The water was cool and refreshing as it slid down the crane's throat, his head bobbing up from the small spring he'd found. He was supposed to be scouting, but thirst had derailed his flight and taken him beyond the distance Willow had laid out for him. Waving Vine seemed to pay this no mind, however, as one leg lifted lazily, hovered, and unfurled back to the ground. A quick look around satisfied him enough that he lowered his head again to taste the water, wings ruffling pleasantly. All was well.
Or it would've been, had Willow known and approved of his pit stop. While her companion was meant to scout the land and find what she had yet to see, she never quite liked the idea of him getting too far away. With the time that had passed, he should've returned. When he didn't, she picked up her pace.
Where she was always quite leisurely in her journey on a normal day, taking the time to note landmarks and other points of interest, she did none of that now. Her mind was set forward, urging her to find her companion. If only Lit in Ritual hadn't wandered off as he often did, he could've helped her look.
Melancholies