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P** art Twelve: "Signs of the Things to Come"**

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For the rest of the fading afternoon and late into the summer night, encouraged by more than interested Ivan, there was plenty discussed aboard the Dynamic between everyone. In order to help Sunbeam help feel a bit better as well as open up about her plight, the Urchinhides spoke of their adventures throughout Felldew which included plenty of wondrous things; seeing the black pillars of stone that gave Onyx Bay its name, visiting the Southern Valleys where the squirrel archers could shoot an apple clean off a branch from anywhere and how the raccoons were borns masters of keeping to the shadows, having had a human friend before Ivan in the past, Veronica, who had been one of the reasons Mistdrop and Hudder had come to love one another.

During all of the talking, Nyrina did her best to add what information she could so as to help the Sunbeam stop from feeling too stressed over her missing little brother. Truth be told, even though having just met her, the Urchinhide daughter felt that she very much liked the young she-mouse. And eventually, later into the nighttime with the family fire glowing bright against the shadows of the woodlands around her, Nyrina as well as Sunbeam were laughing together, joining hands and behaving like they were naught but long lost sisters who had finally found one another.

It was an inspiring sight, seeing Nyrina along with Sunbeam enjoying one another's company as best friends could. Keeping to himself with a small smile on his face, Ivan contently sat by the fire where he admirably watched it all unfold.

You see, at the beginning when he'd had everyone begin speaking about themselves, the Norlinthian had guessed that all of this optimism would be the final outcome of everyone talking like this. For out of all of the medicines in the world, he had learned long ago that talk between friends was the best. And while she spoke, Nyrina had that kind of glorious effect on people, didn't she?

Indeed, even if she didn't know it at the moment, the otter daughter had a gift for brightening someone's day. For where perhaps he'd done so for her up to this point, ever since they'd met by the goddess's good graces, she'd brightened the human's life just as much as he had hers.

Maybe Nyrina saw Ivan as a goddess sent saint. Ivan, in turn, saw Nyrina as a source of strength; one that currently guided the party during the night with all of her laughing, smiling along with more. Truth be told during all of the chatting, as they had gone about comforting Sunbeam that her little brother would be found tomorrow, the otter daughter as well as her human rescuer connected gazes repeatedly. Not once had they felt embarrassed about their staring at one another, mind. Instead, wordlessly, they seemed to understand that they were doing good things together. Yes, they made a rather grand team.

And in turn to staring into each other's eyes, feeling happy, Ivan was always the first to smile a most heart-warming smile from across the fire pit. In turn, feeling full of life despite her injuries, Nyrina was more than happy to return his smile with her radiant own.

During all of the spirited talking between newly made friends, though, there was something that struck the Urchinhide daughter as suddenly odd. Out of everyone present, also, she felt like she was the only one who noticed. For as the night carried on, while in his seat leaning forward with his hands clasped together before him, as he urged others to speak something heartening for everyone else to hear, Ivan... he never took up the role of being story teller.

Rather, he listened to everyone else talk. He especially listened when Veronica was spoken of. He let others do the talking while he, with a somewhat solemn glint in his eyes, looked into the flames dancing before him. But why was that the case? What was the purpose of the human's abrupt silence? Was he so very lost in his thoughts like he appeared to be? What in Felldew was he thinking about at the moment... that made usually cheerful him look unsure?

Surely, after having traveled for eight year across Felldew, Ivan of all people had things to speak of that would entrance Sunbeam with thoughts of adventure, action and wisdom. Yet, while the cheery nature of everyone else continued around him, while the sun set in the west and the moon rose form the east, the Norlinthian didn't say much apart for inquire questions from the mouse maid about her own life.

And as he kept quietly to himself, as he looked somewhat troubled over something only he seemed to know, Nyrina couldn't help but feel worried for Ivan. Why wouldn't she? He had always been there to listen to her pains, her words, her troubles. So, at this moment, she felt like he had things to say about himself... but was keeping them locked away from the world instead.

Honestly, the Urchinhide daughter knew that Sunbeam needed her at the moment more than anyone else. That was why she'd taken to staying by the mouse maid's side since meeting her. Now, if only for a moment, with the firelight flickering in his stern gaze, she wanted to sit beside her human rescuer. She wanted to know what was going through his mind as he observed the dancing of the fire before him. She wanted to make him smile rather than grimace. And she did accomplish such a thing as make him relax, in a sense. For every time she caught his eye like she wanted, he seemed to come back to reality, give her a warm grin next as well as knowingly nod his head.

In due time, Sunbeam came to explain her troubled history with her younger brother to her newfound friends. With some help from Spik beside her, she revealed the reason for why Sunseed was so very rebellious against her.

His rebellious nature in question had to do with the death of his and his sister's mother, "Sunheart", six years ago. Sunheart had always been a frail thing with a fragile body, weak heart along with pale complexion compared to her golden furred children. Nevertheless, even though having been weak in body, even though her husband had left her for reasons untold shortly after the birth of her youngest son, Sunheart had clearly been stronger than most in mind if not soul. Such inner strength had come to her after having endured many hardships as not only a woman but as a mother and Felldewan in general.

During his time growing up, with no father figure in his life, Sunseed hadn't grown to be a spoiled child in the beginning. No, rather, he had taken on a sense of duty towards his family. In the past, he'd realized, even at the age of six, that he was going to be the leading man of the household someday. And it was due to that thinking of his that when his mother became especially ill, when she could begin to see the goddess calling her to the gates of Heavenall, he ran away.

His retreat had not been to cause anyone any trouble, mind. No, as the only man of the house, even when so small, he had run away from home to try to help his ailing mother. During those depressing days, he'd tried to find the one last thing that could have maybe cured his mother; her long departed husband. Sadly, he was a husband who had not been seen nor heard from in years.

Having been so young then, even though his intentions had been pure enough, Sunseed hadn't ventured far from home. Where his intentions had indeed been valiant, he had had no idea - as a child - what he was doing. Thus, ordered to do so by Sunheart, Spik had chased after the little he-mouse, brought resistant him back home as well as kept him under watch where, in a growing sense of dread, he had had no other option than to see his one parental figure slowly cave into sickness... before she'd ultimately passed on into the next world altogether.

"My mother... She was a most generous mouse." Sunbeam explained softly at the end of her tale, tears brimming in her pretty eyes as she accepted the hanky given to her by Spik, "She was fragile, truly. However, any good Felldewan in these part will tell you that her generosity knew no bounds. She fought a good fight for her life. And at the end of the struggle, she died... happily. She died with friends around her in a warm bed. She died not alone but with her loved ones watching over her."

"Sunheart had a gift for inspiring most every creature in these here woodlands of Harlo." Spik put in, he too was trying not to cry over the loss of the she-mouse mother who had been a dear friend to him, "She was a grand friend to my family. When she passed on, I took on the duty of watching over her kin. And now, well, look. I've made a friend out of Sunbeam here... and I would do the same with Sunseed if only he would allow me."

As Spik hugged Sunbeam tightly with a one armed embrace, the Urchinhides looked to each other with saddened hearts. However, scrubbing his nose, straightening his whiskers, rubbing his teary eyes, Hudder gruffly said for his family, "Ahem, ahem, well, er, I believe I say it for all of my family when I say to ye', Sunbeam, that the loss of yer mother was a terrible thing. At least she died happy. At least she passed from this world to the next with you, her loved ones, caring for her. I know that that's... the way I'd want to go, if it came down to it."

"That's enough of that kind of talk, husband of mine." Mistdrop instantly cut in, softly slapping his paw and hugging him close to her, "That's enough blubbering on your part. We have many a year to go, you and I. We're not that old and we still have children to look after. Goddess bless us, we will not be passing on into the realm of Heavenall for a long time to come."

"I know, dearest. I know." Hudder sniffed, taking the hanky from Sunbeam next and blowing into it hard. That was the way of the Urchinhides. The father was a big baby at times with the mother supporting him. All the while, Nyrina kept pulling Clampter's ear to quiet his childish giggling at his father's blubbering.

"Promise you won't be going anywhere soon without my permission, love?" Mistdrop questioned soothingly, nuzzling her mate's neck happily.

"Har har, that's a promise, dearest." The Urchinhide father told his wife. There was a moment where the otter parents affectionately hugged one another. Then, the husband mused, "I wonder though, if the goddess did call me up to the heavens... Would I be able to resist? She would be a beauty to behold, I have to say - Ouch!"

"Listen to you talking about death and meeting the goddess! Hush your trap, fat-tail!" Mistdrop jokingly hissed next after having yanked her mate's tail roughly behind him. Then, she kissed his chuckling face as she stated, "Goddess or no goddess, one way or the other, you wouldn't be going to heaven anytime soon. Not if I had a dinner ready for you to gulp down like the glutton you are, anyhow. You wouldn't miss out on one of my meals. No matter the circumstance."

"Too true. Very well said, ha ha ha!" Hudder roared with laughter, returning his wife's kisses, "What's that Gaia, my girl? Ye' want me to come up there and join ye' in the heavens? Er, can it wait? Ye' see, my wife is makin' me one more of her signature bowls of spiced, salted freshwater shrimp for my last journey. I can't miss out on that, can I?"

As the Urchinhide parents went about comforting one another, Nyrina nearly felt her heart break for them. Truly, like any good Felldewan, she loved her family very much. It was impossible for her to imagine a life without her father or mother and it would be a truly saddening thing on... their dying day. Even without annoying Clampter, Nyrina could not stand to think of how different her life would be.

So, no matter how she tried now, she couldn't begin to imagine the pain that Sunbeam must have endured during the eventual death of her mother. To have gone on living without a mother when so young... that must have been truly sad for the young she-mouse. It was even sadder to know that for the last six years, the death of his mother had not made Sunseed wiser but troublesome.

Why was that? Why did he behave so childishly? Did he not know that the goddess frowned upon little ones who caused trouble for their families?

As if reading Nyrina's mind over the matter, Ivan the all-knowing began to explain for everyone the reason for Sunseed's rebellious nature, "Sunbeam, friend, allow me to first extend to you my deepest condolences for the loss of your mother. To have lost someone so important to you so soon in life... that is indeed a shame. Yet, the goddess has plans for everyone. And that included your mother. You know that, don't you?"

"Of course." Sunbeam replied, trying to keep her voice from trembling, "Goddess Gaia visited my mother just before she died. And my mother had no regrets. She smiled in my arms just as the goddess came for her. She smiled as she left this world to venture to the next."

"I am glad to hear so. Again, as a messenger of her holiness above, I have to say that I am sorry for your loss. It is as you said for her, though. At least your mother passed on in her own home with friends caring for her." Ivan repeated, looking very serious about what he had to say, "Unfortunately, there was one amongst you that day who was not at all ready to say goodbye to her. He was willing to do whatever it took to see that his mother didn't leave him. Yet, due to his youth, he couldn't do anything... and the one thing he tried to do didn't come close to prevailing because he was _dragged_back home."

There was a sense of sudden stillness at the way Ivan said "_dragged_back home". The human was not finished speaking his mind. Rather, with menace, he looked straight to Spik and said, "Pray, when you were requested to bring the little he-mouse back home, Spik, how did you do so?"

"Er, well, I went after him. When I found him, he was doing nothing but sitting against a tree crying to himself." Spike explained, trying not to wilt too much under the human's suddenly firm gaze, "I told him that his mum' needed him back home more than anything, sir. He refused to come back home though. Many times I asked him to come back with me but he refused. I couldn't just leave him out in the wilderness so I grabbed him and-"

"You dragged him back home kicking and screaming, did you?" Ivan wondered, frowning, "You hauled him off back home when there was no harm in him trying to find the one thing that could have helped his mother?"

"Him trying to find the one thing that could have helped Sunheart?" Spike wondered back, looking a bit surprised, "Sir, the little rogue was six. His father hadn't been seen in years. Sunseed couldn't have found his no good father, no matter how hard he tried. No, he needed to be back home with his mother. He was the best medicine that Sunheart needed at the time."

"That is not what he thought. That little mouse went off into the woodlands to try to do something, friend." The human stated, getting up out of his chair and looming over the hedgehog, looking very calculative about his words, "Out there in the woods, crying to himself, he tried to find peace in his own way, don't you see? The moment you stopped his searching, the moment you told him he couldn't find his father, the moment you dragged him back home and cut off his sole opportunity to try to help his mother in his own way... you installed the rebellion in his spirit. You gave him the reason to want to keep running away from home."

"I... I didn't..." Spik began, looking very troubled now, "I never meant-"

"You mean that you didn't think! You didn't think about his feelings at the time!" Ivan said sharply, looking fierce in the firelight, "Perhaps he was six years old at the time, yes. Maybe he didn't know what he was doing but instead of telling him that he was needed back home, could you have not looked with him through the woods a little longer? Could you have not given him some kind of feeling that he at least tried to find the one thing that could have healed his mother then? Could you have not allowed him to do what he thought was best?"

"Ivan?" Nyrina said softly, reaching out and taking her human friend's hand without thinking. Something was wrong. He wasn't the same. Something about this talk related to Sunseed's rebellion... was bringing a new side of himself out into the fray. "Ivan, what's wrong?"

At once, when feeling her hand around his, the anger showing in the human immediately vaporized. In the firelight, his formerly hardened blue eyes softened when - as if for the first time - he saw the aged hedgehog cringing underneath his stare. Then, those blue eyes looked to every face around him. They rested longest on Nyrina, on how their hands were together. Then, the Norlinthian looked to heaven, giving a long sigh of what was clearly embarrassment in the meantime.

"Spik... I am sorry. I do not know what came over me. I am sorry everyone. You did not deserve to see such a nasty sight on my part." Ivan gently said, still looking skyward but not pulling his hand out Nyrina's own who felt oddly happy about that. He could have pulled away from her but he didn't. Why? "At the time, Spik, you did what you thought was best. You were right to think that Sunseed was the medicine that Sunheart needed. In most cases, he would have been. However, there are times where healing is not done so easily. And when you took Sunseed back home against his will, when you cut off his search... that was when you made his healing harder. That is when you made him rebellious."

Next, the human looked to Sunbeam apologetically, "Do you not see now, friend? Your brother runs away because it gives him a sense of... purpose. He runs away into the woods because he was brought back against his will six years ago. He hid from you today, Spik, because you would drag him back home just like you did six years ago. In a twisted sense, he saw it as justice against you."

There was a silence. Then there was a bit more tear shedding on both of the hedgehog and she-mouse's parts where Ivan, releasing Nyrina, took both of their hands in his own and told them whole heartedly, "Perhaps it is right what Spik said earlier today. With me here, the goddess is here. And with the goddess present, everything with Sunseed will work out for the better. Your family will be fully healed. One way or the other, I will see to that tomorrow when we find this little, lost he-mouse."

"You will... speak with my brother, won't you?" Sunbeam asked hopefully.

"Naturally. There is much pain here and my kind do not appreciate such a thing. You, me, Spik, all of us will speak to your brother in the future. And in turn, I guarantee that this pain you have suffered since your mother's passing, Sunbeam, will end soon enough." The human reassured, looking to everyone around him and sharing a long stare with Nyrina, "And goddess willing, with me there to see it, Sunseed will wake up. He will learn that he shouldn't run away from home anymore. He is needed there, more than ever. For his sister needs him most of all."

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The night of talking between friends on the Dynamic came to an eventual end. With the guests sleeping in the family hut, with Hudder and Ivan staying near the fire outside, everyone gradually found their way to their beds where slumber came rather easily, despite the depressing topic of how Sunseed had come to be so much trouble. Even Nyrina, after having learned of so much heartbreak along with strength from others, came to easily cave into the seduction of slumber.

And there, with her eyes closed, curled up under her blankets in her hammock, the pretty otter daughter's mind was invited into the realm of dreams where - unlike every other night beforehand - she didn't envision sharks chasing after her through the darkest depths of the sea. No, this time, without any injury to speak of on her splendid body, feeling bright with an unexplainable energy, she was allowed to swim to her heart's content in the calm sea that was her dream world.

Truly, with much happy churring in her purring throat, with a laugh every so often above and below the surface of the water, with her heart raising with desire, the she-otter darted to and fro, leaped from the dreamy ocean, dove through the bubbles, twirled her way through crowds of lazily swimming fish and altogether adored her existence as an otter of Felldew.

For almost a whole week now, thanks to her bandages and treatments, the otter daughter hadn't had the pleasure of becoming one with that which she adored most in life; the water. Now, in her dreams, without so much as a hint of shark anyway, she was more than free to enjoy her slumber for the first time in what had felt like forever. And as if it wasn't grand enough already, she came to enjoy her dream all the more when she was joined by someone else; a most beautiful, gracious, celestial looking human woman who was as pale as the moon, whose hair could have been mistaken for silver, whose smile could have lit up the darkest reaches of the Waiting Sea.

"May I join you, child?" The celestial being wondered sweetly underwater, her voice sounding like the song of a thousand bells gonging together, "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all!" Nyrina laughed in turn, grabbing onto the woman's hands and spinning her around in the water with her, "Come on. Ha ha, the more the merrier."

Together, for what could have been mistaken for eternity, the she-otter played with her newest if not most beautiful friend in the dream world; a friend whose identity somehow became clear to Nyrina in due time. For reasons unknown, this celestial being swimming so grandly with the understanding Urchinhide daughter... she couldn't be anyone else but the mother of mothers. Indeed, truly, this had to be Goddess Gaia who swam so happily with the she-otter!

And at realizing this with a jump of her already excited heart, Nyrina found that she didn't at all mind that the goddess was presently taking part in her fantastic dream. Why would she have a problem with this? What did she have to fear in the company of the goddess? Nothing. Instead, she was merry. Merrier than ever before in her life.

The swimming, the playing, the living life without regret went on for a long while between the Gaia and Nyrina. It was brought to a sudden end though when the gracious deity took hold of the laughing she-otter's hands, swam her up to the surface and directed her attention to the left. For there, off in the distance, illuminated underneath the golden sunlight of the dream world... was a very large, very tattered looking object - the remnants of a sea faring vessel - floating upon the water's surface.

"I enjoyed our time together, child of the otters. Child of Hula." Gaia admitted, smiling a very happy smile. After having referred to Nyrina as the child of the first otter mother, Hula, this celestial woman had to be the goddess. She just had to be. "Yet, our time here is over. I had a good swim with you, honestly. I've not swam like this in many an age."

Next, the goddess held Nyrina's face in her hands and softly admitted, "However, I no longer need you. There is someone else here who does, though. Indeed, as he dreams now, he needs you very much. He will always need you."

"Who?" Nyrina instantly wondered, somewhat sad to know her time with the mother of Felldew was over but curious to know who needed her instead, "Who needs me, your grace? Who is dreaming with us?"

"He does." The goddess simply said back, nodding towards the ruined ship in the distance, "He who you will find there on that ship's deck. He who will be your... everything in due time."

"My everything?" The she-otter wondered back, feeling curious, "I don't understand... What does that mean-"

Yet, when Nyrina looked to the tattered outline of the ship in the distance and then back to the goddess... there was no more goddess. Alas, the Urchinhide daughter was alone once more in the wide vastness of the dreamy sea around her.

Thus, with her curiosity peeked, with the prophetic words of her goddess ringing in her mind, the she-otter easily cut her way through the ocean to the ship of interest; the ship that was three times bigger than the Dynamic, that'd formerly been a majestic thing - painted white-blue, with many a failing white sail on its wrecked masts - before it'd been so bashed up now, that was devoid of all life when she boarded it.

Well, it was devoid of all life accept for one person, mind. And as for who was the only soul aboard the torn up, shot up, ruined vessel with its main mast having crashed backwards into the aft deck, with rigging lying everywhere... he took Nyrina's breath away. For, seated upon a barrel looking down at the deck, it was no one other than Ivan who was aboard.

"Ivan?" The she-otter wondered at once, approaching him, "Ivan, what are you doing here? What... What's wrong?"

The human man didn't at all look like his usual optimistic self. Instead, he looked gaunt, empty, absolutely drained like he'd been through a year-long famine. His condition alarmed the otter daughter who, with a growing feeling of dread, took a hold of both of his shoulders and leaned in close to him. Alarmingly, his skin was as cold as ice. He didn't move at her touch. He didn't laugh or smile like he did whenever with her. He continued to look... the worse for wear.

"Ivan?" She questioned again, "Ivan, friend, speak to me."

At this, sluggishly, Ivan did say something back. After he slowly looked up, after he showed her just how sad his weak eyes shined under the sunlight, after his sickly face stole Nyrina's breath away, he said something more of a question than an answer.

He said... a name. A name that wasn't the expecting she-otter's.

"Hellena?"

It was then, with a sudden start, remembering every moment of her said dream, with sweat beading all over her body, that Nyrina awoke in her hammock bed back in the Dynamic hut! She instantly sat up, put a hand to her head along with tried hard not to freak out over anything she'd just witnessed. For the feeling of happiness in her heart over having swam in the beautiful dream sea had been replaced with unexplainable foreboding.

These were ill feelings that made her remember what the goddess had said in her dream. They were cautious feelings that made her ever so quietly get out of bed as well as approach the door leading outside. Right now, no excuses, with her head swarming with questions, she had to see Ivan. She had to make sure that he was alright and not sickly like he'd been back in her crazy dream.

"He needs you." Gaia had said in the dream world before vanishing, smiling warmly, "He needs you very much. He who will become your everything."

With an uncertain hand, not wishing to see him looking so depressed like he'd been back on the ruined ship floating in the middle of nowhere, Nyrina slowly opened the family hut door. When having it open, she peaked through to see where Ivan was sleeping at the dying fire. What was shocking to her though was that Ivan wasn't sleeping. No, rather, he was just finishing in getting the last of his gear onto his person. And just as he hoisted his battle axe onto his shoulder, just as he was about to turn away and venture off into the darks woodlands he came to a surprised stop.

He had to, mind, with Nyrina quickly coming after him for answers.

"Ivan!" The she-otter whispered urgently, immediately gaining her human's honestly shocked attention, "What are you doing? Where are you going alone?"

"Why are you up?" He answered with his own question, "Never mind, go back to bed, Nyrina. Do not worry. All is well. I have good intentions in going off alone."

"Last week, I had good intentions too when I left my family to go pearl searching alone. Remember that?" The otter daughter hissed, making the human pause in his actions, "And for my actions, I got attacked by a shark. Where are you going, Ivan? Why are you doing so alone?"

There was a pause of silence. Then, sighing, the human admitted coolly, "I am off to find Sunseed. Dawn will be here in an hour or two. By that time, I will have returned with the lost mouse and everyone will be happy to see the lost child returned. That is why I am going off alone like this."

It was close to dawn already? Wow, the dream Nyrina had must've been far longer than she'd formerly predicted. It'd only felt like she'd close her eyes a minute or two before having woken up in turn!

Regardless, knowing she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep knowing he was venturing off on his own now, the she-otter stated swiftly, "No, you're not going off on your own like this, Ivan. If anything, _I'm_coming with you now."

"No, you are not." The human instantly said, "_You_are going back to bed."

"No, I'm going with you." Nyrina argued stubbornly, standing her ground as her rescuer walked towards her determinedly, "And if you try to make me go to bed, I'll wake up everyone here. Then you won't be going anywhere alone."

"How very... selfish of you." Ivan said, now standing right before the otter maiden and looking down upon her. He was a head taller than she. So he loomed ominously over her like an Ursine facing down a wolf in Tundran. "And even if you wish to come, Nyrina, what of your injuries?"

"They're not such a big deal. Not anymore, thanks to you and mother keeping them checked. I have to stay out of the water because of my bruises but I can still go on land." The otter daughter stated, trying her best not to lose herself in the shining brilliance that was her champion's eyes. She couldn't look away from him. That would be admitting defeat. However, his bright eyes were so... damn entrancing. "So, come on, let me come with you. I want to help. I have to help. For Sunbeam's sake. Not only that, it would be safer for you to have someone tag along."

There was a long silence where neither Nyrina nor Ivan did anything else but actually look into each other's eyes in the night's darkness. The she-otter could have sworn from time to time that her rescuer wanted merely to sweep her off of her feet, carry her kicking back inside as well as put her back in her hammock. In the end, though, she got the best of him when she playfully punched him in the chest along with chimed sweetly.

"Look, I'm awake. What harm is there in me coming? I won't slow you down. Come on, big guy, you know that you want me to come along."

"Is that a fact? I know that I want you to come along with me? Hmf, I didn't know that, truth be told." The human replied with a snort, not smiling but his eyes revealed that he was humored by her statement nonetheless, "Yet, I suppose I know now, don't I? Very well, Nyrina. You can come along... But if I see anything wrong with you, if you begin to slow even a little, you're coming right back here. Agreed?"

"Maybe." The otter maid giggled, brushing her hair out of her eyes with a happier than happy smile on her expression, "Maybe I agree. What do you say to that, big guy?"

"What do I have to say to that? Heh, it will have to do for now, you little troublemaker." Ivan chuckled back, holding out his hand for his newest traveling companion to take which she did. Then, with surprising ease that made her softly yelp, the human did in fact sweep his admiring otter lass off of her feet, carried her through the shallows of the river, set her back down on shore and then swiftly led her into the Harlo woodlands.

There in the wilderness, perhaps an hour after morning's light showed itself in the east, they would find Sunseed and have him back in his sister's paws. Goddess willing... they wouldn't be attacked by any sharks during their venturing off alone. Was there such a thing as a land shark in Felldew? Hopefully not. One way or the other, the two travelers were about to find out.