A Momentary Rest

Even with the uneasy lurch of her gut, Kuwindwa's feelings were settled again when she looked at the boy. His mannerisms were precious - far too innocent and youthful to be out here alone, but also something that ought to be treasured. Such youthfulness did not last forever, in body or mind. It should be protected. Which begged the question: where were his guardians? He smelled of a pack - they could not be far. Even so, for all intents and purposes he was alone and too far from home to be saved from any immediate danger. How lucky he had run into Kuwindwa out here, and not someone who might intend him harm.

Wind pulled her muddied paws closer to her body, the very image of a statue as she observed the boy's behavior. "Am Psalm," he told her simply, then added a question. "You home?"

The woman's head tilted as she tried to understand the half-phrased question. His truncated sentences did nothing to help her understand Psalm more, but as she had before, she merely ran with what she believed he might mean, and in this case she believed he might be asking if she lived here. "Home?" Kuwindwa repeated the question then gave her head a quick shake, her muzzle pointing toward the ground briefly before lifting back to the child in front of her. "No. Far from it," she responded with a gentleness that startled herself. In all honesty, his questioned had stirred a few bitter and uncomfortable thoughts - she'd half-believed she might snap her answer. But she didn't.