The girl’s eyes fluttered open, cloudy and unfocused. They were the color of burnt chestnuts and Deglan smiled down into them. His smile faded when the blankness returned to the child’s face. He rose and carried the girl up with him, but immediately placed her on her feet. She stood silently, barely taking in her surroundings. Her dress was simple, but sturdily made of wool and her shoes were still sound. Deglan pulled a piece of cheese from his satchel and held it out to her. She looked at it and then up at him, but made no further move.

“My name is Deglan,” he ventured. “Deglan Loamtoes. What is your name?”

She blinked.

He nodded. “Blink it is then. Well met. So Blink, I need some help. I have a long way to go today and no one to talk with, which can be very lonely. But if I had you to keep me company, then I believe the day would be much brighter.” Deglan held out his hand. “Will you walk with me?”

Her little hand came up and clutched his gently. He nodded and started off at an easy pace and the girl stayed right by his side. As the morning drew on, they stayed hand in hand and Deglan told her the names of every tree and plant they passed, trying to sound as light as he could while still staying alert for danger. While he spoke, he casually offered her the cheese again and this time she took it, munching quietly as she put one small foot in front of the other. She never looked around, her gaze fixed at a point just beyond her feet, but she trudged dutifully along, keeping the pace. Deglan stopped regularly to make sure he did not over exert her and managed to get her to take some water from his skin. He had little in the way of provisions left, but the forest would provide long enough for them to reach their destination. Or so he hoped.

Deglan had not been this far away from Hog’s Wallow in centuries. He did not know which of the human clans, if any, dwelled in these lands or what their customs were. And he would not have left Blink with them even if he did. No one was safe in any community. Their only hope was Toad Holm, if it was still there.