Nimbus Summit Without guidance, I fear I shall perish

Lane looked on Calida with understanding and gratitude. They were both women who had occupied traditionally male roles in Atautsikut: herself an alpha, and Calida a guardian. Lane appreciated the subtle challenge to the man's insinuation that only a male could offer sound advice. Calida was really coming into her own. The self-assured woman that stood in her pawprints was a far cry from the one that Lane had first met: shy, anxious, and self-effacing. 

Inutsuk explained himself further, hopefully to the satisfaction of Calida. Lane had always been a little more cavalier with her border than her guardians. She would have allowed Inutsuk to enter without any other explanation. Far be it for her to pry into whatever business took place between two men. 

And yet, something about the explanation rankled her. Perhaps surprisingly, it was not Inutsuk's insistence on speaking to a man that bothered her, but rather the dilemma itself. Although she had come to see her children for the blessings they were, she had spent many bitter months unwillingly carrying a pregnancy and reluctantly raising children. It seemed wildly unfair and self-indulgent that Inutsuk had the luxury to entertain the idea of walking away from his children simply on his own whim, when there were so many mothers out there who were saddled with their burden no matter how they felt about their own fitness as a parent. 

Lane's ruff raised slightly, but she gave no other outward sign of her disquiet. She lifted her brows at Calida. "Calida will assist you in finding your way to Issorartuyok." She turned to leave, but then, on second thought, turned back to Inutsuk. "You didn't ask for my advice, but here it is: Just be there. As long as you're there, you really can't fuck it up that badly. And try to not die." Whoops, that came out sounding a little more bitter than she had intended, but the father of her children had gotten himself struck by lightening for fuck's sake. 

Lane departed with a nod to Calida, and another to Inutsuk.