The Heartwood I know that I ended it,

Katmai paused to contemplate that. The idea of not having a father at all was a chilling one, so he could understand Leonore not wanting to risk raising children without one. Truly, he'd not spent much time contemplating the composition of any future family. He'd been exposed to quite a bit growing up, and no one thing had stood out to him as the right way to do things. Except...

"I think that children should have many, many adults to go to," he told her, feeling quite sure of this. "Lots of people who can be mothers and fathers. Aunts and uncles and grandfathers and older siblings and such. That way, if something ever happens to one adult, there will still be plenty more to raise them."

He began walking again, but he was still contemplative.

"I knew a man who had two wives, growing up," he said to Leonore. "I don't know what that was like for them — but I know, for me, growing up, I was always happy to have more aunts, and more cousins." Another pause. "I don't know what I want. As a man. I suppose it would have to depend on what the lady of my heart wants, too. Perhaps we will just be good friends with a man with two wives, or a woman with two husbands, and that will be how we build a village for our children. It worked for my parents."

Mostly. Until it didn't.