Felltree Marsh i was in darkness

She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.  Her dark brown tail wagged but twice in response to his answer in the affirmative.  Banner, though not usually one to rely on others, was now grateful to this male for two reasons: one, because he'd offered the crane to her, and two, because he'd now further assist her by carrying it back to the Keep.  She really hadn't wanted to drag all those gorgeous feathers through the muck of the marsh, though she did acknowledge in the back of her mind that it was a childish notion.  She hadn't indulged in such thoughts for a long time.  Back during those days on her own, caring about something so trivial was a worthless flight of fancy.

Acclimating to pack life had slowly begun to change her.  All for the better, she'd hoped.

Her verbal thanks died on her lips when he drew closer.  Banner had a short list of wolves she allowed in her personal space these days.  They were mostly Stark, Stark, Captain, and Stark.  Did she mention Stark?  Right.  She paused, swallowed, lifted her head and backed up a step.  Her bright green eyes watched as he reached down to grasp the crane.  The thought struck her just then that Ghost must have felt something similar when she'd moved closer to him earlier.  It clicked - she understood.

Banner cleared her throat.  "Thank you" she said, the words sounding almost strangled to her own ears.  She turned back toward the Keep and woofed quietly - it seemed like a safer option than speaking the words "this way" or "follow me".  Eyeing the line of willow trees in the distance, the short female started off through the marsh, careful to set her paws down on what she'd hoped were more solid bits of land instead of goopy mud.