run. [nel & lillis]

[Lillis]

She was chewing salt beef when she said: "Most of them were slaughtered." And then bread, when she added: "But my grandmother's still on Mura." She swallowed her food with a satisfied hum and turned pale blue eyes on Nel. "I left five years ago -- my mother, my sisters and I -- we were going to Riverfall, to meet my father's family. Well, also because my eldest sister, Isla, was seriously anti-mating, and my mom was hoping that the rampant testosterone of the Akalak clans would, I dunno... inspire in her some sort of dormant desire to spawn. Anyway, we -- my other sisters and I -- hadn't been to Riverfall since we were born (I think I was 2 when we left) and so we all went with them. Anyway, we're en route, and..." She paused, glancing sidewise at her companion before simply bobbing one shoulder in a shrug. "You don't want to hear this story. Point is, they're dead and it's really sad." A pause, in which that statement rang true. "But someone saved me, so. Here I am. Eating salt beef." Which she munched gaily upon. "What about you?"