Epilogue: In Which Everything is Okay for a Given Value of Okay
Justina and Skipper dropped by Xanaria's metaverse between each trip they took to see if she wanted to join them for their next one. They would send her a letter by Blessed Lyrian. Lupe did make it out to visit eventually but she never had time for an out of metaverse adventure.
When Blessed Lyrian finally ran out of patience with their cryptic behavior she sat Xanaria and Justina down and lectured them until they took her to meet Skipper. The woman handled the discovery with her usual unflappable calm, but her daughter and Skipper became instant friends and Lisa caught the urge to travel badly.
Blessed Lyrian accepted the inevitable but cornered Justina alone and made it very clear that she would no longer be welcome within a hundred miles of her house if her daughter didn't come back one day. She needn't have worried. Lisa was a good learner, quick on her feet, and her closeness with Skipper became a life long friendship.
When Lisa met Bryce, a young man in a world of carnivorous jungles, he ran away with her. He and Skipper bonded because he was almost as adept at traveling through vines as Skipper was.
Justina was pleased to realize it would be at least another generation before Skipper had to feel lonely again.
And that gave her peace.