Ravyn held Arden’s face between their hands. “Are you sure you’ve prepared? You have everything you need?” 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EDuuNWedS
“Yes, mama,” Arden groaned, though not without love. “I’ve answered this question a thousand times. We went over everything I packed last night! I’m fine.” 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3aBkn41F7
Ravyn started to say something when Nettle cut them off. “Sweetie, he’ll be fine. We’ve been over this, he’s right, about a thousand times. Let him go now, or you never will.” 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6esNDEAPAA
Ravyn made a mocking sorrowful face, letting go of Arden’s face. “Promise me you will be fine?” 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWOWwwEopD
“Mama!” Arden groaned. “I’m seventeen! I can take care of myself. I’m only going camping.” 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi48lUsK3Zg
“Arden, promise them you’ll be fine,” Nettle said chidingly. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPvodorFke
Arden turned and started walking from their front door. “I promise I will keep safe, mama. Love you, mama. Love you, ma!” 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4rKN9gLwq
》《732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jcJOnMzPn
Arden buried his face in his da’tru’s long purple fur, sheltering it from the biting wind. It’s cold, isn’t it? Bow said in the boy’s mind. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSsGs2N6jv
Just a nip, Arden replied. He was comfortable: Bow’s fur was thick and acted almost as a blanket, warming Arden up. His fingers hadn’t even gone numb. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8A9o5Qtz6
It was close to midnight, and they were close to the clearing they had decided to stop and camp in. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5e0BHiaaPl
Look, Bow said. Arden lifted his head to see that somebody else had the idea to camp there already. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGJW5Hw5YH
That’s okay, Arden said. We can just settle here on the edge of the clearing. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmFdisPrlu
Hush, darkling. Do you hear it?732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8J9X6wfXqu
Arden held his breath, listening. And indeed, he heard: the panting and whimpering of someone in pain. The whimpers rose to screams, and Arden jumped off of Bow’s back. We have to help them! 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBUzqqXAjJ
Bow moved in front of Arden, stopping the boy. No. It is just a nightmare. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZpXHmGdvM
Sometimes, Arden found it uncanny what Bow knew about their surroundings, things Arden would never be able to know–and not just because he was blind. Bow could, to an extent, reach into others’ consciousness and see what was going on, even if just on the surface. Are you entirely sure everything is okay? 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwmAseobe3
Yes, Bow said. Worry not. I have awakened them. They will be okay.732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5B4Ts9Yqi
But– Arden couldn’t think of any excuse. He felt like the person having the nightmare was struggling with more than just a nightmare. How he knew this, he could not say; it was just a feeling. Bow would know, but he thought the da’tru would probably tell him he was just being nosy or paranoid. So instead of pushing the matter, he just started setting out his tent. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3hHwqcCHd
》《732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0NbM1dAfP
In the morning, Arden decided to approach the person. Fynley, Bow had said, that was their name. Surprisingly, Bow did not disagree with Arden. Sometimes, we must check in on people. He is that which we must check in on, Bow had said. Arden was glad. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGufF9jRCXH
So Arden packed everything quickly. They had camped in the trees, so it took a bit to find their way out, but Bow helped by sniffing out the smell of a campfire. He is smart, Bow said. He is using herbs to stifle the smell of the smoke. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7plK5VBN5E
That’s something Ma would do, Arden thought. Nettle liked studying herbs and what they do. Since Nettle wasn’t a pure-blood elf, she had to hide her true identity, so she dabbled in the magical properties of herbs, too. She knew a lot, Arden thought, and she might like this boy. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzopjYPtYSX
What are you thinking? Bow asked. He always did this, even though through their telekinetic bond, Bow already knew. Bow used to say it would help Arden to communicate his feelings and emotions if he put them into words–and since Bow knew everything about Arden, it wasn’t embarrassing or difficult–but still practice, he always said. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMnflbKPy0
I’m thinking about Ma, Arden replied. I’m thinking…about how lonely I have been, about how I want a companion. I’ve never had one. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3pi6jXHDt
You have me, Bow said. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeNa9xQoEn
You know what I mean, Arden said. Like, in a romantic sense. I want to be close to someone. I’ve always wanted it, but everyone has always just…avoided me. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVBx3bLATi
I do, Bow said, know what you mean. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLSkSjmVSY
Just then, they had passed from the shade of the trees into the sun, which was beaming down mercilessly into the clearing. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYXjlgwdjn
What do you see? Arden asked. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdIBIPxLyY
He is gone, Bow said. He has run. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qHJmWFlff
Oh, Arden replied. He had hoped…I had hoped that maybe I could befriend him. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhbNplgKMc
Some people do not want to make a friend, Bow said in his ever-helpful way. But we will follow him. As I said, he needs to talk about something. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVgBUc5bfI
Okay, Arden replied. He felt Bow’s muscles rippling underneath him again as he moved. He sniffed out the boy, following him, until he stopped. I see him. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BiSM06Qhv
What do you see? What is he doing? Arden asked. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjkm8uF1mi
Inspecting fungi, Bow replied. He showed the boy a likeness of what he saw, the boy intent on what he was looking at, all pale and bright and small, yet looking so sad. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqHgP2BCTh
Arden grinned, wanting to cheer the boy up. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZ2wVyTY1B
Don’t do it, Bow cautioned. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPwUIHnNL7
I’ll be fine, Arden said. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwDdgflKaE
“You’ve been caught,” he said, stepping toward Fynley and placing a hand on his shoulder. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAccLILV1U
》《732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEi8cQtwsAA
The boy looked terrified. Bow’s disapproval buzzed in Arden’s head. “I–I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to–I just–"732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9RdHsbZ0K
“Caught?” he whispered. “You–you are going to turn me in?” 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSt57upHLIZ
“N-no. I’m sorry, it was a joke, you just seem so sad and I just–I wanted to cheer you up. But I don’t have very much experience with people, so I messed that up, didn’t I?” 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEietE5zhJY
Fynley looked skeptical. “Uh…okay. Why would you want to–?”732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnP7KNFSDX7
“I don’t want anyone to feel as lonely as I have,” Arden blurted. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6mNAMklhX
Good job, Bow said, but at the wrong time.732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvio9KiJ9Fz
The boy still looked hesitant, so Arden stuck his hand out. “My name is Arden.” He smiled as the other boy took his hand, though hesitating to speak. 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1FYGSCoqr
“F-Fynley. My name, I mean. It’s Fynley.” 732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHL8i2g8gZ
“Okay,” Arden said. “Nice to meet you, Fynley.”732Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroaSS37dfs
and then Add to home screen.