She watches her expressions carefully, smiling when Mireille gives her an affirmative answer on Hildegard and following her part of the way.

"Good. T'be honest, I was already dreadin' leavin' you behind. If we start off fairly soon, it'll be a couple hours, but we should get there by sundown. I can ride in, talk t'John, tell 'im I need a place t'lay, me an' a friend, then come back out an' fetch you after dark. Hildegard can follow us overhead, hunker down somewhere in the back forty. Ah — if she gets hungry, though, she's gotta be careful 'bout pickin' off cows nobody'll miss right away."

Her lips twist. She sure wasn't expecting this. Why is it folk are stumbling out into her world now?

Maybe you aren't as alone as you think.

It's an interesting complication, anyhow. She won't let anything happen to Mireille now that she's been found, come hell or high water. The same goes for Hildegard. No matter what happens in Cuero, Kate will see to it she gets back to Weyland. For whatever reason she showed up here, now, she's in Kate's care. And she is so glad to see her alive and, for the most part, well.

To that effect, she closes the distance between them and hugs her again.

"I'm so happy you're here. I was so worried I'd never get t'see you again."