Ocean's Breath Plateau Out on the mira

Katmai would never grow to be too big for his mother's arms. He could grow as tall as a redwood, as broad as a cedar and still she would find a way to string herself about him and hold him in her embrace like a kite tangled in a tree's limbs. Shoulder to shoulder with her husband she lay, the dark-pointed boy sprawled across their limbs. She felt numbness settle into her paws; it helped bring feeling back to her heart to bear his weight once more. 

No, no- She tried to interject when Dutch began to explain. Guilt clenched her heart, squeezing tighter and tighter as he professed both his failure and his faithfulness. She gritted her teeth, reeling; she had given up. She had lost hope. She had drawn close to the cliffs and if only the wind had pushed just a bit harder- he would have come home to find himself as a widower. 

She held her breath so the sobs that threatened to consume her would not wake their sleeping son, but found herself at last gasping for air. It was fortunate that Katmai was so exhausted; he might not stir and see his mother struggling, or feel the tears that fell on his fur. I gave up, She confessed. I--I gave up. On you, on him- I g-grieved, I- She held her breath until it made her feel dizzy, and pressed her forehead hard into Dutch's shoulder. She shook under the effort that it took to keep herself from snivelling.