Big Salmon Lake I got used to living without you

Life a leaf, he trembled while he lay still dripping wet on the soft mud along the bank of the lake. He wasn't sure he could bear watching her face for a reaction so he stared off into the distance, occasionally casting his glance along the banks of the lake as though to make sure they were alone.

Her issue still, it seemed, wasn't what had happened, or how he might recover. She didn't ask for his feelings, or try to reassure him, and that meant to him that she either didn't register how traumatizing it had been, or that she felt her issues were more important.

To be fair, there was their son to talk about. And it hurt him even more to know that she was right- the little guy had grown up this far not even knowing him or asking about him. Had she even bothered to tell Killdeer his name? To speak fondly of him at all? She could have had every influence over how his son would see him when he came back...And he got the sinking feeling that he'd be no more than a stranger to him.

He had to hold his breath to keep himself from uttering a sound of protest when she claimed that she wanted the hunters to come this way. She didn't know, he told himself. And she obviously didn't empathize enough with him to know how much it rattled him to think of them ever getting a hold of her. Even if he'd told her in vivid detail what they'd done...It didn't seem as though it might earn him any sympathy or respect, and that just felt wrong.

"I....Don't know what to do." He rasped. "I need time to heal, and rest. But I don't know if it's fair to ask any pack to hide me until I'm strong again if they... I didn't make any plan I just...Had to run, and hide. I can't...Go much further. I don't...I don't know."