It had been some time since she'd heard the news. Grief-stricken, she had not spent much time out of her den, but the air was beginning to clear, and the mist from the tears that had formed in front of her eyes was beginning to fade. She had known it would be soon, with everything that was going on at the time, and given that Amari was older than her, she knew the clock was ticking.
However that did not ease the pain when the time finally passed. She had known it was a peaceful death, not due to the violence, and that he had been in his home. The time they last spoke was as loving as ever, and in her heart of hearts, or perhaps it was just her anxiety, but she thought she knew. He was weakening before everything happened.
She felt a coward for almost hiding from the war and commotion, although Maawio was once a great huntress, she was not as fast or as strong as she used to be. They had intended to be together throughout it all, but had been separated. At least she had managed to keep some others safe, Mbari, for example. He too was separated from her, but stayed in the den. Thank goodness for his anxiety. She may have lost another love of her life that day, too. But she didn't, and as she looked up, her first born son was walking gingerly towards her.
