By the time Cedric had finally decided to head back up the hill to camp, a new sun had begun to rise over Da'nu, and every animal buzzed with excitement over the news. He had thought that he could clear his head to the sound of the crashing waterfall by the bridge, but between the near-constant hooting of owls and the bright-neon trails of powder the fairies left through the air in the darkness, it was just too hard to reason past his emotions.
"What the fark is wrong with me? I can't think..." he said as if expecting himself to answer. Every time he tried to direct his thoughts somewhere else, they always came back to her. To Korva. To the thought of Korva and Petal dancing off into the sunset together, leaving him alone with gnawing jealousy ripping apart his gut. "She barely knows me, but I can change that. I have to show her I am worthy of her hand." He steeled himself as he rounded the last corner on the trail, but his heart sank even further when he reached the top.