She learned from the forest. She learned one thing she holds close to her, as something so rare and precious she hardly dares believe it: Just once, or maybe just sometimes, she can find support and help in others. (Of course, it was a dream. People near her, people for her, are never real, and that distrust has even crept into the dreams lately.)

"A new path?" She doesn't mock it, this time. She knows, of course, that there is more than one way to fulfill her words that she'll keep moving forward. Forward is many directions. But she still doesn't quite embrace it.

"There's no reason to believe it would lead somewhere better."