The Valdari girl was returned before dawn.
Katarina didn't see her come back through the gate. She heard the gate, then the soft scuff of feet across the dirt, and by the time she turned her head, the girl was already curled on her side against the wall opposite Eva, with her back to the pen and her knees pulled up against her chest.
Nobody asked her anything.
A few of the human students tried, in whispers, and gave up when she didn't respond. One of the faculty went over and sat down near her without speaking and stayed there for a long time. The girl didn't move, didn't turn her head, didn't make a sound.
Katarina watched her for maybe a minute.
Then she made her decision.
She gathered them in pieces, slowly, in small shifts of position over the next hour.
