Moonspear doves on the wind

With a new destination for their night, Rannoch assisted Korei down the mountainside. He remained vigilant as they traveled, silently hoping that nothing would deter them from their goal. 

Their trip took longer than expected, due to Korei's mental fatigue. "Here we are," Rannoch announced as they stepped through the entryway. He led her to where she slept and allowed her to settle before he spoke again. "I'm going to hang around outside for a little bit," Rannoch informed her. He would only stay until he was confident that she was sleeping. "But, if you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to come to my den. We won't mind it at all." 

When all was said and done, and Korei nodded slowly in reply to what had been said, Rannoch excused himself from her den. He sat just outside of the cave and kept watch until he heard light snores come from the shelter behind him. He left his post then, and headed back to the den he shared with Liffey, feeling a sense of dread at what he had to do next. Rannoch had to fill her in about everything that had happened that night, and given the fact that her family's pack was involved, he was not looking forward to breaking the news to her.