Kexin could not rest, not when the world had been turned upside down. This was her job, tending to the wolves of Tianlong, and she was woefully underprepared now. It felt like a moral failing of sorts, to not have every single herb and poultice for every single possible ailment within arm's length, ready for her to grab.

The more logical side of her was at war with this misplaced guilt - how was she to be prepared when she was thrown into this world alongside everyone else? But that inner voice was louder:

You should have planned. Should have prepared. Should have known.

Should have.

Should have.

Should have.

But there was nothing to do about the past, so Kexin took it upon herself to plan for the future. This, of course, had caused several sleepless nights so far, and the constant movement had her leg acting up and exacerbated that limp - which, if it were anyone else, Kexin would have forced them to rest, but she was nothing if not a hypocrite.

It was during one of her short travels to search for herbs that she heard another familiar voice - one that sent a surge of affection and despair both through her. This was no place for the royal children, and yet, she could not help but be overjoyed to lay eyes on the gentler of Shenlei's girls.

"Princess Lian," she greeted, tone far warmer than it was with most. Blue eyes scanned the yearling over critically, seeking out injuries or oddities. "Are you well? Did you just wake here?" The girl might be confused, in that case. Was Kexin the first face she'd seen?