I had just been trying to lighten the mood, but I knew immediately I’d said the wrong thing. A shadow fell over Eric’s face and his jaw tightened. He sighed deeply.
“Yes,” he said.
I touched his hand. “I’m sorry. I know it must’ve been a big problem since you spent so much effort on it.”
Eric’s eyes fell. “If I’m being honest, maybe I spent more than necessary. But it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
I nodded, although I didn’t exactly agree. Whatever the problem was, it couldn’t be worth the amount of stress Eric was putting himself--and the rest of us--through. But I knew he was a pack leader who didn’t do half-measures. He did everything with strength and pride. He was a good man, and a noble leader.
The air darkened as we went deeper into the pine woods. The scent of mulch and fresh pine filled my nose, reminding me pleasantly of Eric.
On either side of the worn dirt path grew a patch of lily-of-the-valley, brightening up the darkness with their whimsical white flowers. Then I realized the path and flowers led to a final destination up ahead--a section of the forest where the canopy opened up, allowing deep blue sky and stars to show overhead.
And then I saw the grave markers.
I stopped and a small gasp escaped me. I suddenly felt like I was intruding on something private, like I shouldn’t have been here.
Eric gave me a gentle, tired smile. “It’s okay.”
He held out his hand and I took it.
We approached the graves slowly. Two simple wooden markers stood an equal distance apart. Trails of ivy grew up the length of the markers, making the old wood beneath almost invisible.
I couldn’t find the right words. “Are these…?”
“My parents’ graves,” Eric said simply. “Yes.”
My breath caught in my throat. Why had Eric brought me here? It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate the invitation deeper into his private life, but the overwhelming emotion was almost enough to bring me to my knees.
“Do you know what happened to them?” Eric asked.
“No,” I said quietly.
Eric sat cross-legged on the ground, a gesture I’d never seen him do. Usually he was so poised and serious. The position seemed almost… childlike.
I sat next to him. He was still holding my hand.
“There have always been humans living outside the Lake of Four Directions,” Eric began. “They’re caught between our lake territories, and the gryphons’ mountain territory. Technically, they’re surrounded on both sides.”
“Why don’t they just leave?” I asked bitterly.
Eric turned to me. “Why should they? Most of the time, they have enough land and resources to sustain themselves. Think about it. Would you leaveyourhome just because there’s potential danger?”
“No, I guess not,” I mumbled.
Eric continued after a moment, his voice steeled. “But sometimes, the resources you have aren’t enough. Sometimes you need more.”
I frowned.
“Do you remember about ten years ago when that bad winter hit us?” he asked.
I recalled the intense cold and the lack of prey. I was only a kid back then, so I relied on my parents and my pack for everything, and I knew in the back of my mind in that naive, childish way that nothing bad could happen to me. But others must have not been so lucky.
“Yes,” I said.
Eric closed his eyes. “West Pack is the closest territory to the humans, as the crow flies. Sometimes they dance along the South Pack border, too. But my territory is most convenient.”I remembered now that Ramsay’s mother had been absent from one of the more recent Moon Meetings because of human activity at their border. Maybe because East Pack was furthest away from the humans that they were never really an issue in my mind. It struck me now that perhaps I’d been ignorant to think so.
I fidgeted uncomfortably with my fingers, waiting for the inevitable dark turn of Eric’s story.
