Sable smiled and looked back at their little game, picking up the piece again.
"Then we can play again tomorrow," he said happily. "When Boo is back, we can show him the game."
Lucien nodded calmly.
"Yes. He will want to play."
"He will want to tell stories," Felix added. "Many stories. About his ghost tower elders. About his festival. About everything."
Kelpie laughed softly, water droplets spraying gently.
"Yes. He will tell us everything."
Rocky clutched his stone a little tighter against his chest, looking down at it.
"I will show him this tomorrow," he said quietly, almost to himself. "He asked about it before. He wanted to see the one with the sparkle."
Sable leaned closer to Lucien again, already returning to their game, his attention shifting back to the little piece in his hand.
"Let's continue," he said.
Lucien nodded, and the two resumed playing, their movements calm and focused again, Sable's concentration returning, Lucien's quiet guidance steady as ever.
