After dinner, instead of everyone dispersing immediately, people lingered. Someone produced a stringed instrument and began playing. Children ran around with the particular wild energy that came right before bedtime. Adults talked in clusters, the low hum of community in comfortable gathering.
Corran introduced Aria, Liora, and Kaelan around casually. Not as formal visitors but as friends from Moonvalley here to share some healing knowledge. People responded with curiosity but without the weight of expectation Aria had felt in Redstone.
"You are really the one who escaped the Collectors?" a young man asked directly, no preamble.
"Yes," Aria said simply.
"That is amazing," he said. "Must have been terrifying."
"It was," Aria admitted. "But I had help escaping and a whole pack that came to rescue me. Was not just individual heroism."
"Still counts," the young man said. "Most people do not survive that."
