Northstar Vale I couldn't bring myself to hold you

Never too far, he heard the matriarche’s call. He had just settled in for the night, but he was a man who kept his promises. With a heaving sigh, he pushed himself upright and moved.

Rain pelted him as he stepped out of his den, the rolled-up gift held gently between his teeth. He had waited too long—it was time to present it. The fur had been prepared well enough, and though he had been summoned, he wanted an excuse to visit Viskani and her little one.

“I heard your call,” he announced as he entered, pausing at the mouth of the den to shake the excess water from his fur before stepping inside.

“What do you need?”

The den was dry and warm, lulling him with its comfort. His eyelids grew heavy, his body weighted down by the inviting warmth. But he forced his gaze away from the tempting space beside Viskani, instead lowering his head to place the gift before her. 

It was the pelt of an adult fox, a kill he had made just past the outskirts of the Vale’s boundaries. A traveler assisted in its preparation before he went on his way. 

“Oh—this is for Chandra,” he added, his voice softer now. “To… keep her warm. Or… to cuddle.”

His eyes flicked from mother to daughter, a small smile forming as he watched them. “How is she?”