and my ears will listen

[truthwright]

Time goes by. Shura's mother lets her cut a cloudpine branch, and she and Helen go flying together.

Helen celebrates her eighth birthday by baking all her favourite people a cake again. And then she goes away with Kas, to Iceland and Russia and back by way of Alaska.

When they fly in, Kas on Petaal's cloudpine and Helen on her own, Helen is wearing blue jeans and a pink T-shirt.

Comments

[carillons]

Helen snorts. "Yeah."

[subastra]

"If we'd been born earlier we would've gotten to meet her. She was in our clan."

[carillons]

"I know," says Helen.

[subastra]

"I just think it's cool," shrugs Shura.

[carillons]

"I guess."

[subastra]

"You don't seem to think it's that cool."

[carillons]

"Don't I?"

[subastra]

"You don't! How come?"

[carillons]

She shrugs.

"I dunno. I'm hungry; do you want to come see what there is to eat at Ranata's house?"

[subastra]

"Yeah, okay."

[carillons]

They go to Ranata's house.

There are muffins!

Nom nom.

[subastra]

Muffins!