"A good hunt, wouldn't you say?" Garrett managed a smile as he walked, a carcass on his shoulder.

They'd left the Thaig behind and entered a dark pit of caves leading off in a myriad of directions, and while reduced to guessing the way to go to find the exit, Garrett at least had faith that the worst was behind them. Out here there's food and water, plus we put what treasure we could into our packs, which will be enough even when split with Varric...yes, this is a success. Garrett wasn't sure how they'd find their way out...but as long as they could keep themselves fed, he could be patient, one tunnel had to lead out...and he was fairly sure he was leading the group in the right direction to find the path they'd taken before.

Of course, the food was rather bland...while nugs were apparently a delicacy if cooked right, the group had been unable to get a hold of them. Merrill, being a Dalish, knew quite a bit about hunting, as did Garrett from his time on the run, and Varric had been of some help with his crossbow...yet between the three of them, they'd still been unable to catch a nug, something which Varric had chuckled at, saying they'd make poor nug-wranglers. Why call them wranglers? Is that a hint to how they hunt them?

Deepstalkers had proven easier to catch. The animals had poor vision but great hearing, and while being excellent at hiding, were easy to trick into revealing themselves, since they reacted instinctively to the sound of smaller prey nearby. So the trio had devised a method that so far had worked wonders. Merrill, being the smallest of them, was to advance on her own into areas that Garrett deemed likely to contain deepstalkers, considering their behaviour and prefered hunting grounds. She limped a bit to make herself seem like an injured animal while the other two waited up high. When the deepstalkers struck, she'd catch several with her vines as Garrett charged down from his hiding place to scare off the rest of the pack with the sound of his approach while Varric killed a few of the caught ones with his crossbow.

It had worked the first time, and now, a second time.

Sadly, no matter how you cooked it, deepstalker meat had the texture of glue while tasting like overcooked fish, but at least it was filling. Between it and the water filling some of the caverns, Garrett felt their situation was improving.

They'd now been forced to rest for a bit longer than normal over by one such underground lake, which was a bit worrying, but nothing a good meal and some sleep couldn't cure. Garrett acknowledged that they all needed to rest up a bit anyway, and Bethany being sick was a good excuse to set up camp. Her cough had gotten worse, so obviously Garrett had pushed her body too much, especially after that last spell she'd cast...so she needed rest and some food in her, that was all. Garrett had already resolved to give her his portion of their catch as well. Between it and copious drinks from the lake he was sure she'd be right as rain in no time. Besides, with us camped, Anders can finally have a proper look at her, heck, she might be up and running by the time we get back!

Behind Garrett, the silence had stretched a bit too long, making him shoot a smile back to make sure the other two were paying attention. "Guys?"

Merrill's looked somewhat hesitant, and her answer lacked her usual cheerfulness as she offered a small smile. "Yes, a good hunt...Andruil will be pleased."

"As will I, once I'm eating." Varric grunted, shifting under the weight of the fat deepstalker in his arms. "Glad we found these things, I'd prefer using the moss to cook them over eating the moss itself..." The man grimaced. "...at least by a small margin. Maker, you'd think if you become what you eat, the deepstalkers should be delicious..."

Garrett chuckled at that, pleased to see that Varric, while not fully his usual self, was clearly recovering from his loss of Bartrand. We might have lost him and the rest of the expedition, but our...friends...made it. Garrett tasted the word, he didn't feel it applied to Fenris, Bodahn and Sandal...hell, not even Merrill or Anders...yet the idea that it could be applied to them, all of them even...he wasn't as reluctant to consider it. And after they escaped the Thaig and were rich...well Garrett wasn't against continuing his cooperation with Varric on more trusted terms. "We only need to be fed, Varric. You can have your fancier meals when we're out of here. Now, let's bring this meat in and we'll see if we can't get Bethany up and moving again, the sooner we do that, the sooner we can leave."

Varric and Merrill exchanged a glance, and Garrett looked away from them, frowning and widening his steps even as Varric coughed. "Yes, of course, we'll do that."

Grunting under the weight of his catch, Garrett rounded the last corner leading to the cavern they'd put up camp in, nerves curling in his stomach even as his face split into a smile. "Food, coming in!" In a dark corner, Fenris detached from the wall, the sentry wisely had his sword in hand as his calm eyes approvingly spied the two deepstalkers the hunters were bringing in.

Slowing his steps, Garrett let his gaze travel over the cave, as always amazed that such beauty could exist in an otherwise grim area...a testament to how tough life was to eradicate, even for the darkspawn that had ravaged the Deep Roads more than anything else.

The lake took up the far half of the modest-sized cave – for the deep roads, anyhow – and its water had a greenish hue due to the plants growing at the bottom of it, plants giving off a turquoise light that constantly created a diorama of green lines against a blue backdrop on the far wall. Though there was some moss on the ground as well, the light it had cast was pale white and was now largely gone as the camped group used it as a replacement for firewood. Surprisingly that was working well, despite the fact that Garrett had expected it to only work as kindling.

They had no tents, and only a pair of blankets between them, blankets which Garrett could see were still wrapped around Bethany as she lay by the edge of the lake...the sight making Garrett frown in disappointment. Anders hasn't gotten her on her feet yet? I thought he was supposed to be a great healer? At least Bodahn was kneeling by her, pulling up a rag from the lake and squeezing out most of the water before putting it over her brow...his son stood by her feet, a sad look on his face. The sight made Garrett smile at least. Good men, both of them.

The smile faded as he spotted Anders, the mage approaching him somewhat hesitantly, a rag in his hands, a rag...stained with blood?!

Garrett dropped the deepstalker and took a quick step towards Anders before stopping himself, his posture suddenly tense, gaze hard and fixed on Anders as he nodded at the towel. "What's that?"

The mage glanced down at the towel, then shrugged. "You told me to examine her thoroughly..." The casualness of the reply was ruined by the concerned frown slowly appearing on his face. "I...I had to be sure.."

It was like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him.

Garrett moved to speak, lips clumsy and mouth dry.

"Sure of what...?"

Anders, his broken face splitting into a grimace, hesitated before speaking. "Well, Bethany's sick..."

"I know that already! But-"

"...with the blight."

Garrett took a step back.

Then another one.

A horrible vision of Aveline's husband Wesley flitted before his image, only it wasn't Wesley any more with the white skin and black veins, it was Bethany...

He swallowed.

Then he took a third step backwards, hands closing into fists as something within him began to shake. "You...you lie."

"Wish I was." Anders lowered his head. "She's...been sick for a while, I'm amazed she's lasted this long." L-lasted...? Garrett reached out, finding a wall to grip a hold of as his knees nearly gave up. "It's at the advanced stages..." Anders swallowed, the mage turning his gaze away from whatever he saw on Garrett's face. "I...I'm sorry."

"Make her better." Garrett struggled to straighten, eyes fixed on the mage, watching as his shoulders slumped at the order with a mixture of horror and anger. "Didn't you hear me? Make her better."

"I..." Anders looked up, sadness in his eyes, sadness and frustration. "...I can't."

Suddenly Garrett was inches from the man's face without even remembering moving, his hands gripping the front of the man's robes, hoisting him up until the mage was standing on his toes. "That's not an answer!"

Behind him, he heard someone whimper as Varric started to mutter. "Garrett..."

Garrett glared into Anders' sad eyes, boring his gaze into the mage, shrugging aside a hand on his shoulder as his grip on the robes tightened. "You are a Warden! You are a renowned healer! You have a bloody spirit in your body that assembled you from scraps!" He shook the man, finally lifting him straight off the ground. "Don't tell me you can't!" Another hand appeared on his shoulder, and Garrett shrugged it off as well. "Don't you dare lie to me like that!"

"Justice can't help." Anders gasped. "It doesn't...work like that..." He looked down at Garrett, sympathy in his eyes. "I'm not lying to you."

"But...you're a healer!" Garrett put Anders back down on the floor, but didn't let go of his robes, his breathing erratic as he stared at the man, his legs shaking even as he kept glaring at the man. "It's what you do!"

Anders sighed, shaking his head. "Some things can never be healed..."

Slowly, Garrett released his hold on the man's robes, his lips trembling even as kept the hands on the man's collar, suddenly afraid the man would run away if Garrett fully let him go. "I...I...but..." He swallowed, eyes hurting from being open too long even as he looked down, staring at the ground between them, brain furiously struggling with the new information, thinking. "...but you are still..." I don't want that, I don't...but Maker, I...Maker, please, make her forgive me... "...you're still a Warden..."

"Garrett, don't..."

Looking up, Garrett stared pleadingly at Anders as the man turned his gaze away with a pained look on his face. "At O-Ostagar...the Wardens took the blighted soldiers...I saw it...some became Wardens, I know it." Anders was shaking his head, but Garrett bore his fingers into the man's robes, sure, gripping hold of hope as much as the man. "Y-you could make her one of them, I know you can!" Anders shook his head even more, making Garrett blink furiously as his eyes began to burn. "For Maker's sake, I don't care what you feel about them, but please, do it!"

"I...can't..." Anders closed his eyes and swallowed. "I...don't have all the ingredients to make her a Warden, and there is no way to get them in time." Time? Time before she...Andraste, you...you wouldn't let the Maker take her...would you...? Please, I've never asked for anything... Looking back to Garrett, Anders opened his eyes, sad gaze meeting Garrett's. "I've stretched out my senses as far as I could, trying to find other Wardens to help...but...but they're too far away even if they knew of our plight and moved to meet us...I tried, Garrett, I really tried..."

TRIED!? Garrett's grip on Anders' robe tightened even as his right fist pulled back, making the mage wince and turn his head.

And then Garrett was on his knees as they gave in, so suddenly the impact drew the air out of his lungs. Head downcast, the hand on Anders' robes was now gripping a boot as the fist he'd pulled back now pressed against his chest, vainly trying to stem the fiery pain exploding from it. He knew Anders was before him, that there were others around him...yet they seemed so distant, like shadows on the walls, nothing more.

"P-please..." The word was nothing but a croak, struggling through the vice around his throat. "...I'll pay you my entire share...everything...I'll...anything...anything you ask..."

A sigh, and a hand that had to be Anders fell on his shoulder. "I'm...sorry." The hand left, as did the man, his feet wearily stepping away, towards the exit of the cave. "I would...hurry if I were you, I've done all I can."

Garrett remained where he was, frozen to the ground. B-but this...this shouldn't happen...I planned everything...I...I was supposed to keep her safe by bringing her here...I was...I was doing the only logical thing... He looked up, at Bethany still in her blankets, coughing feebly...yet he barely saw her, everything blurry and distant. We escaped the Thaig, we got out, I...we were safe...it was all going to work out...I...it was working out...

Someone touched his shoulder.

Then he was moving, with his knees too weak to walk, he crawled, crossing the distance to Bethany as best his shaking body could as the shadows surrounded him and his sister drew away, leaving an emptiness around them.

He tugged at her neck, pulling up her head until it was resting in his lap, his heart quaking as he looked down at her.

It...it has to be a nightmare...

Before him, a weak cough escaped Bethany's blue lips, though her eyes remained closed, eyes now deep in their dark sockets, as if someone had given her two black eyes. Her skin was even paler than last time he'd seen her, almost transparent and paper thin, moulded to her skull to the point that she looked almost like the corpses they'd escaped a few days ago. The veins under her skin weren't blue, but were black as pitch, so near the surface that Garrett could almost see the blood sluggishly pump through them. My sister... Garrett's right hand moved up, gripping his chin painfully hard, a finger over his lips as he struggled not to whimper. Meanwhile, his left moved to her, brushing a rogue strand of hair from her forehead, the heat rising from her skin nearly scalding. My beautiful sister...no...

With a moan, Bethany's eyes flickered open.

And Garrett's right hand moved up even further, clamping over his mouth to muffle his cry of horror.

"B-brother..." The colourless eyes looked up at him, nothing but a black pupil looking up at him, trembling slightly as he saw jagged black vines slowly crawl up along the inside of her eyes, like cracks in ice slowly spreading further. "...I...I can barely see you...it's night...?" Her voice was but a whisper, a hiss through trembling lips.

Garrett nodded quickly, too horrified to speak, then forced himself to lower his hand, to choke out a reply. "Y-yes sister...i-it's n-night..."

Slowly, Bethany blinked, her eyes becoming more focused...and her lips curling in a smile. "You lie...we're in the Deep Roads..." Her eyes focused past him, a look of horror slowly appearing on her face. "I...I can hear a heartbeat, not my own...a beat that calls..." She blinked, a lone tear trickling down her cheek. "I hear them, brother, so far away...digging...th-they're so many...they're so...anger and pain, anger and pain..." She managed to focus back on him, eyes betraying her fear. "I-it calls to me...it wants me...d-don't let them have me..." Garrett, shaking, tried to look away, only for her hiss to force him to go still. "Promise me! I...I don't want...Maker, it hurts..." A shudder went through the woman, a trickle of black blood escaping the corner of her lips. "..it hurts...do-don't let them...Andr-Andras...save me..."

I can't. Garrett swallowed, hopelessness gripping his heart as one hand slid into Bethany's hair, the other shaking as it moved down to stroke her cheek. I can't! "S-sister...y-you need to b-be strong for me...I...I need you to get be-better, you hear? C-can you do that for me...?"

The smile she shot him was one of sadness and love in equal measures. "I'm sorry brother...not...this time..."

"I'm sorry." It exploded out of him before he knew it, a pathetic whimper followed by tears of grief and shame. "I sh-should ha-have...I...I...I'm s-so sorry...I n-never...I sh-should have b-been the o-one wh-who...I..."

Words failed him.

I've failed you.

Garrett slumped, chin coming to his chest as he squeezed his eyes shut, weeping.

He felt Bethany's gaze on him, felt her stir...and knew she was struggling to touch him, but even such a simple gesture the blight had robbed from them. "Brother...look at me..." Garrett, always unable to refuse her, opened his eyes, a thousand needles in his heart, a fist ripping his guts out, as he watched her struggle to smile at him. "Y-you've protected me since you could walk...you've always...Maker..." A groan, her body and face going rigid with pain...and then she was smiling up at him once more. "You've done everything you could, more...but sometimes..." The smile turned sad. "...sometimes you can't escape your faith, I know that better than you." She blinked, then winced, the next tear escaping her eye black, the blight not even allowing that to remain pure. "For once...accept that you can't save me..."

"I...I can't..." Garrett shook his head, blinking away the tears that just wouldn't stop coming. "...I love you, dammit!"

"And I love you too..." Bethany gasped, body twitching, eyes unfocused for just a second before looking back at him. "...always my saviour...from bandits, from Templars..." She lit up with a little grin. "...from Carver and his attempts to nail my hair to the wall..." Garrett couldn't help it, he laughed, a fitful little sound echoing across the cave as Bethany's smile turned sad. "I...I need you t-to sa-save me again now, br-brother..."

No. Garrett stared at her, completely still, too horrified to dare make sense of her words.

"Re-remember We-Wesley...?" The whisper was but a pained hiss, Bethany's eyes closing as a shudder of pain shot through her. "A-Aveline had to...h-had to...M-Maker..."

Completely cold inside, as if his body was but a vessel, empty of its soul, Garrett shook his head. "No...you c-can't ask me th-that. Anything, b-but not that..."

"It hurts..." Bethany's whisper was half a whimper, her legs visibly turning and twisting as a shudder ran up her spine. "...so much. I can't...I can't bear much more...I...M-Maker...the call...it' so loud...I can barely hear you..."

Garrett's hands moved to cradle the back of her head, his head dipping down to her neck as his body shook with sob. "N-no! B-Bethany! Don't...you can't make me do this...I...no, I won't!"

Her voice was a gasp in his ear. "Please!"A gasp turning into a groan and a whimper. "Hurts...hurts ...it wants me, the call wants...don't let it take me, brother, don't let it!" Her body, rigid and twisting in his arms, was suddenly growing colder, much colder. "Pl-please! S-save me...I...I can't bear the...the call...b-brother...t-tell m-mother...tell them...I...so-something b-better..." I...no...I won't...I can't...do it yourself! Please! Garrett rocked the twitching body in his arms, panic and horror gripping him as the skin of his sister turned from burning hot into icy cold. "Please! Brother!" Her whisper turned into a panicked hiss, as the body in his arms shuddering in unspeakable agony. "I ca-can't...do-don't make me...please l-let me..." The words petered out all of a sudden, a long sigh escaping his sister. Blue lips brushed his face, the briefest of kisses as the sigh reached its end. "Thank you..."

Garrett, sitting there with his face burried in her neck, found himself shaking...shaking and confused...and with a growing sense of horror as he slowly forced himself to raise his head, to look down.

He hadn't been aware of his right arm moving, nor felt his fingers grip the dagger in his belt...or the black blood spraying his hands...yet now he saw his hand holding his dagger...a dagger buried in Bethany's chest.

Th-that can't be...

Unable to let go of the dagger, he turned his head, looking back to Bethany.

The woman was staring up at the cave's ceiling, blighted eyes seeing nothing, her body no longer rigid in pain...limp.

Dead.

Dead.

Terrified, Garrett swiftly pulled his hands away from the woman...and stared down at them, one clean, the one that had cradled her head as he had so many times before...and the other covered in black blood, her blood.

"No!" He lunged forward, hugging Bethany with all his might, holding her as close as humanly possible, knowing he didn't deserve it. "No! No! No!" Rocking them back and forth, he desperately tried to shake life back into her, but nothing happened.

I killed you.

"NO!"

8

8

8

"We need to keep moving."

Fenris' voice was a growl in the cave...and loud enough to make Merrill wince, worriedly glancing at the nearest other cave where a dim light revealed where Garrett was keeping vigil.

"I hate to agree with you, but yes." Anders muttered, the human busy eating what was left of the last deepstalker. He raised his voice a little as he shrugged. "We've been here for more than a day now, we need to move on or we'll never escape this place."

By the Dread Wolf, it's like they want him to hear! Merrill cast another worried glance towards the other cave, then shot the eating pair an annoyed look. Ignoring her, Fenris was nodding at Anders. "Agreed, and when we are in agreement of something, it means it has to be true." Again, the man spoke worryingly loud, and Anders' chuckle of agreement did nothing to help. Wait, they're not...no, no it would be mean to think them that cruel...still...sounds rude. At least Bodahn and Sandal are wise enough to keep quiet. The two dwarves, were sitting by the water, Sandal busy dipping his feet in it with a smile as Bodahn looked on, doing his best to ignore the others.

Merrill still felt horrible about the slaughter of the expedition, but while she felt a bit queasy with how easily Garrett had left them, she could in hindsight understand that they'd been a lost cause and the man had focused on saving those he could. He might not have grieved much for them...but considering how little people knew one another in Kirkwall, that hardly surprised Merrill by now. But Bethany...Anders and Fenris had both known her well...was it so strange to think her own brother might want to take some time to say goodbye? Yes, as a nomad at heart, she knew all of the importance of moving on when travelling...but some decency always needed to be upheld, or they would be nothing but animals.

Fenris, however, apparently disagreed. "The Qunari are right in the way they view the body once a person dies. She's not with us any more, her body is of no consequence, let's move on." That's it. Merrill rose to her feet. "Where are you going, blood mage?"

She looked back at him...and Fenris arched an eyebrow in surprise at the scorn she was unable to conceal. "To say good bye to a friend and support another. I'm sorry, I guess I'm not as heartless as..." She offered the palest of smiles she could at Anders and Fenris both. "...the Qunari."

Fenris and Anders exchanged a surprised look, but before either could form a rebuttal, Merrill had turned her back to them and begun moving towards the other cave.

Though her reluctance soon made her slow, fearing she was intruding or somehow performing sacrilege by approaching Andrastians during their moment of grief.

Yet she couldn't stop moving forward, worrying that doing so would drain her of all courage to approach.

In the dark gloom of the next cavern, the only light came from an oil lamp Bodahn had kept on him, a lamp nearly out of oil if the flickering flame was to be believed. It was a small cave, more a darker part of the larger one than a chamber of its own. It was far longer than it was broad, yet barely enough to fit Garrett, Varric and Maric as they stood side by side.

Varric was the one closest to Merrill, his gaze as he looked at where they'd put Bethany was one of grief, but also regret and guilt. Perhaps feeling he had contributed to her death by helping Garrett with the expedition. It's easy to find ways to blame yourself if you try hard enough... As if sensing her thoughts, he turned his head and offered her a pale smile and a nod as he moved to let her take his place as he quietly slipped away towards the others, hands in his pockets and head downcast.

Hesitantly, Merrill moved to take Varric's place, feeling like an intruder as she came to stand on Garrett's right, the silent Maric on the man's left...the Mabari so still he could have passed for a statue of Fen'Harel.

Before them, a mere four feet away, Bethany lay in a natural hollow in the wall, hands over her chest, covering the mortal wound. Poor Garrett, I know he did the right thing, but having to kill your own sister...I wouldn't be strong enough to do something like that... Though glancing at Garrett, noting his tense posture and how he stared at Bethany as if she wasn't even there...Merrill was unsure if the man actually was strong enough. He looks like he'll break apart at any moment... Bethany was still horribly pale and covered in a spiderweb of black veins...yet there was still something peaceful about her, something gentle.

Cupping her hands over one another, Merrill held her tongue, knowing it would be insulting to speak the words. Yet...if the Maker didn't exist... Falon'Din, guider of the dead, allow this woman passage through the veil. She is not of the people, but your love reaches all living things, and I know you'll heed me. The prayer made her glance at Garrett again, unsure if she dared speak to the man staring straight ahead, just a hint of a tremble of his lips revealing he was even alive.

I shouldn't say anything.

Merrill looked back, studying Bethany's ruined features with a grimace. She was so pretty, only a moment ago, it feels like...and so pretty on the inside too. I understand why her brothers wanted to protect her... She grimaced. I...even though we never managed to get along...I'll miss you. The thought brought a weak smile to her lips. Me, missing a human...this has been a strange year for me...if only the clan could see me now.

Still, though the moment somehow stretched on, without feeling too awkward for Merrill...something about it felt wrong. Finally, she couldn't help herself. "I...I'm sorry..." Next to her, Garrett stiffened, but didn't say anything, nor look at her. Merrill, taking a deep breath, struggled on. "W-wasn't she A-Andrastian...? I...w-wouldn't she w-want to be cr-cremated...?"

She winced at her blunt words, drawing back from the man, ready for a glare...yet he didn't even look at her, his eyes hard like stone as they stared at the woman.

But then, he blinked, slowly, as if in a daze. "Y-you..." It was but a whisper, and he had to cough to clear his throat and speak up. "...you're right..." He closed his eyes, swallowing. "...but we don't have any wood, nor enough moss, I...I can't..." He paused, then turned his head, looking at her.

The grief in his eyes made her take a step back.

"C-could you...?" He couldn't say it, the words obviously sticking in his throat as he made an unsure gesture in Bethany's direction.

I'm not good with fire. I could call Anders here. Are you sure you won't be mad with me for doing so to her? I'm scared of doing it wrong. The words and questions flicked through her mind, yet she said none of them, unable to do so while facing the grief of the man. Instead, she found herself clearing her throat. "O-of course..."

The man looked at her for a moment longer, then turned his head, resting his gaze on Bethany, something in his posture making Merrill look at her too, unable to otherwise move.

The woman's lips weren't as blue as they'd once been, the veins not as pronounced, her skin nearly white and unblemished, like a statue carved out of marble. Beautiful.

Maybe Garrett thought so too, or maybe all his thoughts were devoted to grief and guilt...his face told her nothing as he stepped back next to the motionless Maric, his gaze fixed on his dead sister as he croaked out a quiet. "Go ahead."

Swallowing, nervous, Merrill raised her hands and took a deep breath. All around her, energy existed, moving, warm, burning...the fade pulling at that energy at her command, gripping at those motes of fire. Taking deep breaths, Merrill felt the fire all around her as the energy from magma of the rock was pulled forth, energy shaking in untrained hands, hands having no aptitude for such energies.

I can't fail him, not in this.

The energy grew, focused...right where she commanded it to go.

A crackle...and suddenly Bethany's clothes were on fire.

More.

The flames rose in intensity, digging into her flesh, new fires appearing deep within the body, charring flesh and bone alike.

More.

A roar...and the fire was an inferno, rapidly consuming the body before them.

Merrill lowered her arms, sweat beading down her face from the fire as much as from the strain of handling such unfamiliar energies...yet she found her breathing to be calm as she watched the fire destroy the woman's flesh, turning her into ash.

Ash...and possibly closure. Merrill inched away from the searing flames and glanced at Garrett, but the man's face was unreadable, posture stiff and eyes unblinking as he stared into the magical fire.

Looking back, Merrill found nothing but ash where the body had once been, and even that was but a fine powder, barely enough to fill a... "You want me to get a bag?" Merrill bit her lower lip in horror, then shook her head, forcing her to continue now that she'd said it. "For the...remains...I mean..."

Silence.

Dreadful, scary silence.

Then, Garrett nodded, the motion as well as his voice stiff. "Yes."

O-okay... Merrill inched away from him, unsure if she should hurry or give him a moment, if she'd upset him or pleased him, if been disrespectful or not with all her suggestions. Turning, she hugged her shoulders as she moved away.

Garrett's call barely reached her, making her ears stiffen. "Merrill?"

"Y-yes?"

"Thank you."

8

8

8

Thanks to Abydos Jackson, for her fire.