Dragoncrest Cliffs everlong

Heda departed, leaving just Étoille and the soft-spoken healing wolf. Ephraim's attention drifted up to his savior for one instant, then swung back to Portia when she rose from her station. Again she uttered soft words with a matron's gentle hush and Ephraim's whole body seemed to relax of its own accord while a tingle crept down from his scalp. His eyes were wide and wary on her but she assured him in that soft tone and he allowed himself to be inspected.

All the while, Portia muttered questions to Étoille and commands to the other, a freckled grey female watching over the den. Ephraim's eyes lifted to watch her go, off to fetch her mother's necessities, and then they flicked back to Portia's black-patched face. "Was a big rain, really loud," he said, very quietly, a breath above a whisper. "Ran fast." As if to emphasize this, he curled his forepaws and winced—they'd taken one hell of a beating from his overnight flight.