Dia hadn't warmed Zora's side last night, and had never returned to let Zora slot her body amongst their own, like a shield, like a sunbeam wrapped in cashmere.
Dia hadn't greeted her with teeth that mussed Zora's fur so she had to fix it while the birds whistled and chattered in the trees, the dawn cresting the horizon.
Dia hadn't trotted home, bloodied and beautiful from some hunt or brawl or some other shenanigan as the sun crawled across the sky.
Zora had been very normal and calm about it. Zora had never had a problem giving Gladiator whatever length of leash they needed, as long as they rebounded back to her side sooner or later. Zora wasn't the kind of woman to need to be at her companion's heels on whatever quest or adventure they were on.
While that was true, it was also unusual for Dia to be gone this long, these days. After finding each other, they'd had difficulty so much as taking their eyes off each other for very long.
To be gone so long, without telling her why, was unusual; but Zora was fine.
She was fine.
She had systemically stripped every useful or even partially useful herb from the forest around her in a gradually increasing radius from their little camp over the hours that had ticked by, but she was not worrying at all.
The sound of pawsteps caused her ear to swivel, followed by Zora's head lifting to watch Gladiator emerge from the trees.
Relief was a tidal wave, wiping out entire villages within her chest. The bundle of greenery chaotically bursting from her tightly-clamped jaws dropped to the earth, the princess visibly brightening at Gladiator's arrival...but it only took a second or two to notice the look in their eyes and her stumbled steps. Zora sobered instantly, expression thunderous as she stepped forward, intent upon searching Dia's figure for injuries.
What happened?Her voice was taut with concern.
