Larksong Grotto christine

He had forgotten. The details of the tale Terich had weaved were lost in subconscious memory— but the circumstance of Vuk and Terich's departure from the ridge didn't matter, just as the details of Jhala's departure from the same pack was of no consequence, at least not to Reek. Wether the story was a lie or not, he would have taken the family in no matter what. The child needed him and the pack he provided -- and the woman, he could tell she needed him too.

There was a sadness to her that he instantly connected to. She was broken just as he was: lost and clinging to life by a thread. The extent of her loss was punctuated by a shrill outcry, full of emotion. Initially, Reek recoiled in surprise. Four. There were four. He blinked rapidly and finally remembered that she had lost her children on the way (according to Terich's story, that is) and that Seff was the only survivor. His gaze immediatly fell to his feet.

There was nothing he could do to fix her in an emotional sense -- nor could she do anything to fix him.

She broke down and reached for him. Reek stayed firmly rooted to the spot as she sobbed into his shoulder. Only recently, he had been in her same position -- a broken wreck, but then, he had no one to cling to, to tell him that it was all going to be alright. He leaned in close and whispered the words he had hoped to hear himself when he broke down weeks prior: "You're not alone."

As Vuk slipped away, Reek remained at her side -- adamant that he would not budge until she came to.