Sun Mote Copse cannot help you now

the information that firebirds have cubs — four, bronco tells him — does not exactly come as a surprise to savaktuk. he anticipated as much when the conversation diverted to that nature, and after the heat of the women of tartok he knows that cubs are the only thing that follows. yes. savaktuk responds, stoic nature cracking for a fracture of a moment into a low, rumble of a laugh though it dies off in his throat as quick as it comes. he'd been a year old when the cubs that followed the year of his birth were born. his introductions with them had been short and his time with them was short and brisk, spent training; and by the time they got to him they were already pretty obedient. given this, it does not occur to him that the cubs of this pack may not act like the tartok young.

regardless, even if he does run across any of the young, following the theoretical situation in which he gets accepted, he is pretty sure his pain tolerance will keep him from snapping at them.

at the very least, he trusts instinct, as to which he's deeply in-tuned to, to keep him from hurting the young.