a night so black that the darkness hummed

Potema mimicked the new word, seal, softly. Meldresi's ears swiveled back as she heard the little peep, but her eyes kept on the sea-woman. "No, she has not." Meldresi murmured just as jauntily as Caiaphas. The queen studied the unidentifiable carcass with curiosity. She had never tried seal herself, preferring the strange creatures alive rather than dead. It would be an interesting treat, but its meaning did not go over her head as the coywolf further spoke. She wanted something of her.

"It is in our nature, of course." Meldresi drawled, knowing that her comment did not have any real value besides furthering the comment along. " 'A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.' " She quoted. It was true, she would do anything to defend her children. She would even disband her pack if it meant saving them somehow. But that was a requirement of being a mother. At the moment, Caiaphas' presence intrigued her more, as Potema slowly crept forward, showing herself and pressing herself against her mother's side, blinking at the new wolf curiously.