Blacktail Deer Plateau you were a petal in the soot-dark breeze

Grayday slipped by a few more trees and soon came upon the aging shewolf. He sank to his haunches beside her, so that they could see each others' faces while they spoke. He hadn't spoken directly to the woman since she'd approached him with Howl, and he regretted it now that he saw how tired and worn she looked. "I wanted to say - well..." He'd been about to say that he forgave her, but that didn't seem quite right. He wasn't sure if it was forgiveness he was feeling, or pity, or if he was just tired of keeping score. Did it matter? "I'm not angry anymore," he said simply. He did not say that he wished that she'd waited or that he worried about the future of both their children, although these things were still very true. "I've bred without the permission of my alpha, and I understand... I understand that need that you feel. There was a time when I was sick with the thought of a childless future. I don't want that for you."