Part of her felt like some things were falling into place though she still felt the strong need to make up for her mistakes she didn't feel so alone. More importantly now that he was starting over in Hearthwood she wanted him to fit in, to find his place and to be happy with the path he had chosen for himself. She did recognize it might be hard for him for a time but she believed Lorcan would get through the rough times. This was their chance, the chance for her family to get to know him and see that the father of her children wasn't a dragon ready to poison her mind and keep her from them. That he was a good man ready to take responsibility for his children who cared about her and supported her.

A smile crossed her face as he told her the roles that he had been thinking about. “With three litters on the way Lachesis may welcome the help you could provide with healing and he may let you work alongside him, I would certainly ask. We could be scouts together, I haven't really had a chance to get started earning my role but I do hope to continue working toward it.” She just wasn't sure when she would be able to, there would be a time when she wouldn't be able to travel. He spoke of what her mother had said, Inna nodded. “It's true, we will especially as it gets closer to the puppies coming but I don't think you should feel that you have to take that role if you don't think you will be happy in it. As long as there is meat enough to go around I think we will be okay.” At least that was what had been driving her hunting trips but there would be a time when she wouldn't be able to hunt any more either.

She listened as Lorcan spoke about her brother and what had happened, she scoffed and shook her head. It was nearly the same situation she'd been in with Aleksei. She was glad that Lorcan hadn't ended up as she had, that he'd only had to face her brother. “I can imagine how it went and I'm not surprised, he and I almost came to blows,” she explained, “But I am relieved to hear our alibi at the very least got him to back off. I'm truly sorry he put you through that on your first day here.” As much as she wanted to go and let her brother know to leave Lorcan a lone she wasn't sure it was such a good idea right then. It could destroy everything they had been working for. “Thank you for trusting me,” she said quietly.

She wasn't expecting the conversation to turn toward her but maybe she should have. Lorcan wanted to know how she was doing, she shook her head as he mentioned things not being easy. “I’m doing what I can to make things up to them and I haven't been getting much sleep,” she told him honestly because she didn't need to lie to him. She looked at the dead hare that he told her she could have as he nudged it toward her. He explained that it was his offering for the pack. Inna hesitated for a long moment, she didn't know if she should take it. It was going to the cache if she didn't for everyone. “I suppose I can have it,” she said looking up to meet his golden gaze, “I put three in the cache earlier,” she reasoned, “Thank you Lorcan.”

The idea of having Lorcan with her on scouting trip was one that appealed to her, she didn't much like traveling alone so to have her friend with her would make the trips better. “I would like that,” she said when he offered to still help with her training. “That would work too and maybe you could teach me about the plants you are collecting. I think it would be good for me to learn.” As she suspected he didn't much care for the role of hunter but he did have a point that she couldn't argue. “Maybe, if you have to you can train for the hunter role now and maybe later when the pups are bigger you can train for another role?” It was just a suggestion, she didn't know if it would be something that appealed to him but it was something he could think about.

When Lorcan told her what happened with Aleksei she wanted to kick herself. She should have known something like that would happen as soon as her brother smelled him. However, Lorcan seemed surprised about her almost fight with Alek, she nodded, “It was the day I returned after...And he could smell you on my fur and he knew, I couldn't deny what I had done and There were some things said that raised both our tempers but he did help me to see where I was wrong,” she explained. Like Lorcan she too expected some suspicion especially since Lorcans scent had been on her when she'd returned and Alek had been the one to catch her returning. “Where my brother is concerned it makes sense that it would be this soon.” She nodded, “Me too, with your arrival in Hearthwood being unexpected our story will hopefully reduce any suspicions quickly.” That was the hope but she knew how persistent her brother could be. She hadn't had the chance to ask him why he'd given up on Karina.

His reaction to hearing she hadn't been sleeping well was to be expected, she could have lied and told him everything was going well. Inna couldn't lie to Lorcan not only was he the father of her children but he was her friend, she didn't want to ruin a friendship over a lie. He of course told her she needed to rest which sent her gaze to her paws but when he mentioned the pups her gaze went to his golden one. “Do you think I've hurt them do you?” She asked her tone full of worry that she'd already hurt them. All she wanted was to be a good mother to them and she could have already hurt them before they were even born. He had also offered the hare he had caught for the pack before asking to join which she looked at debating if she should take it. Had she done enough to deserve it. His whine brought her attention back to him and she saw his eyes widen at the mention of already catching three that day. He was insistent that she take the hare he was offering her, she was very hungry after the work she'd done and knew he was right.

He came closer to her and for a moment she thought he might come to embrace her, comfort her as he had done so many times before but he stopped. The words he spoke, she knew those to be true to and she felt that he truly understood what she had told him before. “The puppies are coming Lorcan, they will be here soon and we have to make sure that they all survive, this is the only way I know how to make up for what I've done to my mother and my pack.” Staying in Hearthwood and providing for the pack before herself, showing how important her family and her pack was to her. She lowered her head as he whined once more, she felt she knew what he wanted, it was the same thing she wanted but they both knew they couldn't, “It's okay,” she whispered hoping it might comfort him, let him know she knew that he didn't want to stay away. Once again he pushed the hare to her and this time she settled down next to it. “Okay,” she said as too settled down close by, “How about I show you around instead so you know where everything is?” That said he tucked into the hare, eating slowly despite how hungry she felt.

It was a difficult thing deciding on a role as she knew from her own experience, it hadn't been until her mother's suggestion that she'd made up her mind. For Lorcan she felt it might be a little more difficult, he'd had a role in Whitestone but now he was in a pack where his role was already occupied by someone else. She hoped that Lachesis would allow Lorcan to continue as healer but if not she hoped he could be a scout since it seemed that was what he wanted if he couldn't be a healer.

Inna had finally shared with Lorcan what had happened between her and Aleksei when she'd returned. She hadn't planned to because she didn't want him to feel badly but hearing what her brother had done to him, he needed to know he wasn't the only one. “I don't want either of us to have to tip-toe around forever. Hopefully when he realizes he's not going to get the whole story he will back off.” However, Inna wasn't sure he would ever not be mad, “I hope he and the rest of the pack can't stay mad forever.”

She'd done it again, acted selfishly trying to make up for what she'd done and making sure her pups wouldn't be a burden. In trying to do that she could have put her pups in danger and what was worse is there wasn't any way to tell until they were born. The sound in his voice as he told her that she needed to rest more and make sure she ate. A whine vibrated her throat as he gaze went to her paws,”I’m sorry Lorcan that I could have put them in danger and I will do better,” she promised.

There was still the obligation she felt toward her family and to the pack. She didn't know how she could make it up to them besides what she had been doing. The way he said her name caused her gaze to snap to meet his and then he surprised her by grabbing her muzzle in his jaws. It was the first time anyone had done that to her and she tried to shake him off as she whined again, his grip was too firm. It only lasted a moment but it was enough for her to know she needed to listen to him. She knew he was right about taking care of herself, that now while she carried their children she needed to put herself first. “You’re right, I know that,” she admitted, “I have been working so hard these past weeks to the point of endangering my own children. Maybe they have noticed and maybe that haven't, I don't know. If they haven't I don't know if they ever will, should I even try anymore.” If she did it would have to wait until after her children were born because she couldn't stand the thought of hurting them anymore than she already could have.

He had promised from the beginning that he would support her and now that he was in Hearthwood she had to see that she wasn't alone. His voice had grown gentler as he told her to let him support her. She nodded, “You know I'm glad you're here and I am happy to have your help, whatever your willing to do.” She didn't want to push him into anything he didn't want to do. He again surprised her as he moved closer to place a lick to her cheek which was significant to her. She returned it with a lick to his chin, a show of appreciation for all he'd done. “I promise I will do whatever I can to make sure to take care of myself and the pups.” She meant that, she couldn't jeopardize them for wolves whose feelings she wasn't even sure of. To start to keep her promise was the hare that Lorcan had offered which she finally took and settled down to eat after offering to show him around. “We can go just as soon as I finish and thank you Lorcan for coming.”

Fade