Sleepy Fox Hollow Lilac and gooseberries.

He fixed her with a firm stare, one that was enough to have her thrust her ears backward. Nyx wanted to shrink beneath the scrutiny of his lilac gaze, wished for the ground to consume her, but knew no such luck would ever come for her.

Instead, she swallowed her heart that rose to nestle in her throat, and turned her face away. "It was," she responded, unable to mask the sorrow in her tone. She'd changed and aged considerably since her carefree days among those in Grimnismal, and felt a surge of guilt at the sentiment to his comment that followed.

It had been Nyx' confession of an illegitimate pregnancy to Wylla's brother that pushed the young Alphess to depart their coast. Of this she was sure, for their paths had never crossed again.

"I..." was it safe to discuss her slaughtered babes with him? Could she lie, tell him that the coywolf was responsible for their fate? Nyx closed her mouth then, taking a moment to contemplate, as she sought Mahler's rugged features once more. "My litter perished there," she said gently, sadly, choosing to leave things vague. After all, she didn't know what kind of relationship he might maintain with the coywolf and her followers.