"Does he?"
"He's just not—he's not a talker."
"I've gathered." I duck past a fallen branch. "What does he do? When he's not walking through dark forests ignoring people?"
"He runs the pack."
"Yes, but what does hedo? Day to day. Does he patrol? Hunt? Sit on a throne and brood? Because the brooding would track."
"He patrols. Plans. Settles disputes." She pauses for breath. "He's up before everyone. Last one to rest."
"So he's a worrier."
"He's an alpha."
"Those aren't mutually exclusive." I look at his back. The set of his shoulders. His head moving, scanning, always scanning. "When's the last time he slept? And I'm asking you because he won't answer me."
"Keer doesn't really—"
"Doesn't really sleep. Great. So I'm walking into a camprun by someone who doesn't sleep, doesn't talk, and doesn't eat, probably."
"He eats."
"When someone puts food in front of him, or when he remembers?"
Kestria's quiet.
"That's what I thought." I duck under a low-hanging branch. "Add it to the list."
"What list?"
"The list of things I'm going to fix when we get there."
"You haven't even arrived and you're already making a list."
"I always have a list. The list is the only thing between me and chaos." Nugget shifts in the basket and I hitch her higher. "Current list, in order: find a workspace, check your bandage, locate clean water, figure out moonbright supply, build drying racks, and now apparently feed the alpha. That's six things and I haven't even seen the place yet."
"You're not responsible for—"
"Feeding people isn't a responsibility. It's just what you do. People are hungry, food exists, you put them together. Or do wolves not do that?"
"We do that."
"Then we agree."
Ahead of us, Keer ducks a branch and holds it. His arm extended back, not turning around, just waiting until we pass it.
I walk under his arm. Pine and heat and skin, close enough that if I looked up I'd be looking at his throat. I don't look up. I keep my eyes on the path and my hand on Nugget and walk through.
"Thank you." It comes out too high. Squeaky.
Amazing.
His hand drops and keeps walking.
Kestria's watching me. I can feel it.
"Don't."
