the bird, why had she knocked Atka over? For a long moment, purple gaze and blue silently evaluated the other before a declaration was made. "You're coming with me." She was? "I've been looking for someone like you for awhile now." She had been?

Atka was silent and unmoving for a long moment as she weighed her options, none of which looked good. The woman wanted her to go with her... to where? For how long? For what? Looking for someone like Atka why? But she had it long ingrained to listen to adults when they told her what to do even if she didn't like what they wanted her to do. She was still considering what to do as she carefully and cautiously pulled herself back to her feet, but she really only had one option.

So, though she wanted very much to just pick up the bird and continue on the path home, she dipped her head docilely in compliance. "Yes ma'am." She picked up the partridge and, after a single measuring glance toward home and an internal sigh, stood turned her neutrally expectant gaze toward the adult. What now?

""