Swiftcurrent Creek copper thunder

she saw akavir's gesture for what she thought it was: a gambit to assert his control over her. the citrus eyes shifted in coldness to the night man. "warriors have no pups."

if she had been pregnant at any point, muskrat fiercely believed it had been handled. and if it had not been, there were other things to be done.

jakub. a name murmured and then rejected. her attention returned to the younger man she still did not know by given title. "give to arlette," she murmured in quiet dismissal of the meat-offering, stepping around it to move beyond both men.

she thought now that she saw it: akavir, putting his claim to her, and his son turning away. she was as much a tool of force in this moment as gorseberry had once intended her, and muskrat rebelled. now her mind raced ahead, wondering if he had sent viinturuth, if they had intended to share her in efforts to keep her here.

"give all away," she finally pronounced in a still, icy voice. "antlers for arric. bones for pups. skins for arlette." was she only a womb to akavir? if she had never lain with him, would he be offering meat strategically in front of the one who had come to claim her? she would never allow it. her back was to the shadowmen, preparing for the mountain runner to reject her presence there.