You try to comfort her, but Bly shrugs you off.
"I know you mean well, but I need to work through this on my own. I…I don't want to be touched right now. I need space."
Unsure what else to do, you let Bly know that you'll be there if she needs to talk, and you start walking back to the main road.
"Decaarr?" Bly calls after you. "Thank you for checking in on me. It means a lot."
Jolon looks you over as you approach, giving the air a quick sniff. "Not affected?" he says a bit too casually, quirking an eyebrow as he tries to haul an older wolf back to his feet.
You rush in to help, grabbing the elder's other arm and gently pulling up until he's standing again. Once he's on his way, Jolon moves on, skirting through the crowd in search of another packmate in need of help. You rush to keep up.
"All these people were at the ritual," Jolon says quietly. "Same as last year and the year before that. You know what I keep hearing from them tonight as they're recovering?"
You shake your head.
"They think it's a curse. That the Hunter's Moon has spurned us. Even wolves of science are spouting that garbage, or at least not contradicting it." He kneels down next to a white-haired assembly-wolf and talks to her softly before rising again. "Old traditions die hard."
"The moon doesn't care for us," you mutter under your breath. "Maybe it never did."
"I agree," Jolon says, eyeing you critically. "I don't believe the moon had a hand in this at all. I think we were poisoned. I believe we were betrayed."
Jolon sighs. "True. I have no evidence of betrayal. Yet. But I have my suspicions."
"Any you'd care to give voice to?"
"Not at the moment, no." Jolon sighs. "I know you're well intentioned, but these things have a way of spreading. I'll keep the exact nature of my concerns close to the breast until tangible evidence presents itself."
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