They finished their breakfast.
Aest doused the fire with a bucket of water.
He took some meat from the skewers, let it cool between his fingers, then held it out.
The featherling drifted closer at once. It ate as strangely as it ever had.
Aest watched, openly fascinated.
"Well," he said softly, "I'll miss you."
The featherling circled his hand once, brushing it lightly, then returned to hover near Sonder's shoulder.
Aest leaned back slightly, resting his hands on his knees. "Does she have a name? "
Sonder hesitated, just for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Her name is Sireacht."
"Sireacht?" he repeated. "That's a strange name."
Sonder shook her head. "I don't think any name is strange. Some are just uncommon."
He considered that, then gave a small nod. "Fair enough. I suppose that could be true."
He stood and turned back toward the hut, disappearing inside for a moment. When he returned, he carried a small bundle wrapped in cloth and tied with cord.
He held it out to her.
"Food," he said. "Dried meat, roots, a bit of grain. It should last you about two weeks if you eat lightly. Longer if you decide you don't like it. I don't know how it is with mages, if you just eat little or just when you fancy, but Sireacht needs to eat at least. She needs to grow."
Sonder took the bundle, weighter than it looked.
"Thank you," she said.
He shrugged, as if it were nothing. "It's not much. Just some food."
She put the bundle carefully in her pack, then adjusted the straps across her shoulders. Sireacht drifted closer, settling into her familiar place near Sonder's collarbone.
Sonder thanked Aest for his hospitality and then to go about her way, she cast the Dico spell once again.
Aest stepped back to give her space.
"Sag Eem Soh Urm," she said, and a number of blue lines appeared around her.
"Was that the spell? " Aest asked.
"Yes."
He looked around, squinting and blinking.
"I don't see any difference."
"I suppose it is only visible to me," Sonder said, and she noticed something different from yesterday.
The lines that lead to the Aest hut were gone.
Neither he, nor his home was attached to any of the lines, not strongly and not weakly.
They all lead away from him, or past him.
Sonder guessed now that she found out that none of her desires or wants were here; the spell disregarded the place entirely.
She looked for the strongest thread, and when she found it, she began to follow it, away from Aest.
"Take care of yourselves, both of you," she said and waved after them. "And you don't have to worry about the bed-furs. I got lots of them and meant to replace them for a while!"
"We will, and thank you again! " Sonder replied, waving back.