Narda came out not long after and huffed as she sat with them again. “Her Majesty isn’t hungry,” she said with a mock flourish of her hand, then took her portion of the hares as well as Kire’s. She glanced at the sleeping Ruli briefly with a shake of her head before chewing on her meal. She had scarcely gone halfway through when Kire emerged from the tent, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She took a seat next to Narda, who eyed her suspiciously.
 
“Is that mine?” Kire asked, pointing to the giantess’s meal. Narda rolled her eyes and gave her the portion meant for her. Kire dug in as if she hadn’t had her own breakfast earlier today at Elva’s. “So, we’ll be burning the thicket tonight?” she said, pausing from her meal. “We’ll have to be careful. Even without magic involved, burning something this large could be disastrous under the worst conditions.” She listed off her ideas and possible strategies, which Narda noted now and then with an occasional grunt. While it was an important conversation, Narda also knew Kire well enough that this was also more for the Wyvern to apply her mind to work and not dwell on what had been bothering her. 

“And I’ll need your help with something later, Nard,” Kire added. “Portal-related. I think tearing that world gate apart’s changed mine a bit. I was able to transport people without needing to jump through the portal, myself. Would be bloody useful in a fight if I can master it.” 
This time Narda looked at her. “Doesn’t the portal use exhaust you? You said it almost killed you to use it three months ago.”

“Ah, so you do listen,” Kire put in, to which Narda ruffled Kire’s hair hard. 
“I pay attention when you tell me you did something stupid, little Wyvernling.” 
Kire grumbled and pushed her hand away, though she left her own hair a mess. “You’re right. But something’s different about it this time. I don’t think I’ll be able to use it in the same scale as when I was siphoning the gate’s energy, but it sort of—” she gestured with her other hand, trying to find the words, “shook something loose? I can’t explain it properly, it’s just a feeling.” Kire returned to her meal, chewing thoughtfully and pointedly avoiding looking at Ruli against the tree.