Stone Circle out there

At first Keoni seemed excited, and Nikai didn't really understand why. He had just admitted that he wanted to leave and she seemed happy about it. She took a few steps forward and he looked in the direction she seemed to gesture in. "Is... Do you want to go there?" he asked hesitantly, not sure if he was drawing the right conclusions. "Is there a place or a wolf you know out there?" Nikai followed Keoni's gaze with a tilted head, wondering suddenly what sort of adventures she'd had when she was gone. He had only ever focussed on how she had gotten hurt, and hadn't even considered she might've made friends there or found good places.

Suddenly her enthusiasm sank and he knew what was going on even without looking at her lips. It was the same reason that he felt guilty, too. They couldn't just leave their mother here alone. Maybe if Steady had still been alive things would've been different. But he was gone, and Nikai didn't want to leave their poor mother all alone.

After a moment of rueful silence Nikai formed a plan in his head and he suggested, "What if we ask mother if we can visit your place? Only for a few days, and then we'll return." He didn't like the thought of returning, feeling the itch in his paws and wanting to feel the breeze of adventure in his face. But he had to compromise and he couldn't choose for himself here; he had a family to worry about.