Emberflame Ridge Hollow's Lantern

The frail eyes of the boy brought a solemn look to his own features; Is this what he truly believed? That his mother wished to forget all of them, that his mother wouldn’t want to see her children? Preposterous, he thought, yet he wouldn’t speak aloud. And when he mentioned that Dinah said that their mother had a new family?! This was certainly news to John, and it was evident in the small gasp that let from his maw.

“Judah.” He began, after gathering himself, “Of course she does. Without a sliver of a doubt” — “After losing everyone, it seemed as if your mother’s spirit had been broken, her heart was in many pieces.” The recollection of what Heda had been like brought wet to his stormy sea eyes, but there was a deep caring there. “She hadn’t spoken a single word, she was silent. Because of this, Dinah took charge, and she made most of the decisions for your mother. This weighed very heavily on Dinah, she wasn’t happy either.”

There was a long pause then, quiet between them, the wind rustled his fur, perhaps a wind of change.

“Um, Judah…what exactly do you mean? By a new family.” This wasn’t brain science, the whole “why”, but John didn’t recall Heda courting anyone, much less marry another time. There were at least a couple of men in the camp, the husband of Heda’s sister, Druid, and visitors. 

He waited for an answer, and if Judah could give one.