Blacktail Deer Plateau With the evening sun

ingram's gaze meets ash paw's own noting the vulnerability written there; unhidden.

the only one left...

the iron keeper. the stalwart sentry.

in the end, that was how each arc ended and each new one began: but he is not alone this time. he was all she had left, or so she believes. argument ignites upon his tongue, wanting to break the breach of his lips, to tell her that she didn't know that. that maybe the deathbringer would find her.

but he wasn't here.

the spark of argument dies, stifled before it could even leave ingram's tongue.

direct parentage ... to be the father they knew, even though he is not blood.

how they would manage that, especially if they ended up in separate packs ... there are many and more questions in ingram's mind. they had time to figure it out, though.

not much, but some time was better than none.

then i shall be their father. throat tightens at the words, emotions unbidden rise to swell there; catching.