Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1998 20:57:07 -0400 From: cindy franklin Subject: Away from Kaika Chuin rode a bit behind Estela. He was still dismayed by the fact that they didn't even go to bury the dead. He had sworn to follow her and so he must. Still, he wished he could go and see if those from the tavern had escaped. To make sure they were alright. He sent up a quick prayer to Father Planting and Mother Harvest that the victims in Kaika found their way to the Fertile Fields. As they continued riding, an occasional wind brought the scent of smoke to them. He couldn't help but think of his own little village and the town that Hana-chan lived in. What if something like this had happened to them?? He pushed the thoughts aside. He couldn't handle the thought of something like that happening to his little flower. And he couldn't forgive Estela for leaving the people of Kaika unburied. He raised his head. He had heard something. A soft sound. He heard it again. The sound of someone sniffling, coming from ahead of him. Estela. He felt ashamed for his mean thought of her, just as he was ashamed that he accused her of being heartless. This bothered her as much as it did him. ::What should I do,:: he wondered. ::Should I go up and talk to her? No, I already put my foot in my mouth once today. Should I just leave her alone, then? But what if she needs someone?:: Chuin sighed. He never got much of a chance to learn about how to act around women. He never understood why they acted the way they did. They seemed to cry an awful lot. His mother said that's the way women were and he'd understand when he got older. Well, he was older and he STILL didn't understand. He sighed again and just stayed behind her.