She had always found it somewhat amusing, that their domains would come to overlap while also being vastly different from one another. Evolution and transcendence - two heralds with different approaches to the notion of change, of becoming a new version of yourself. But where Wilhelm came to symbolize growth, the natural progression from simple to more complex life forms, River represented a departure from the world as they know it, leaving behind all that's considered normal or rational.

It makes sense. He's always been more grounded than her. In many ways, he's a normal teenager finding his path into adulthood while River is just trying to be a whole person. 

She's always looked up to him, feeling so much younger and less mature despite not being that far apart in age. Something about this has a certain childlike innocence, like two kids wandering through the woods together and naming wild animals. River smiles warmly, breathing a little easier than she has in what feels like a long, long time.

"I hadn't thought about it. The first animal I named was Guò." The little nutkin riding around in Thancred's pocket. River grins at Wilhelm. "We can both name them. They're yours too. Wanna take turns?"