From the corner of his eye (ATTN: Yildun)

Yildun seemed to wilt slightly, yet he obliged her and began to describe his relationship with his father. The two of them had shared a special bond, not unlike the one Koontz had developed with her own father. Her lips twitched as he recalled his first hunt, then his first real run. Koontz had similar memories, though she imagined hers were quite different than his, that his contained many more sensations than her own.

He described the deterioration of his dad's mind. Dementia, she thought without saying it aloud. She frowned. It was bad enough to lose somebody, yet watching their mind go prior to their death was like adding insult to injury. Koontz shuddered at the thought of her parents forgetting who she was. She knew her mother had once had amnesia and had, in fact, never recovered some of her lost memories. The yearling shivered again.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Yildun," Koontz said, lamely but genuinely. "Don't worry. I won't let you be a burden," she assured him lightly, making sure to inject some playfulness into her voice. "I mean, that's why I came here: to figure out just how you can best contribute to the pack. Do you think you'd be interested in being a Dreamserpent, after all, or shall we go in a different direction?"