Blackfoot Forest Lost behind the fading light

The instant Etienne croaked out the words about his nephew, Cambria looked at him in dismay. Requin must be one of Suzu’s children. He was missing, feared lost to the—did he mean the same small river for which the pack was named? The yearling’s heart sank in his chest.

Wake said something but Cambria only dimly registered his words. His eyes were fixed on Etienne’s face as he tried to think of what to say. The question posed to him was met with several beats of silence before he realized Wake had spoken to him directly.

He shook his head but still didn’t look away from the healer. He badly wanted to pull him into a hug, though he wasn’t sure if Etienne wanted that. Cambria would’ve asked, if not for the witness.

I’ll help you look for him, he said heavily. Tell me what ground you’ve covered and I’ll try in another direction.

His mind whirled back to that first conversation and something struck him: was Requin named after Reiki, his uncle who had survived being grabbed by a golden eagle? Even if the similarity was coincidental, it reminded Cambria that all hope was not lost.

Think of Reiki, Eti. Don’t give up hope.