Hideaway Strath when we arrive, sons and daughters

First out of the den was Eirlys, much to the soot-stockinged rogue’s surprise.

“Eirlys, tule tänne,” she crooned in a soft singsong, adding an undulating whine of invitation to cement her meaning. “Come here, little snowdrop, lumikello.” She embellished her command with a visual cue, lightly patting her paws against the dew-dappled grass. When the pale little puppy complied, Lotte beamed encouragement. “That’s right,” she urged, chuckling at Eirlys’ hip-wiggle of excitement.

Swinging around to look eagerly for her siblings, Eirlys tilted her head to the side so hard she knocked herself off balance, tumbling onto her side in the soft spring grass. A growl ticked in her throat as she batted at the pale green blades, then sprang forward to bark defensively at them. They were everywhere! She whipped around, turning circles and tangling herself up, and it was all very exciting until it abruptly wasn’t. Eirlys had scared herself, and she sprinted headlong to äiti to bury her face against one soot-stockinged leg.