Silvertip Mountain Your face-saving promises, whispered like prayers

It was unusual to hear someone other than Dad or June saying 'I love you' but it didn't feel odd. It was nice, actually. To think that he had had another member of family with him on this lonely mountain. He felt as though his broken heart had received a small piece back, rising out of the shattered mess that it had become to fit back into place. He managed a watery smile up at his Uncle.
 
Mason listened with renewed interest when Steady divulged information about his past. "What d'you mean different?" The boy enquired. He imagined Steady was the type of stoic father who admonished carefully, like Dad. Maybe his potential-mate had been a hothead (he banished thoughts of Zaria, whose personality traits came to mind immediately). "Did she wanna smack the babies for bein' naughty instead of just sayin' no?" He asked with childish interest, because this was the only difference he could see in how parents would raise their pups.