She’ll come. He hoped the little crow was right. The thought of his sidekick refusing to leave her den, even for her daughter, made his heart ache and his voice catch in his throat. She would come. She had to.
The ghost resumed his position at the girl’s side, refusing to lower his hindquarters in case the raven did not come. He would seek her out if that was the case. Either with the little crow at his heels or her scruff between his jaws. If Inna would not come to them they would come to her—and it would not be a pleasant meeting.
A sigh of relief escaped him as the scent of the new mother grew stronger with her approach. He glanced down at the little Baranski and offered her a sharp wink. The little crow’s plan had worked—her mother was coming for her. She had left the den. That was all that mattered. He offered Inna a soft, sheepish grin as she broke through the trees, her tangerine gaze sweeping between Lachesis and her daughter. The ghost listened, patiently, as the raven scolded Oksana, just as he would have done to his own his daughters if he had caught them crossing the border unattended. “I’m not that busy,” he countered with an amused expression etched onto his pale features, a single brow arched. “I had been patrolling the borders and caught her just before she made it too far from the borders. She didn’t try very hard to not get caught.” He flashed the girl a knowing look before returning his focus to the older Baranski. “Don’t sweat it, Inna. I’m just glad I caught her and wanted you to know.” He offered the raven a small smile, his head tipped to the side. “That way you could decide whether to punish her or not,” he added with a dismissive shrug.
stick with those who stick with you