Golden Glade Teach and tell me,

"Stay." Raleska commanded of Grimnismal,  her gaze held on Niamh. The sylph was not one to often issue orders, but today, her request came with a firmness that could not be revoked: move, and I will be very, very angry with you.

She needed to get to the bottom of why she smelled like Solaire, and where Solaire was -- but Niamh captured the full of her attention now. For the first time, Raleska realized Niamh was different: it wasn't the mud, or the scars, but something else -- something she could not put a name to.

Niamh's relaxed posture did enough to ease Raleska's tension, though she watched Grimnismal like a hawk from the corner of her eye. Niamh didn't know it, but every single wolf she mentioned Raleska considered dead -- to the point when the golden warrior was done talking, it was like someone had taken an axe to Raleska's form and chopped her down into insensate rubble.

First, her mom. "Dead." Raleska conferred flatly, hiding the anguish. Then, her brother -- fuck, she missed him. "Also presumed dead." It was different in she never saw Svalinn's body, but what other reason would he have to just leave her in the lurch? He had to be dead, otherwise it just didn't make sense.

Then, Firefly. Raleska remembered him crushed in the rubble. His body -- Aningan and Rosencrantz and Erzulie hauling him from the ruins. His body crushed. His life stolen. 

This required some tact. Raleska's jaw tensed and she looked to Niamh with unflinching aim -- gone was the soft girl Niamh had once guarded from cougars. Replaced was a girl who had seen more death than good in this world. "He is also dead. I buried him myself." She knew the news would come as a shock, but she could not beat around the bush either. It was either tell Niamh it all, or nothing. "I am sorry, Niamh."