Phoenix Maplewood [m] i'm ready to build a wall behind every step i've taken

there is a moment of quiet disbelief that follows her introduction — that mahler was trying to pimp him out. for a long moment wintersbane stares at her trying to comprehend ...and then it makes sense. mahler does not know of his desire to be a father to the children he sires, for how could he? he only had quellcrist to go off of for the example of how wintersbane spent the heat seasons.

hm, the soft, rasping sound escapes wintersbane as he contemplates what to say. what was the situation laurel sought, he wonders but does not ask. traveling between the glacier and the bypass would be too much to visit children of his there; or even if she'd want his involvement past this.

i can offer those ...services, wintersbane begins softly, finding it very strange to consider it a business transaction. to him, that sounds almost wrong even if it was nevertheless true. i do not know how involved you wish me to be, or if at all but my only condition is that they at least know of me and that they can visit me at the glacier if they choose. it pains him to limit it to just that. i've decided this year that i wanted to be involved in the lives of the cubs i sired. he offers hurriedly in the next breath, feeling like he needed to explain himself and why he's set the terms as he had.

he does not think his terms entirely unreasonable but the floor is open for negotiation if she had her mind set firmly on something else.