Morningside Cuesta enter, pursued by a memory

why hadn't she sought a pack before now? before hunger pocked her belly and stole whatever respite could be had from her daughters? perhaps in some madness she had not wanted to subject them to yet another spate of faces, of questions, of pity.
"ill follow your lead."
but now they were here, with nothing, with no one. she shouldn't have come so far and she shouldn't have waited. "it's been a while," she murmured, experiencing a lunge of hope deep inside her chest at the fresh sign.
knowing enough to follow quietly, heda kept her steps light and her eyes searching for any movement, any lift of antlers head or stamp of cloven hoof.