Try as you might, the question proves more daunting than you thought! What… what IS most important to you? Love? Friendship? Leaving the world a better place than you left it?

Did you value any of that before you were whisked away to Zoral? Do you care about it now? Your original goal was to head back home, but… but what exactly is waiting for you there?

Is this the memory loss talking… or have you always been so apathetic?

Feeling Volka’s kind, but curious eyes burn into you, you stammer the question back at her! What does she value the most?

“Oh!” She remarks with a surprised blink, “Well I was gonna say a balanced breakfast, but if I REALLY had ta’ think on it…”

Breakfast is pretty important.

“I guess I’d hafta’ say… safety?” She concludes, even though her tone sounds like she’s doubting herself. Safety?

“Yea, well…” Continues the Skog, “I don’t mean, like, listening for carts before crossing the street! I mean being in a situation where… where you’re safe, y’know?”

Now it’s your turn to blink. Like a secure environment?

“Lemme put it this way:” Volka mutters, her face scrunching up as she goes into her patented ‘EXPLAIN MODE’, “I uh… I grew up on the street, yea? Didn’t really have a fireplace ta’ curl up by or mum’s skirt ta’ cling to.”

Right, you nod, but she found Ma, didn’t she? Volka beams.

“Mhm! And being with her, well… that changed everything for me. Wasn’t just surviving anymore… I was able ta’ really take a look at myself and just… figure out who Volka was and who she could be!”

Her smile slumps as the memories kick in. “... Didn’t have much time for that on the streets. Sure, there were some good times: tracking down a hot meal, exploring a new part of Crossroads, spendin’ the day with another streetkid… and the bad stuff made that all more worth it, but…”

Her tail thumps the wall.

“But I still think everyone oughta’ have a safe place ta’ stretch out and grow in.”

Her yellow eyes fall upon you once more. “And y’know what? I think TT found her safety away from her family. With how she acts, I’da never guessed her past was so…” The Skog pauses to nibble on her lower lip.

Tumultuous?

“Right, whatever that means!” She giggles as she gives your shoulder a playful flick! “Mister Big Words…”

>CONTD.