you put your arms around me

[shepherddain]

WHO: Dain and Tuo
WHAT: A thing happened and that probably warrants a discussion of some kind
WHEN: A few days after the aforementioned thread, probably right before the cold snap
WHERE: Tuo's wagon outside the village walls
NOTES: One of these two is emotionally well-adjusted and the other is in denial, no prizes for guessing which is which

Every single day has been busy. Eventually, that fact has no choice but to stop being an excuse.

Ironically, the soliders provide a fairly safe cover -- with so many focused on them and their movements, it's easier for Dain to go unnoticed for extended periods of time, and that's what he ultimately takes advantage of. It's just after dusk, and there's thin smoke rising over the village wall, so the only thing that puts Dain in a hurry is the cold. He would swear it's gotten progressively worse every single day, but it's hard to tell when every part of you is numb.

A gentle knock; a quiet plea. "Tuo? Are you home?"