Ouroboros Spine Aliuk-aimagvik

He did not know he'd had it in him, but Dutch felt a small sweep of relief to hear that a brother had been among them. It was better than imagining them off on their own, no help to be had. He thought of Minnow when he thought this, and he thought a little of Simbelmyne and himself. But it was different for they three, located between two packs where they might find family.

"I am sorry to hear that," he said in a low voice, wishing that they'd had the same. If he were a different person, he might have felt a stirring of anger — but the compassion in him rose up and whispered that his mother had done the same thing, raising her children in isolation, and almost all of them had survived. It was the luck of the draw, and there was no saying whether or not the fourth child would have survived even if they'd been among family.

But Kigipigak finished on a slightly lighter note, and Dutch nodded his agreement.

"I am sure she will be," he said, his tone bracing. "These sunshine people are very close. It must have been difficult for you both, for her to be so far." He meant it without judgement, now; they had done what came naturally to wolves, but not what came naturally to this family.