There was no movement. No indication that Maera was here. Why should she be? The others were gone, and perhaps she had vanished as well; but this thought was too intense for his heavy heart, so Njal ignored the possibility. Maybe someone had moved her to a safer location? That made sense. That was logical. As long as lynx were present - if they still were - a lonely child in a great big den was a prime target.
He was avoiding his feelings by thinking of those lynx, again. By trying to place logic upon a situation where none existed. With a lethargic lurch Njal drifted closer to the mouth of the den. He saw darkness inside, darkness which did not part as he got closer, as he finally slipped his head in to the doorway; it deepened further as his broad figure blocked the light.