Bramblepoint cranky curmudgeon

Caught off guard by his brother’s candid reassurance, Cypress had to clear his throat a few times before he could manage a reply. “Sometimes I forget,” he admitted in a small, embarrassed undertone. “Oh, not about being brothers — ” he would never forget something that important “ — but, well.” He didn’t finish his statement; he didn’t have to. His sulphureous gaze lifted tentatively to meet Rannoch’s, desperately needing the intimacy of eye contact to combat the worst of his fears. After a long, searching look, the eidolon slicked his elongated ears back against his crown and settled more closely against his littermate. “Nothing seemed right when we were apart,” he murmured. “I used to worry that leaving the forest meant leaving mama and paw, but now I’m starting to think they’d be proud of what we’re doing here.”