Fendros managed to return the hug, though he wasn't completely convinced. "You say pain is meaningless, Ahna. I want to believe you. I am not sure I can right now." He pulled back from the hug with a tired frown. "If that child finds out what we are, she is going to grow up thinking that lycans are violent creatures because of the pain. She might think that about Khajiit." He shrugged. "I would prefer not to have the children hurt at all, but..." He rubbed the side of his head. "Ah, I can't know it's going to influence her life. If the damage was not permanent, I suppose there is nothing else to do about it for now."

He sighed and took Ahnasha's hand. "You're right, we should relax." He began to walk to the lake with her.

[hr]
After another short while, Sabine swallowed and nodded. She let go of Kaleeth and tried to put it out of her head that Ahnasha or Fendros would inflict that kind of cruelty.

Sabine sat down close next to Kaleeth's huge leg and drew her knees up to wrap her arms around them. She was able to calm herself enough to look at Kaleeth directly.

"Sorry for not staying close to you in the ambush," Sabine said. "Did the potion work okay?"