Redhawk Caldera we're on the island of misfit toys

Raven took no offense at Lagan's comment, simply nodding as if in agreement. It turned out he didn't know the meaning of the word, so the yearling shot her uncle a quick glance to make sure it was all right to answer before pausing to think of the right way to describe it without being too morbid.

"A godparent's role is to step up and take care of the pups in case anything happens to the parents. It's not that common for that to happen," Raven quickly explained, "but just in case..." She licked her lips. "It's meant to be an honor too, to denote that the godparent is a special fixture in the pups' lives. Your mom and dad helped raise me and my brother and sister, even though our parents were still around at the time," she finished.

She hoped the mention of his mom did not arouse any bad feelings in young Lagan. Although he was clearly more well-adjusted to her absence than his elder brother—probably due to his age—Raven knew it must be difficult for all involved. Heck, she missed Finley too. Raven had looked up to her Aunt Flea for as long as she could remember, envious of her boldness. And though the memories of her were now more than a little muzzy, she still loved her without a shadow of a doubt.