Blackfeather Woods If I had a heart

Damien was trying to forget about Xivilai, about how powerless he was against those who took her, but that alone was enough for the memory to stain his mind, his ego, forever. Kove had not said anything yet, but Damien supposed he had already noticed about her absence. They both, him and Nemesis, had already brought four of their own to the world, so Damien doubted that Xivilai's disappearance would bring them much sadness.

And Seff, well, he was a whole other story. Damien had a hard time reading him. He knew the child remembered his mother, his birthpack and Raas whoever that was. But Potema was right, so far there had been nothing that told him that Seff wanted to get back home. He was learning their ways, their lore, but still Damien couldn't shake off the feeling that it would end up badly for them.

Then finally there was Althaia. It was impossible to forget what had happened the last time an outsider whelped in the Spiderlings' Glen, and Althaia too had her mate to attempt the escape. "What if she doesn't?" asks the dark prince grimly, "I think we both know that the only way we can ensure mother's work will live on is to breed our own kin," he suggests, looking at his sister intensely, knowing that she was probably close to be fertile if she wasn't already. That was what Meldresi had done herself back then when she started Blackfeather Woods.