Looking up, Valeska appeared puzzled. 'There is darkness around us,' her daughter had stated cryptically, yet apart from the thick haze pressing in around them she could still catch a glimpse of the noonday sun shining weakly overhead.

No matter. Perhaps it was one of those speech-figures.

Sreda settled into a perfect seated position, almost cat-like in her mannerisms as she remained ever precise both in posture and carriage. Despite her love for the macabre, the dark girl - woman - typically kept herself tidy, a trait which fascinated Valeska given how much grave-digging and corpse-looting she did in her spare time.

Well, go on, she encouraged, It must be very important, and I wish to hear it!

'Maybe there are more grandpups on the way,' she thought wistfully.

Then again...

Giving her daughter a quick once-over, Valeska tried to envision Sreda tolerating the company of an unrelated male for longer than a few hours; then tried to picture her harvesting children from the hollow of the Great Tree. But that still begged the question: with who? The outcome of pups required a second party no matter the method - but - there just wasn't anyone -

Valeska abandoned the idea.

But then what could it be?