King Elk Forest What Arrows

He was close enough they could still talk comfortably and Rowan smiled at him. His cousin ran the pack, as hers had before - though she and Lasher had not been able to pin the titles of their association it seemed easy enough to call both he and Casmir cousins at this point. "It was the same for me in Donnelaith, where I lived before." She explained. "I was no longer welcome after my pregnancy, but Casmir, my cousin, vouched for my presence in the Creek." It was the simplest explanation of what had happened and she spoke without seeking pity. It was an explanation, nothing more, nothing less. Of course it did expose that she was alone, that the puppies' father was not in the picture - though she had not explained his death. She didn't want to touch on that right then. 

She gave a little sigh and nodded, "It was very tough. Lasher passed away from the heat just after we started to recover from the famine - Donnelaith is not the place it once was." She said quietly. "I feel there were many losses - with any luck though we will have time to recover properly before winter approaches." Her fear was her solitude. She did not want to be a burden to the pack and her children would have only a few precious months to grow before winter came along.