Arrow Lake fall down a rabbit hole

a flick of his ear followed ketzia as she departed the den; mahler gladly let his gruff gaze linger on her healthier babies before he settled to ekeing water into the mouth of the sick entlein, pausing to chew the tiniest bolus of bark into a paste for the miniscule tongue.
in time the boy slept, his breathing watched over closely by the shadowpriest. while death’s dog-head perhaps loomed near he would remain, unwilling to leave ketzia at such a crucial time.
finally the little goddess crumpled; her glowing gemlike eyes puddled with tears and she sought his reassurance. but what could he say? mahler settled close to her, offering the warmth of his bulk, and again judged stigmata for what he had done, brushing her shoulder with a friendly gesture. 
”your children make it a home,” mahler murmured at length. ”but in your heart, vhere vould you vant to reside?”