Blacktail Deer Plateau keep a brave face

"yes, my very first," he said, nodding seriously. "my mother didn't have any more pups besides me." he noticed that sunny cut off whatever he was going to say, and chose to not press the boy--he would share it if he wanted to. he didn't know his new brother-in-law to be anyone shy of speaking his mind; it was refreshing, in a way, to know someone so honest, so unguarded. neither grayday nor dawn had that same quality: they both had had to grow up too fast.

adi smiled as sunny spoke of his crushes, first a girl he wasn't familiar with, then sorrel, with whom aditya was definitely familiar. "keoni," he repeated for starters, canting one ear in curiosity. "does she live back in easthollow?" he knew that dawn and sunny had been born in easthollow and that the boy had lived there longer than his sister; he hadn't exactly been clued into the entire story.

"koi baat nahin," he said coolly to sunny's last sentence, throwing off the apology with a flick of his tail. "no apology needed. i talk a lot, too."

his smile faded a bit as he thought of sorrel. she was a tough nut to crack, but it was clear that some trauma in her past cloaked her present in fear and distrust. even aditya had a hard time interacting with her, and he considered himself a seasoned counselor and friend. sunny, many seasons younger, might have been in over his head with the complicated girl.

"sorrel has gone through a lot," aditya murmured. "i'm not sure what, but she's been hurt before. i don't think she knows who she can trust. all you can really do is be a good friend to her." he gave sunny an encouraging smile. "i'm sure she appreciates your kindness."