Moonspear So tell me how to do it; tell me how to love like that.

*plays whack-a-mole with threads*

The trio now resting, Sialuk took to the upper reaches of the mountain, setting aside time to speak to the ancestors and ask for their guidance. She strained her ears for their whispers, opened her spirit, and let the quiet feelings come to her. The answer they gave was clear: it was a time of transformation, of endings and new beginnings. As for the lost boy, they spoke of his inner strength, his instincts, and his resourcefulness. The raindrop took this to mean he was safe, though perhaps not in company that could support him. She would tell Meerkat when they next spoke.

But something else crawled alongside the spear, and Sialuk thought for a moment it was Raimo again. No, this wolf had undertones of grey, and he was much too large to be the untrustworthy one.

She began to descend to greet the other, and as she drew near, she recognized him—Glaukos! In his mouth, the gift she had given him. Had he returned to explore what might be?

You spoke of that night to the general? she asked, remembering his talk of oaths, of his being a soldier.