Dragoncrest Cliffs who said this was a game

Once the initial surprise of unexpected company passes, he tries to ease into this fully and just as soon as he did, she spoke true—if only there could be more gained so very simply. He wanted it too, and for the answers to come easily then for all to move on no worse for the wear, with all right in the world here at the cliffsides. However idealistic that could be, he knew how slim the chances of that were, even if everything fell into place. "Yeah, really," he sighed, and switched his tail-tip with a familiar, pent up restlessness. "Guess that would be just too easy, though," the pale guardian shook his head to dismiss the faraway notion.

As for himself, he answered first with a low grunt. He was... here. He was tired, he was anxious, and he was disappointed about certain matters that thinking on hurt his head over, but his home was safe, his belly full, and he could always curl up beside his wife at the end of his day—so this was far from disaster even with winter creeping closer. Missing packmates and their absences aside, it was keeping along well here on the cliffs themselves. Wildfire's litter may be missing their mother through some vital milestones in their lives, but they were growing up strong and able. Thuringwethil's illness was behind them finally, and maybe, the timing of the arrival of the Fos Goufa wasn't as ominous as he wanted to make it out to be.

Time, ever ticking, would have to tell if the good or the bad would outweigh the other. "Good enough. But we have to," he nodded. It was a long story he wasn't mustering the energy to compose right this instant. "Patrols feel endless these days. Wish we'd hear some news, good or bad at this point even. But it's just.. almost ominously peaceful here sometimes," Dio squinted, then looked long at her. "How about you?" Paths hadn't crossed much for good reason. He even felt like he saw little of his family some days, which with his lurking suspicions about Sirio, he worried about that. Speaking of which, somewhat, the next train of thought seemed to be Blixen, Robin, and Artaax again: "How do you think the kids are handling it all?"