Herbalists' Cache ghosts

lestan too wanted to know why shardik wasn't with suzu and instead bound to this futile mission. he almost scolded the younger wolf, but bit the inside of his jaw.
"y-you'll m-make it r-right." a wan little smile touched his face. "they'll n-need you, and y-you'll be th-there." but who was the man with suzu now? lestan didn't see why she would have asked for shardik if she had another man to raise them. perhaps — perhaps there was something he was missing.
gently he touched the other's shoulder with a brief little sigh.