Something more than just knowing better.

On her departure, Noctisardor Bypass had been flourishing. Its wolves had been fit, healthy, strong. More than capable of banding together to challenge Swiftcurrent which, although held advantage with numbers, would have made a formidable opponent. The land had been lush and green despite the approaching cold season, abundant with prey and life. It had been beautiful, just as it was in the beginning when the territory was claimed. Paarthurnax ignorantly assumed that the pack had continued to thrive in her absence.

The sleek two-toned wolfess shook her head, dismissing any need for apology, but it was something that Paar knew she'd regret not saying. This meeting was something of a goodbye, after all. She looked pitifully upon the wolfess who'd been a good friend to her, the one who'd believed in her when the others could not, and in her grief she felt emotion tighten her throat. "Thank you," she managed, "for understanding."

It was not that she hated Shadow, but she did not approve of his cruel ways of managing his wolves. He saw fit to strip innocents of their freedom; he ran their pack with an iron fist; he couldn't trust her. If there was no trust between an Alpha pair, they faltered. Paarthurnax could not stand to stand at his side, where there could be no pride for her in knowing what he'd done.

Crëyr shifted her attention, turning her azure gaze to linger on the swell of her abdomen. With approximately a month to go before her due date and with a physique as dainty as hers, Paarthurnax was very rapidly beginning to show. She sought the gaze of her graphite companion, and smiled sadly. "He knows," she said at once, "I wanted to tell him - and you - before I left, but... I didn't know how."