Duskfire Glacier sunset dinner

Their combined efforts soon revealed several cold, stiff carcasses. Before Meerkat could select one, she glanced at Tuuluuwaq in invitation. He could take first pick. She found him looking back at her with a strange look on his face, right before he said her name and with some visible difficulty informed her of the former Alpha's death.

Her paw slipped away from the pile of leaves and she sank into a hard sit. "Oh." She stared at her new acquaintance even as her eyes quickly grew glassy and unfocused. She felt a pang of grief for the poor man, though she quickly thought of his mate and children. More than half the pack was surely devastated by this.

"I'm sorry," Meerkat said thickly after a moment, "will you please excuse me, Tuuluuwaq?" Her limbs felt quivery as she slowly rose back onto all fours. Appetite gone, she itched to find someplace private to grapple with this news.