Emberwood swallows circling with their shimmering sound

"In the trees, but don't wake 'em up. I only just got them settled," he warned, now wondering how his children would take the renewed presence of Akuti - as well as thinking, distantly, that Steady would not be happy when he showed his face back at Easthollow with her scent mixed with his. His sense of uneasy trepidation increased, but Grayday studiously ignored it, instead focusing on replacing the scent of aloneness that covered Akuti's pelt with Eau de Grayday.

There are other reasons not to wake the kids, he found himself thinking as he rubbed his jaw and throat over the back of Akuti's neck, still trying to cover her in his scent. Those thoughts were hard to chase away, but he knew better than to try and get busy with his kids (hopefully) sleeping only a few dozen yards away.