Duskfire Glacier raise your shoes

She listened without interruption as Lane tried to articulate her thoughts on the situation. When Lane mentioned Issorartuyok, Meerkat frowned. Bitterly, she wondered if he really had the pack’s best interests at heart, or simply his own. Would he do anything—including wed anyone—if it meant procuring children?

Recognizing the thought as uncharitable, Meerkat dismissed it and refocused on what Lane was saying. She didn’t believe in curses, either, though she understood where her friend was coming from. It sounded like Lane wanted to escape this negative energy, as well as the former leaders’ shadow, and that was valid. Meerkat was just happy to hear that Lane had her own reasons for going along with such a drastic change of scenery.

Not for the first time, she thought of their nearby allies, which included Sapphique. The caribou’s illness did not seem widespread enough to impact anyone else so severely, even in nearby Rivenwood. Meerkat found that strange and wondered why they didn’t simply team up with the neighbors until the situation resolved. The Alphas must’ve had their reasons, though, which included what sounded like a desperate yearning for a kind of tabula rasa.

Speaking from experience, there’s a lot of merit to a fresh start, Meerkat murmured. Leaving home and trekking across the wilderness won’t be easy, though the risks should be worth the reward, I think. And it’s less risky than staying, she thought aloud. I was just telling Vet about the hinterlands. I was born there. I think they’ll make a great home for you guys, once all the dust settles. Speaking as someone who grew up there, it’s a great spot for pups.

Her lips twitched and suddenly Meerkat caught herself wondering aloud, Hey, do you have any prospects for the spring? Despite the heaviness of the conversation, she leaned into their sense of rapport and waggled her eyebrows suggestively, loosing a light laugh.