Blacktail Deer Plateau Under the moons waning gaze

The gentle flick of her tongue over his muzzle, though a small gesture, was comforting and reassuring in a way. He closed his eyes and leaned his head into the soft, thick fur of her neck. Her scent surrounded him and the warmth of her presence was a solace in the cold emptiness of despair that he felt in the wake of Junior's death. She told him that she'd wanted to check on him, and he exhaled deeply, feeling the strain of the last few days pressing on him from all sides.

"I'll be okay," he said quietly after a moment, sitting back and looking up at the stars. "It's just…I feel like…if I'd just been there more, y'know? I'm her uncle. I should've been around more, helped you and Perry keep an eye on her." A sour expression had come over his face and he blinked his eyes angrily to fight the tears that welled up and threatened to spill down his cheeks.