She came back to check on @Qilaq the following morning, just as she said she would.  The roar of the falls was not difficult to find even if she was not familiar with the territory.  When she rounded the corner, eyes on the floor, she expected to see Qilaq's dark form.

But she wasn't there.  She could have been irritated, but she wasn't; it meant that Qilaq had restored some of her strength, and that was a good sign.  She took the time to go hunt two medium-sized birds (she didn't want the girl to overeat), and then nose to the ground she moved towards the girl's scent trail, which had thankfully been untouched by the wash of the falls.  She wasn't far, beneath the heavy arms of one of the willows, and Seabreeze curled up a distance away in the sun.

Good morning.

It is nice to see you awake.  She had been worried for some time that perhaps Qilaq had gone somewhere to die; she'd been weak enough that the thought wasn't too much of a stretch.  She noses the bird towards Qilaq (it's in sorry state; she wasn't lying when she said she was a bad hunter) and holds onto the other for now.  Are you hungry?

She allows Qilaq the time and space it takes for her to trust.  She has not been abused in such a way, or not to the same extent as the girl before her.  It makes her feel as if she's out of her element, but she knows that Qilaq is more out of her element than Seabreeze could ever be.  The only thing that worries her is how quick the food goes down.  She wants to assure her that there will be more coming even though it will do no good, and she hopes that it does not come up later.

How do you feel this morning?

"Where is...?"

Perhaps it's those who tormented her, or perhaps it's someone that had been held captive alongside her.  Perhaps it's someone else.  Seabreeze isn't a mindreader, and she doesn't try to discern.  She can't offer knowledge she doesn't have and it has been a long time since she has met a stranger.  Maybe if she can figure out where the girl came from she'd be of some help. But again, it's not her place to pry.

It is a little exhausting, though.  She doesn't know what the girl needs aside from her necessities, and it seems that she can't articulate it herself.  So for now patience will see her through.  It's okay, she says, who are you looking for?

She's tried not to let her own upset show and she surmises that she's failed at how the girl reacts, but her next question is clear enough that Seabreeze can answer and she supposes that at least there was that.  This is Elysium, she says, we're a pack that doubles as a sanctuary for those in need.  We just moved here.  She doesn't offer any more information for now because she doesn't want to overwhelm her.

Her body moves as if she's laughing or crying or about to throw up, maybe, although there is no sound that accompanies the movement.  She prepares herself for all three, but in the end nothing comes of it.  She blinks away her confusion as Qilaq blinks away her tears.  

I can stay?  As long as you need, or as long as you want to be.  I don't know what happened, but you're safe here with us.  We'll heal your wounds and feed you.  I can tell the others to give you space, if you'd like.  There aren't many of us, but there are enough that it could be scary.

Okay, Qilaq says and Seabreeze is relieved.  She does not have to worry about the girl running away now, or about a packmate finding her and scaring her away.  The first thing she will do when she leaves the girl's side will be to let her packmates know to give her space.  You don't have to know, right now.

But she knows that will be little help.  I don't remember a lot of things about my life, either.

There's something about Qilaq that makes her think she isn't a failure, after all.  Even if Ibis is going through a phase and almost everyone else seems to hate her for some reason or another that she can't fathom or place, Qilaq is assured by her.  Maybe if she can help this one wolf, it will mean something.  Maybe healing Qilaq will make her feel like a mother again.

The girl is talking more, and Seabreeze continues to encourage her in that same silent way.  Summer, she says softly.  This summer was not kind to her, and if she had to guess it likely wasn't kind to Qilaq, either.  What do you need?  What would help you the most?