Hajin turned back from the wall and found Loccy sitting very still, a half-eaten cruller in her lap.
Her ears hung flat against her hair, her eyes soft and far away, her smile pasted gentle on her face. Behind her the seated skeletons seemed to lean closer, smiling wider, as if welcoming a new member to the family.
He dropped to one knee in front of her, "Bun, look at me."
"I'm only resting my eyes," she murmured dreamily, "the cruller was so kind to me."
Nyra stood at her knee, gripping Loccy's limp fingers with both hands, horns lowered, glaring at the table.
"Her soul-thread is running into the table," Aria said sharply, "something is drawing out the part of her that wants things."
Juna reached for her daggers, "Then I'm smashing the damn cruller."
"Smashing it won't bring her appetite back," he said, catching her wrist before the daggers cleared their sheaths.
"Visitors, visitors, such lovely company!" a voice sang from behind the boar.
