Duskfire Glacier We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame.

Taki stood and trotted to Alek's side, matching his pace once she was next him. For a few minutes, she didn't say anything, content with silence and lost in the many thoughts going through her always busy mind. She felt a strange connection to this place, and she kept imagining her family here with her. She wondered if she could convince them to at least pay a visit here. And maybe never leave? She didn't know how, though; with the new pups, it would be hard for Shivali to travel for a while. She also knew she couldn't convince Sia to come back with her right now and leave the Shivali, Tahani, and the pups without their protection. It was hard enough to justify Taki leaving them at such a vulnerable time, and she had been gone for about a week now, so they had to be getting worried. She would need to think on it more, but knew she would have plenty of time to do that on her way home. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind to simmer for now. 

The thought of going home brought with it a lot of mixed emotions for Taki. She missed her family and was excited to see how her nephew's and niece had grown. She was dreading returning home without Tomkin, though; not only would she still not where her littermate was or if he was even alive, but she didn't want to see the disappointment in Sia's eyes when she returned home empty-handed. Yet another thought to push away from the forefront of her mind; this time in avoidance of the feelings that came with it. 

She needed to get out of her head. She turned to Aleks then, nothing in her expression hinting to the tumult currently inside her mind. "This would be a great place to live," she said with a forced smile, eager for a distraction.