Hey Dairy,

  We spent today in Setemup. It’s not quite as nice as other cities I’ve visited. I thought that when we left the castle, after dropping off the papers, and then I realized I’ve been to enough cities to know this isn't a great one! Sure, I haven't been to a thousand places, but I’ve been to enough to have opinions!

  If someone had told me a year ago that soon I’d have enough traveling experience to compare cities, I wouldn't have believed it. I mean, I’d never been anywhere! And now I’m so far from where I started that I’m staying next door to a treant lady tonight!

  And yeah, I’ve seen other races before, but I never really met them. I didn't learn their names or get asked to have dinner with them.

  Oh, her name is Sally. I met her after lunch today. Maeve went to get her claws done, but mine are ok, so I decided to go back to the room and practice rune carving. When I was about to go into my room, she was coming out of hers, and we just started talking. I kinda ended up spending the whole afternoon with her. And we had dinner together.

  I hope that wasn't rude of me. I mean, I didn’t have anything better to be doing, but I don't know if she did. Well, she looked sad when I said I was fine staying in the room with my group, and didn't need to spend the night… with…

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  Hold up.

  Wellp, when I asked Maeve if I’d been on a date with Sally today, she just facepalmed. Asking if that was a “yes” got her to scream into a pillow.

  So, I, um.

  By Bonnie I’m so stupid.

  I should have figured it out! I thought maybe holding hands was just a treant thing! I should have known, no, that was flirting. And I was totally flirting back.

  Gaaaaahhh.

  Should I go over there? Apologize? But what would I say, “sorry I’m as dense as a brick”? No, apologizing would just make things more awkward. And I mean, I did have fun today. She is pretty, and funny, and she smells good…

  I’m an idiot.

  I could go over there and tell her I changed my mind? But she might ask why, and I don't want to explain that it took me an hour to figure out what she was offering.

  Saying that might make me look like a little kit from a small town who hasn't ever really dated before. Which, yes, is what I am, but I don't want her to know that.

  Well, here’s hoping I never, ever, ever see her again. That way I won't have to explain anything.

  I wonder if she’s heading further into Owonyan or back to Raddish. If she's traveling towards Raddish tomorrow, she might ask to go with us.

  I feel like that would be super fun, but it would also be a distraction. I need to practice carving runes; I’ve decided to practice as much as I can until we get to Mouse, and that’s where I’ll carve the rhodonite. To do all that, I need to be in a bedroom by myself, not alone with a cute…

  I'm an idiot.

  Signing off,