Kiva had dreamed about her sister last night. It hadn’t been a nightmare, which somehow made the whole thing worse. They’d been young again, racing through the woods like they used to, with Alu just ahead of her and laughing about something Kiva couldn’t remember now. She’d been hollering at her sister to slow down, although they’d both known she didn’t mean it. There hadn’t been anything special about the dream. No big reunion or tearful goodbyes. Just the two of them being sisters, and for a little while, Kiva had forgotten Alu was dead. Then she’d woken up. She’d spent a good while lying there afterward, wishing she could go back to sleep and pick up where they’d left off. It’d been so long since she’d heard her sister laugh, and now she couldn’t get the sound out of her head. The worst part was knowing that, even if she dreamed about Alu again, there was no guarantee she’d ever get to hear it quite the same way.

By morning, she’d had enough of being alone with her thoughts. Usually, she’d have gone for a run, found some errands to keep herself busy, or gone looking for somebody to bother. Today, though, she found herself wanting to see Flannery. She’d grown awfully fond of the other woman lately, and spending time with her had become something Kiva looked forward to more than she cared to admit. So, rather than spend the day moping around, she’d set off to find her. It was a much better plan, as far as she was concerned, and she was hoping Flannery wouldn’t mind the unexpected company.

When she finally spotted the familiar figure, Kiva managed a smile, although it wasn’t quite as bright as usual. “Well, there’s my favorite pretty lady!” Her tail gave a little wag as she approached. “Hope ya weren’t plannin’ on spendin’ the whole day by yourself, ‘cause I’ve decided you’re stuck with me for a bit.” She gave a small laugh, coming to a stop beside her. Normally, she’d have had a dozen things to talk about by now, but today she couldn’t seem to think of much. “Had a bit of a rough mornin’, if I’m bein’ honest. Nothin’ terrible, just got some stuff on my mind.” She glanced at Flannery, looking a little sheepish. “Figured seein’ a pretty face might cheer me up.” That much was true, at least. She hesitated for a moment before adding, “Hey, can I ask ya somethin’? You ever have a dream so good that you’re sad when ya wake up?”

Flannery