She was not surprised by Karina’s answer, nor was she put off by it. With a light dip of her head, the mother cast one more worried gaze over her daughter – not for fear of what Maksim would say to her, but worry for the girl’s health after being pregnant and alone for so many weeks. Drifting forward, the Baranski woman disappeared in to the den to coax her mate’s patience, and instill upon him the information she had just learned.


Finally, when she made to bring Karina forward now, the silver girl trembled, and the honeyed woman would brush her form gently against her eldest daughter’s. Karina’s only mistake had been to leave Hearthwood River in the first place with no word to her family – but Kisla could no more turn her rebellious daughter from her borders and home any more than she could stop breathing herself. Karina’s pregnancy was only nature speaking – and while it would be possibly problematic for two litters to be birthed within the River this year, the she-wolf was willing to try. She could not turn away her grandchildren.


And so she lingered behind as father and daughter exchanged words and greeting once more – Karina trembled on shaky paws, but the Baranski she-wolf was determined to see their life right itself once more