Morningside Cuesta Romeo & Juliet

She hurried on with her excuses, but they fell on deaf ears. It didn't matter how it'd happened, or who the father was - it'd happened, and that was enough.

"It's already July, Heartha," said Grayday. "Never mind Khoe's litter - even eithout worrying about that, let's think about this. This place is gonna be a wasteland come winter, and by the time you give birth, it's gonna be autumn. By the time your pups are ready to travel, it'll already be December or January. What if we have another winter like last time? Are my pups gonna march through that snow? Are yours?"

His voice was firm and cold, but anyone could tell that most of all - before anger or disappointment - he was worried. "I wish you would've listened to me, Heartha. Or if you couldn't do that, I wish you would've talked to me. I wish you would've had the respect to - " He cut himself off, shaking his head. When he spoke again, his voice was gentler. "What's done is done. Call him over."