Stone Circle I learned long ago 'bout a better way of killing birds.

She remained a buffer - steadfast, unmoving - even as the wolf Ethan spoke. Taktuq felt Sanja's eyes shifting back and forth, back and forth, resting on her only to flit to the stranger again. Tense. Unbreaking.

A misunderstanding.

Inkeri, she repeated, and looked to Sanja, assuming the name, out of the rush of Ethan's words, were something that her companion would have understood. And she had. Asking of heim, as she had asked of Taktuq before - yet so different, in the way her voice delivered.

Inkeri is one of us. Kvarsheim, the wolves of Stone Circle, Taktuq thought a moment, having caught Sanja's question to the other mother. Somewhere along the way, Inkeri had not told her that Ethan was one of them, too. But perhaps this was forgivable. Much could be missed, when ranks were unsettled and land was only freshly established. I am Taktuq. Sanja leads us. She asks you, where is your home? If you stay, Kvarsheim will be Ethan's heim.

She aimed this at Ethan, but looked to Sanja, as though only speaking to her. Heeding her reaction. She had compassion but understood the need for order. And as order dictated, Taktuq still stood below Sanja. Yet Ethan was in clear need of help. If the other mother disagreed that Ethan could stay, would she have any other option but to submit?