The pale autumn light had faded away by the time Ashlynn, Heila and Ollie exited the longhouse. Smoke poured from the chimneys of every loghouse, filling the air with the faint scent of burning pine and the distant sound of large families gathering around the central hearth to begin their own evening meals.
High above, the brightest stars were just barely beginning to pierce their way through the soft, midnight blue sky, sending a momentary pang of loneliness through Ashlynn's heart. After spending the entire summer apart, and most of fall as well, it felt like she'd only just returned to her lover's side before they were forced to separate yet again.
This time it would be brief, only a few more days before she could gaze once again into Nyrielle's glittering, midnight eyes, but every day they were apart felt longer than it should, and the nights they shared together felt far too brief.
