The time had come.

Sansa stood upon the doorstep to the cabin, taking it in and wistfully staring at it.

She had grown to love the small building. It had been a place she could call her own. Something that she could make for herself. She felt a connection to Nova, and how both of them were healers in the woods.

"You don't have to go."

Sansa turned to face Esmond.

He had come up from the path, his golden eyes watching her as he took in the placement of her hand upon the frame.

"You can stay here. Be our healer. Live in this cabin."

"I know..." there was small longing in her voice. Sansa already knew that traveling, though it was full of wonder and incredible experiences- was not for her.

She wanted a home. She wanted a family. She wanted to come to a place of warmth and acceptance every day. Since she had been cast off from her own family, she had never felt that, and for some reason, since then, that was the only thing Sansa had ever really wanted.

Ironic then, that the mate she was destined to have, did not fit her ideal description. Sansa felt herself smiling at her thoughts. They always carried back to Night.

She turned to look back at Esmond, "I have to continue."

"You've been to so many places already," he whispered, pain lacing his voice, "will you find him?"

Sansa felt shock run through her before she realized the actual meaning of his words. He still thought she was searching for her mate. For someone unknown and never seen before to her.

"I'll find him," she said.

He smiled at her confidence. But there was something fragile and unsure in her words that had him taking a step closer.

"You're always welcome back here."

"Thank you."

He caught her hand, a sudden fierceness in his gaze as he maneuvered her to look at him.

"I mean it Sansa," he growled, "If you are in danger, need help, or a place to rest...come here. Come straight to me."

Sansa slowly pulled away from him, her heart beating faster from his words. He smiled suddenly down at her, a sad smile that made something clench in her chest. It could be easy, Sansa thought, so easy to forget it all and toss away her past.

"Goodbye Esmond," she had to look away to prevent him from seeing the tears that were starting to form in her eyes. She was always saying goodbye. Always having to leave. She was beginning to understand the unbearable pain Night must have endured those long years when they were able to see one another.

Unexpectedly, Esmond reached for her, wrapping her within his arms.

"Don't cry. And don't cry alone at night. You never know who will come. It won't always be me who tries to save you."

Sansa laughed and hugged him back. She felt a deep connection with this male. A friendship that she had not realized that had formed. It was different than the one with Nova. Nova had been like the mother figure she had never had.

But Esmond...he was almost her same age. Sansa realized then that it was the first time she had ever had a friend who might have been so close to her age. Someone that she felt so comfortable with.

"I hope I'll see you again."

Sansa did not say a word. She only pulled away from him and smiled. She did not want to leave any false promises for him to hold onto. No promises for her to worry about keeping. That was how she always had to leave packs. With nothing between them.

She turned and waved away, looking back occasionally to see him still standing and watching her depart. Sansa felt her tears dry up. Her purpose coming back to her.

She shook her head and cleared her throat. She was sad to go. But that was the life she had chosen.

*   *   *

Sansa had looked up a route beforehand that she would take.

She had chosen it specifically because it was a route that Epione had said carried many herbs along the way. Sansa could look through them, collecting and cataloging what she saw as she made her way towards the mountains. Once there, she had heard tales of a pack that was hidden away who specialized in medicine. Sansa wanted to ask questions to their healers, before continuing on to the next nearest pack.

Epione had been right.

An abundance of herbs laid within the forest. The days passed peacefully of her picking and slowly making her way to the mountain that loomed ahead.

Though Sansa seemed absorbed in her work, she was still aware of her surroundings. She had learned this lesson when coming closer than necessary to pack borders. Her eyes were always watching, her sense always making sure that she was alone.

Because of this, Sansa became aware of another presence in the woods.

She quickly hid her body behind a nearby tree, eyes searching for the strange smell.

There was something familiar about it. Maybe she was closer to the pack than she thought? It reminded her faintly of the clinic.

She saw it then.

A male was walking through the woods. She couldn't pull her eyes away from him. His movement was graceful and silent. His steps made no noise upon the foliage and against the brush of the forest.

But his appearance.

Sansa wondered vaguely in the back of her head if he had just shifted. He wore nothing but loose pants. His hair was closely seared, cut short, and leaving his natural color hard to distinguish.

That was not the main thing that caught her attention though.

It was his skin.

The patterns upon his olive skin.

Sansa had not realized what she would do when she actually found a clue linking to Night.

The male had the same white patterns on his skin that Night did. And suddenly Sansa was transported to that memory-

"What is this?"

"It is the reason why I can't stay with you."

Her breathing came in faster. Her vision began to blur as everything in her shut down from the shock of realizing.

Slowly, she followed him.

He stopped.

Sansa felt her breath catch as the male turned around to look at her.

They stared at one another, neither one breaking eye contact.

"Wait."

Sansa said the word, even as the male held himself still. He acted almost like he was the prey, and she the predator.

She took a hesitant step closer, and a dangerous gleam came into his eyes.

He turned back and continued walking forward.

"Wait."

Sansa felt her feet move to reach him. But even with his steady walk, she couldn't reach him. Her limbs were heavy and her whole body began to throb. She felt her vision blur around her and panic seeped in.

No. No. No. No.

Not now. She couldn't let go of this chance now. Not when she was so close.

With all the determination she could, with all the effort and willpower she could gather, Sansa moved her legs. She clenched her teeth, gripping them against the pain.

The male turned around but stopped in surprise to see her still trying to pursue.

She saw his hesitation.

Then he ran.

The strange pain that had come over her left. He was out of her sight, but Sansa moved to where he had stood. She continued moving, pushing away the low hanging branches and rushing forward towards where she thought he could be.

"Wait! Please!" She shouted her words into the air, hearing nothing reply back. Her sobs began to grow, interrupting her breathing and making it harder and harder for her to continue.

"I just want to see him," her hands fell to her knees. Her head dropped and a scream she had been holding in fell from her mouth, "Let me see him!"

She took a step forward.

Was there a hole there? Sansa had not even realized how close to the mountain she was. It was right there, staring at her in the face. She was in front of it. Was there a hole? Had she fallen into something? Her step had made her fall. Her heart lifted up, moving until it felt like it was in her throat. She was falling.

Falling.

She could see nothing but darkness.

No sound could come out of her mouth from the shock.

She was falling.

She felt the weightless sensation of gravity abandoning her, and nothing but air struggling to hold her up. But the effort was in vain. The sensation continued.

Until pain. Pain. Nothing but the darkness now of pain. 

First chapter of Part 3 to be posted soooooonn!