Katniss cannot figure why this stallion has so much distrust in her. She has never offered him a reason to doubt the words she is saying and yet, he seems content to question her every word. He looks up at Isra as if she is the all-knowing being, as if she is the one who can tell if Katniss can be trusted. What he doesn’t know is that Isra doesn’t really know her either. She just showed up wanting to help not too long ago. Perhaps something has happened that prevents them both from trusting strangers just wanting to help. Katniss wished that she knew what had happened to break their trust with strangers, but she does not ask this. Instead, she simply enters the water, hoping her actions can speak louder than her words.
Even as she enters the water and looks back to him, his eyes are only on Isra. As he enters the waters, his eyes are fixated on her and Katniss can only sigh softly to herself. She is not going to force the stallion to trust her. He’s either going to trust her or he isn’t, but she is not going to go out of her way to prove herself to him. She will just continue on the path she has chosen and if it leads itself to him, then so be it. If it leads her away, then she’s lost nothing.
So instead of focusing her time and energy on Lysander, she turns to listen to Isra’s story. It’s a long narrative that makes her pause and wonder. She says nothing, only listens. She is aware that the storm still rages on, that the lightening and thunder still echo in the cave. She is also aware when it begins to fade. It seems Isra has heard the fading storm because she too has stopped.
Eyes watch as the mare begins to walk away. Katniss stands there, watching her wander. She watches the stallion follow Isra out of the cave and for a moment, she stands still. As the sound of hoof beats fade into the distances, Katniss listens to the sounds of the cave. The dripping water, the howling of wind, the flapping of wings by the resident bats. All of it is a soothing music to her ears and so she waits.
It is only after a few long moments of silence that Katniss sighs to herself and exits the pool. She stays in the shelter of the cave until the water has dripped from her coat. Only then does she continue through the cave towards the exit. Perhaps she would meet the other two again…perhaps not.
@Lysander @Isra
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