Bearclaw Valley been working so hard

a week had passed since merrick's birth, and indra had still not gotten used to his constant presence, nor had she forgotten the lifeless forms of his siblings. they had never taken their first breath, never experienced loss or pain or heartbreak -- perhaps they were luckier that way to have never known anything but the comfort of the womb.

in that week, indra had not forgotten her charges either -- nunataq and marten, the two displaced children that she had in every way, thoroughly accepted as her own. she had missed them, and hearing marten's gentle call roused her to shaky limbs. peering out from under the hanging fronds of ferns, indra's face softened to see the inquisitive features of xan's pale child. "marten," she murmured softly, before her head disappeared back into the den: "i missed you, cub -- come meet your brother." she felt a pang of guilt, wondering if marten would find the newest introduction threatening the same way indra had, when her father had sired another litter. she hoped selfishly that he would be too young to understand merrick was not a sibling at all, and would strive to every length to ensure that marten and nunataq never felt unwanted.