“What’s so funny?” Sage asked. Her hands were fisted in her skirt, and when she saw Leelo looking at them, she quickly released the fabric and attempted to smooth it out.

“Nothing,” Leelo said, taking a seat on the grass. It was still late afternoon, and the ground felt warm and alive beneath her. “How are you, Hollis?”

He shrugged. “All right. I’m getting tired of Watcher duty. Kris can’t seem to stop talking.”

“I’m sorry about your sister.” Leelo ran her fingers through the grass, only vaguely aware of the earth vibrating beneath her touch. “I didn’t realize she was leaving until today.”

Sage’s gaze snapped to Leelo, as if she’d done something wrong by mentioning Violet.

But Hollis only shrugged again. “She’s kind of a pain anyway.”

Leelo visibly flinched, but Sage’s lips twitched in a grin. “I know what you mean.”

Angry and hurt, Leelo rose and went to where Tate and Violet were playing. The litter of kittens was probably around ten weeks old, ready to be weaned. Tate was holding a brown-and-white kitten with tufted ears and a pink nose.

“This one’s my favorite,” Tate said, holding her out for Leelo to admire. “I wish I could keep her.”

Leelo stroked the kitten’s fur and smiled. “I wish you could, too.” They played with the kittens for a while, laughing at their antics, until Mrs. Harding yelled, “Time to eat!” from the house. Leelo helped put the kitten back into its basket, but it promptly climbed out and followed Tate to the house, where Mrs. Harding gently nudged it away from the threshold with her foot and closed the door behind them.

Mr. Harding was a big man, which explained Hollis’s size. He was seated at the head of the table, with Hollis at the other end. Leelo couldn’t help but notice how different it was to be in a household with men. Ten years had passed since her father died alongside Sage’s, and she’d forgotten how much space men could take up. At home, their table was round, with no one’s position more favorable than anyone else’s.

Violet, a small girl with her brown hair in twin pigtails, was wide-eyed but silent as everyone passed around the food and ate. Leelo wondered how someone so shy would manage out there. It would be hard enough for Tate, but Violet was half his size, and as far as Leelo knew, no one had ever taught her to hunt.

“Leelo?”

She glanced up to see the others looking at her. “I’m sorry, did you say something?”

“I was just asking how Isola has been doing.” It was Mrs. Harding who spoke, but everyone was looking at Leelo intently. “Your mother said you’ve been spending time with her.”