Mal, on the contrary, missed the movement of the air on her skin. She stretched out flat on the rock when she had finished her oatcake, looking up at the sky, and passed a hand over her face to block out the sun.

"There should be something," she agreed, "not just . . . miles and miles and miles of nothingness."

She considered the idea. It would be useful - if they ever wanted to get back to the Cave. But there was so much space out here, she wondered if there was really any point in drawing a map that would essentially just lead from point A to point B with no consideration for the entirety of the rest of the world.

"It might be useful, yes, but . . . Do you want to go back to the Cave?" she asked, honestly curious. Maybe Re-l was expecting someone.