Emberwood they fooled us once again, we are the loneliest of men

Taktuq sobered as soon as she saw Zephyr, her tears stopping for now. She'd loathe crying in front of somebody; she had done it once before and then vowed to never again. Nervousness crept up her spine, and slowly she retreated further into the cave since she wasn't sure who she could trust out here. 

"Go away!" Taktuq warned in her family's native language, wiping tears from her eyes and snot from her nose. There wasn't much more that Taktuq could do—she was trapped and had no way of escaping. 

The sound of Takiyok's voice caused Taktuq's heart to leap. She perked, pushing her ears forward as she listened. "Aunt?" she whispered in disbelief, slowing pushing herself onto all fours and creeping towards the opening. When Taktuq poked her head out of her shelter, she spotted Takiyok in the distance, in the company of two strangers. 

Disregarding the unknown wolves, for now, Taktuq slipped from the shelter to meet Takiyok, her body low to the ground. "Oh, I've had such a horrible day," she stated with a whine, pushing her head underneath her aunt's chin. "I was hunting, and two scary wolves c-chased me away from home," they'd haunt her dreams for years to come, "I can't go back—they'll kill me." 

Now, in Takiyok's embrace, Taktuq knew that she was safe. She didn't have to worry anymore.