Lost Creek Hollow don't you weep and don't you worry

The cougar had sent yet another of her wolves back home damaged both physically and spiritually. And while Harlyn knew there was yet another of hers in the demon cat's clutches, part of her hoped that Ishi would not return for the simple fact that she could not bear the sight of yet another packmate dragging themselves across the borders, broken and dying while she looked on, helpless to stop it.

She had dreamed of him again last night. She wasn't surprised at this of course; she dreamed of him every night. Thoughts of him kept her awake well after the sun set, and when finally she did sleep, it was thoughts of him that brought her jolting back awake long before the sun returned. Harlyn's dreams continued to urge her to find Luke, but she was too exhausted. Besides, now she had Shikoba to look after, and though the spirits told her that to save her pack, she needed to find Luke, the healer told her to stay and save one of the few packmates she had left.

It was in a state of hopeless exhaustion that Mordecai was to come upon his mate. In all of the turmoil their pack was going through, she was at least grateful for the attention he gave to their children. She wasn't sure how she would have pulled through without his help in at least this part of their lives. It was this that she tried to remember when she felt the strain of being the sole alpha; this that she tried to recall when it fell to her to direct the hunts, to make the decisions, and to keep their dwindling members together and happy. It helped her to keep at bay the disappointment she felt in his behavior since the loss of Ilya, and the doubt that plagued her when she thought of how she had chosen him, and had thus lost Luke seemingly forever.

Harlyn shut her eyes against the waning daylight and swallowed hard as the venomous thoughts began to creep into her heart. She prayed that the gods give her strength to hold on. They had chosen this path for her. They had given her all of the desires of her heart. They would see her through this as well, if she could simply hold on as the path twisted wildly before her.