Mount Apikuni Mermaids and Crabmen

He eased to a halt, not willing to overwhelm the she-wolf further by inviting herself directly into her personal space. There was a distance between them still, one he hoped she would deem comfortable, and rooted himself before her as she shared her hopeful plan for an uncertain future.

Ears splayed back, Artyom emitted a strained and sympathetic whine. "I understand," he said softly, finding himself able to appreciate how difficult her situation might be. Their species, naturally social and dependent on kin, were not made to live as loners on a long-term basis.

"I should get going," he felt safe to conclude, as Reiko was sure to be keen to carry on with her search for stragglers. Artyom, bound by his own duty to escort Minnow home safely, did not wish to keep either she-wolf waiting. "Good luck to you and yours, Reiko. You know where we are if you need us."