InsaneJournal

Black Mariah: "I think you played with the truth there, Fallen. I think maybe this healer couldn't do jack for your boy... so you gave him an old-fashioned--pardonnez-moi l'expression--mercy fuck, and then sent him out into the snow to die... or maybe just ended him yourself to make it quick. But you spun the truth to make yourself look better to Jude... or because you're still a romantic and loathe to admit it."

Lee: "Know what I think?"

Mariah: "What?"

"I think, when I listen very carefully... I can still hear him singing. And I think... I don't care what you think."

Mariah: "That's fair."

Lee: "Nice to know something is."

"Wolves understand," Firekeeper continued, "that love is for more. Love is trusting someone will guard your back. Love is knowing that when you are wounded, that your loved one will drag food to where you are fallen. Love is knowing that you would do this for the other, even if doing that means going hungry for yoursel. Love is knowing that when you die, someone will care enough to sing of you to the moon."

"You've grown," said the One Female approvingly, "as has Little Two-legs. The hunting is good east of the mountains?"

Blind Seer gave a short barking laugh. "It could be. Not only are there dear and elk and rabbits, but the humans keep creatures they make stupid so that they can control them. Horses are not bad--some of them have spirit--but sheep and chickens beg to be eaten. What threat is a cow, especially when she has had her horns sawed off, or a bull once he's been gelded?"

"You hunted such?" The One Female's tone mixed curiosity and a certain degree of disgust--or maybe envy.

"No," Blind Seer drawled. "Instead, humans trembling in fear of my size and power carried already killed meat to me on sheets of beaten metal. I grew fat without effort--and would have grown fatter but for the need to watch over sweet Firekeeper."

Firekeeper snorted and punched the blue-eyed wolf in the shoulder.

(Reply to this)