"Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling"...

[babblingriver]

River had spent a fair amount of time in the library, reading and re-reading a number of books; not for enjoyment or learning, exactly, but more to distract her troubled mind. Thoughts of the impending war had consumed many of her thoughts, and her inability to reach a decision frustrated her. She disliked being frustrated and found it easier to

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[birdofnight]

"How-" Stopping her self short with the mental reminder that her friend was a Seer, Raven left this question unasked.

"Look...about prom..." Despite hiding in the shadows of her hooded cloak, discomfort and confusion could be seen in Raven's dark eyes. "I know we haven't talked much since then. And even though you were spending a lot of that time with your former crewmates...I'm sorry, if I've been avoiding you."

"I never meant to hurt you," the Witch added after a pause. Cautiously she reached out to brush River's bangs out of her face, so that she could not hide behind them. "I hope that's not why you seem so down."

[babblingriver]

River smiled and shook her head. "No, it's not. I know you're a loner, and you've probably been busy. I've just had a lot on my mind lately. War and turmoil." She paused, reflecting on how she tended to speak cryptically. "This time a little more literally than I typically mean it." She sighed. "Decisions don't want to come, and balance is tipped. I get dizzy," she said, pointing to her head.

[birdofnight]

"War? Is that why the Serenity landed, because they want you to fight?" Raven stopped to think things through in her mind. "That must be why you're choosing to take so many classes this semester. To keep yourself busy in order to distract yourself from these concerns."

Looking into River's eyes, Raven still could not glean any hints as to what the older girl would do. "I take it that...you still haven't decided?"

[babblingriver]

"It's not the only reason, but they didn't visit solely for a social call, that's certain," River said with a sigh.

"It's difficult to decide. It's... nearly impossible. To choose to fight a battle that I started, a battle that I should be fighting... or to choose to stay here, to learn like I always wanted... to stay safe. To stay with Simon. To stay with you."

She stared into Raven's eyes for several moments before turning her gaze down to the book on the table. "Osiris is one of the first locations that they plan to attack. I was born on Osiris, grew up on Osiris. It's also the capital of the Alliance, and it's where the Academy is located. It's my fight, my war... and it's my life. It frustrates me. It should be easy for me to decide." She dropped her head down to the table with a soft clunk. "It claws at my mind."