Qeya River "if only, if only," the woodpecker sighs

His mouth twisted in indecision as he pondered how to respond to her question. To give away too little could come off as rude; too much, and he could be giving away pack secrets. Nevertheless, he finally settled on a middling explanation, saying, "She gave birth to pups a few weeks ago, so she's busy with them, naturally."

He continued on to ask the question he had forgotten to ask before. "So what is your history, if I might ask?" Denali kept his tone blandly neutral, seeking nothing but an answer from the dark-furred. . .what had she called herself? Oh, right, Heda.