Duck Lake dorn zunge

there was a goodly part of mahler which had desired to go after aurewen and her brood. angered, worried, he had followed their trail until it led out of the sunspire. there he had turned back to diaspora.
it was not his to know why she had taken them away, but mahler felt a great rending emptiness in his heart for the absence of dragomir and isilme, whom he had loved.
how could she seek to keep them safe if she would not stay with them? he had seen her injuries, and after a while felt them self-inflicted. neglect of one’s own body was a singular thing, but surely it would translate to her children. so young were they.
could he have pursued them, brought them back? it was not his position to do so, and mahler dropped the thought as quickly as it had come.  his worry remained, but his responsibility was to diaspora.
currently he lurked near the edge of a duck-choked lake. the scent of swiftcurrent was heavy here, and mahler had arrived to gather silent intelligence upon the pack, things kavik had perhaps not mentioned in his generous offer.