Shadewood Drunk Nights are more fun than Sober Ones

not too much, though she blinked at his comparision. "that is why a man might have more than one wife," came her gentle murmur. "my father ... he might have taken a second in the following year. someone to help my mother with her new children, someone to feed he and they while my mother rested." it was a good way, even if it was not cry's way.

but more and more, she sensed he had thawed to the idea, and this caused no small tumult in kukutux' heart. "my days of mourning are soon over. i will be ready then." he did not want to find her a husband, the duck knew; one glance into his eyes told her so. and his selfishness razed her, flattered her. he could not keep her on standby, denying her the ability to move forward, but it was a truly marvelous thing that the man wanted her at all.

"perhaps i should find my own, cry," she whispered, and once more brought her springmint gaze back to the icewater of his own. how striking he was! no small wonder gwen loved him, clung to him, wanted him only for her own. and her sister, too, a pearl in the snow. they were right for one another. so why had he come?