Phantom Hollow It's been a little cold and not outside

Her eyes widened a little in surprise when he informed her that he had just been learning things on his own. Getting along with her mom had been quite a challenge, but she could at least be grateful that she was willing to teach her some things. Not much so far, which meant that she was now in the same boat as Mal as far as furthering any skills she might already have, which weren't many to be honest. But she was smart and adaptive; she could learn what was needed. And maybe he could learn even more while teaching her. 

So, from what she could tell, there was only one other wolf with him in the woods; the rest seemed to have indefinitely disappeared, and he didn't seem to know when or even if they were coming back. She though maybe there would be more wolves than that, but she didn't really care that much other than feeling a little more pressure to figure her shit out. She didn't care for most other wolves, and the less there were for her to meet when she arrived at the forest, the less she would risk offending when it became clear that she didn't much care what others thought about her. Well, that's kind of shitty that they just disappeared, she replied. Maybe they had been trapped or hurt in the earthquakes, but she was more willing to believe that they just took off or found something they thought was better; she was reluctant to trust that others rarely thought beyond their own selfish needs; she certainly didn't most of the time. But if she promised loyalty to someone, then she was going to keep that promise at least.  

It sounded like even when he left home to go his own way, he would still return periodically, which was more than most would do. Guilt swelled in her chest at the thought. She knew her mom would be worried; maybe she should at least let her know she was alive. Once she was settled, maybe she would go back home and check in as Mal had put it. She wondered, though...The place you returned to...is that where the ones who didn't care about you live? because that seems like too much consideration for them, she observed, clearly without running the words through any kind of filter. But she was just trying to understand why—if these were the wolves who treated him badly—he would go out of his way to check in with them. He seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion as her regarding his missing members, though, which was good; no sense in waiting for someone who probably won't come back. You're probably better off without them anyway, she replied with a shrug.