these hands made of splinters

Nodding as he spoke her name, she merely affirmed that she was who he figured. But he didn't go about divulging any extra information about his joint trip with Tonravik either. Fair enough, she supposed, and it was just as easy for her to return what was important to him. "Successful." He must have known all that he needed to know as well. And all she could hope for was that there would be no desire anywhere to pull her out of the Spine, and most importantly away from Tonravik again. She would not allow it to happen again.

Especially not with all that was brewing on the horizon beyond them. Whatever, or whoever those wolves were who were arrogant enough to continue to breach their borders would be put in their place. And if that didn't work, they would certainly be put down like diseased hounds. What she would have gave to have been there when they had gone... but Tartok's duty extended here and there when it needed to. It was the price of their expansive reign, and of the family that had all found in one another.