Æsc looked down at her hand on his leg and nodded, "You're probably right. I really can't imagine living on without you." He knew most mates died with their partners and he desperately hoped he was one of the lucky ones that did if she went before he did because those few that lived on were shells of themselves and it was extremely rare they ever mated again. He had always been able to see the sorrow in his father's eyes growing up, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.<br/><br/>Eztli laughed softly and kissed his cheek, "As long as you want to. I'm in no hurry, we have years and years." She hoped that were true anyway. Most of Sinka's vessels died earlier than normal wolves since it was Sinka's whim to leave whenever she felt like it, but they still usually had at least a century. It was extremely rare they went before they were fifty.