Mira had packed the first piece for someone almost home. 🍃
THE BOOK OF TAD
PAGE 123
THE SECOND SWEETROOT 🍃
Vael reached the nursery the following morning, after sleeping on the known branch.
Sora listened once. Then she asked about Pip, the supply route and the injured flipper. Vael answered each question before she began sorting food.
“Marno and Nibble choose what their work needs,” she said. “Pip decides what can travel. Tell them to use what we’ve sent and bring me the account afterwards.”
She added a fresh harness strap and more soft wrapping weed to the bundle.
Brink would accompany Vael back with the heavier load. Sora needed him to keep supplies moving at the landing, not join a search in the corridor.
Mira waited beside the food stone.
“Is TurboTAD hurt?”
“He can swim. He’s tired and worried.”
“Did he eat his almost-home piece?”
Vael had seen the strap break. He told her that the wrap had been lost.
Mira looked down at the sweetroot Sora was dividing.
“Oh.”
She chose a small piece from her own share.
“This one can be for Glint.”
Vael tucked it above the wrapping weed.
He did not turn round immediately. Sora put a meal in front of him, and there was a sleeping hollow waiting. He and Brink would set out after a full rest, with the next morning’s light.