Silvertip Mountain This, too, shall pass

Niita may not have need for a thanks, but Steady still felt it was necessary. He knew from experience that every wolf in the pack should be told how much they're appreciated, whether they needed it to continue what they were doing or not. At the very least, he hoped it made them feel better. But, this is not one of those cases where feeling better was at stake. He wanted Niita to know she was valued.

She was confident she would be fine, and he nodded, knowing she knew he body better than he did. At her comment of the puppies, his gaze roamed the area outside the borders, as if the pups would suddenly appear. I hope so, he said. There were so many things out there that could hurt them, and he knew wolves weren't the only predators that were starving during the famine.

His mind wandered, going over the past several days and what the pack had been through. He remembered coming up on Ezekiel and Niita at the end of a spar, where something had gone wrong. He was assured it was not Ezekiel's fault that she freaked out, but Steady still didn't know why she had suddenly struggled with the spar. Niita, he began. What made you scared during that spar with Ezekiel? he asked, his voice soft, but probing. His expression was curious, his gaze searching hers for signs of a reaction.