Blackfeather Woods night shift

it was potema who approached first as the last echoes of seff's song died away; vuk glanced at her son with a twinge of bittersweet excitement dancing in her soul. she went largely ignored, which stung, but the patchwork wolfess straightened all the same. if this was her role, if she must earn the respect of the blackfeather wolves, then so be it.

drawing strength from terich, vuk turned her attention to the lanky man that approached, carrying the obvious bearing of a leader. sweeping her ears against her skull, the woman fought for control over her tongue and addressed him in a quiet tone: "i am s-seff's mother, vuk, and this is h-his father, t-terich," she introduced. "when seff w-went m-missing, your p-pack took h-him in."

she was fearful now, but determined to reach the end of her monologue. "i l-looked for h-him but it was potema w-who p-protected him. seff wanted t-to come b-back, and i -- w-we -- w-want him t-to be h-happy. m-may we j-join you?" she finished in a low whisper, afraid of what the man might say, or potema's scorn. "i do not w-want to l-lose him again."