Morningside Cuesta sandcastles

she was still as Akuti offered a comforting touch, yet she was far from comforted. at her final words did she withdraw, stepping back and looking at the woman with fearfully, stomach full of snakes that writhed and squirmed, tail lashing still. "How can you be sure? You could get murdered- that happened to Nikai's mom, you know. Or die, like Kieran's." she said, grief in her eyes at the fate of Akuti. 

but she wasn't going to give up her quest for information, and she asked again, "How'd you get pregnant? Did it just...happen? Could it happen to anyone?" if that was so, Keoni feared for the females of the pack, even though they were few; only Heartha, besides herself. was there a chance that this fate could befall Heartha? Or perhaps even Aoife?