Bearclaw Valley greensprout

There was a moment during which his gaze softened as he leaned, unconsciously, into his wife’s touch; that someone could make him feel so strange was still a new concept to him—perhaps it always would be. It lingered for no longer than a second as his expression hardened and he straightened back out, queer gaze locked on the stranger. He was there to join, though Xan couldn’t help but be skeptical, given his physical state. There were two women carrying his children, whelps soon to be born that he would need to push resources towards—he could not so easily grant access to someone that he suspected might take and give nothing in return.

“What can you bring to the pack?” he asked, setting aside his suspicions for now.