Morningside Cuesta ouska

she almost snapped when etienne came to help her, and it had nothing to do with the healer. out of those men in rivenwood, it was he who had been the kindest.
and so while there was no smile, heda gave etienne a softer look. without him both ava and druid might have been dead a while.
"i mean she ordered him out and he left days ago," heda said in a monotone, dropping the bird a second time in clear annoyance with anselm. "i don't know if he's gone for good."
they owed each other nothing. glaukos believed all the pups were his. there was no obligation for anselm to fulfill to heda, and all the same she felt hurt inside her, that he had never asked, never cared, and had no investment in rivenwood.
"it's just been me, fiona, and druid. i need to get back. my sister's alone with the pups." but the heron was stained with so much mud that she hardly even wanted to bring it with her now. heda stared at the limp feathers beneath the dark blotches. "he hurt her. after she told him to leave."
anselm had no reason to stand by them, and neither did etienne. duty had brought the healer here, and glaukos had tried to trap him. in fact, out of the three wolves present, the den father had only left heda untouched.