(Winter's POV)
She walked alone.
The corridor stretched long enough that her footsteps echoed back to her, a solitary rhythm that she found she didn't mind. Kat had peeled off at the junction—Gamma duties, Winter, more pressing than protein—with the datapad tucked against her hip and an apology in her eyes that Winter had waved away before it could fully form.
They had paused there in the intersection, two women who had spent the morning bleeding effort into each other's hands, and hugged. "It is amazing having someone like you here at Bloodstone pack Winter." Kat said into her shoulder. "You may need to handle the training after lunch," Kat had murmured against her shoulder. "I can't promise I'll be done with this quickly."
Winter had nodded, saying nothing. The hug saying all that w
