Farewell

It was almost morning when I was ready to leave. My whole adopted family cried over me. I had to promise them each, in turn, I would be careful and maybe even come visit someday.

"It's not really a goodbye," I soothed Lin, "It's a farewell for now."

They lent me their boat and I promised to care for it well. I tried to imagine what sailing it alone would be like. I tried not to imagine crashing it but how different could it be from driving back when I had been human? The instincts were surely still there.

I had packed myself a bag with a few day's rations, a change of clothes, and the blanket Lin had pushed on me. I also had a carving from Quiz and a lucky stone Qua had found the day of the giant ant.

How lucky that stone actually was... I just thanked him and moved on to Mum. She held out a jar full of little green stones.