Stone Circle In this place where we stand

She feels something of her old ease in their acceptance, the first in the wake of numbness left by Gunnar’s death. She moves to cradle Skáld, still and steadfast, in the crook of her neck before settling a kiss to his cheek.

"Thank you for trusting me," she whispers to him and in the thread of her voice is a depth of gratitude. Then she reaches for Fig, finding his eyes with a slow shake of head.

“I don’t know that I’m ever making the right choices. How do you know?” It is naive but she asks anyway. She'd always had Gunnar and Taktuq's lead to follow. They knew the right words to say where she did not.

“The only thing I’m certain of is that the pack can learn a lot from you two. I think that’s what we need right now.”