Jade Fern Grove the ache and pull of despair

Scimitar passed the conversational buck. As a human, he could have put his skill at reflecting questions to good use as a psychiatrist. Bazi's gazed stayed on the children, soft and watery with the weight of exhaustion and a potent cocktail of conflicting emotions. She was silent for almost a full minute.

"Here," she admitted, looking a little frustrated by her own answer. "Here, with you, waiting to have our second litter." Bazi stole a quick glance in Scimitar's direction, wearing her confusion and defeat like a backpack full of rocks - his evasive way with words had rubbed off on his mate. But what she said had been true — she couldn't imagine any other future, however unlikely it seemed now.