Amanda wandered the edge of the lake. A cabin had been set up for them and they had slept most of the day. Now the others were cooking something on a grill or were gathered on the porch partying. More than a few of the otters had warmed to them, now that the Matriarch had relented to her partner's wishes and let them stay.

Their fate, and the otters involvement with them and their fight against the Sons of Garm was yet to be decided. They would meet tomorrow to begin that discussion.

The Matriarch's farm was out of cellphone range proper, but they could get text messages. Connor had exchanged messages with both Aaron and Robbie. Aaron and pack were on their way to Vegas with the Jaegers. They seemed to be safe. Arthur and pack were being wooed by the Fleischers, hoping he would turn against his tribe. The fact that Robbie shared this so willing made Connor think he could, at last, truly trust Arthur. Amanda wasn't so sure.

For the moment they were safe, and that was enough for the rest of the pack. They were happy, celebrating.

What was Amanda supposed to be feeling? She had discovered who her mother really was. A harlot who had betrayed her clan to be with her father.

She came upon a rack with two canoes overturned for repairs. There was a bench nearby and she sat, lost in thought.

A black furry head swam past and moments later Ghost was rising out of the water. He draped a kilt around himself and set on the ground. There was something about him, something so insubstantial, that it didn't feel like he was intruding on her solitude.

Ghost, daft bastard, driven mad, heartsick, by her mother's betrayal. How must he feel about her presence?

"I knew you'd come someday," he said after sometime. "I didn't know how I'd feel, though."

She looked at him and away, blushing. "How do you feel?"

He took a long time answering. "If she hadn't... If things had been different... you might have been my daughter. I like that thought."

"Me, too," Amanda answered, realising she did feel that way. Having lost so much of her family, it was nice to think there were more. They sat and talked a long time, as only a surly bear and a daft bastard could, in monosyllables and long pauses. But it was comforting, to be around someone who could accept the silences and not push.

As she rose to leave, her phone chimed. They couldn't get a strong enough signal for calls here, this deep in the woods but they got texted. She froze as she saw the message. It was from Haltir.

"Are you safe?"

Moments later there was another.

"I won't ask where. I promise."

After a few minutes she responded.

"Yes, we're all safe."

"That is good." He replied. "I would not be your enemy, Amanda. But fates seem to have ordained otherwise. I hope in some future encounter it will not be so."

"Me, too." She replied. She tucked the phone back into her pocket and headed for the cabin.