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“Yeah,” Brontide said simply in return to his sister’s straightforward reply, easing back from his kill to scratch at an itch behind one tattered ear. His gaze followed Sirimiri’s, and a bemused smile played about the corner of his mouth as he watched Serein and Komodo.

His ears pricked forward at the other male’s wisecracking, and his eyes narrowed in an expression of cool displeasure. His grin, though, was utterly genuine. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said blithely, utterly untroubled. “There’s enough of us sticking around on the island to keep us from ever running out. I never could understand why Tow and Kamala stopped after one litter, but there’s always Chelan and Catori’s kids. I wonder if either of them have settled down yet.” Yawning widely, Brontide rose and shook feathers and sand from his stormy fur. “If we were really worried, there’s always Aunt Turnstone’s line. Bet the Meares bunch’d ship a few puppies to Vargas Island if we ever suffered a shortage.”

Serein laughed, rubbing a cheek against her twin’s shoulder as she joined the trio. “You’re stuck with our ‘noise’ for a long time to come, Komodo,” she told him plainly.