Phoenix Maplewood love as if you were a child

adi pulled her tight, the tears slowly drying on his cheeks as he took a moment to compose himself. "missed you," he said fervently, quietly, rocking slightly back and forth with the girl in his arms. even the woman's voice took a moment to cut into the joy that cloaked him, and he looked up slowly, meeting her gaze.

sunspot. grayday's littermate. adi's face darkened as he realized what this meant, what news he'd have to give her. dawn had found bones in the wreckage that couldn't have been her father's, and no one had seen shale since the blaze. he held it back for now, knowing it could wait for later, when they were a little more settled. give him a chance to break the news gently to kitten, who'd already been through so much in the last moon.

"thank you so much," he said again, almost automatically. then-- "lavender! oh, god." he had thought her lost forever, too, and the news that another of grayday's daughters was alive and well was all too much. "thank you--god, thank you. we owe you so much." she was family, sure, but under no obligation to take the girls in. but she had.

lavender, alive! and merbani, safe with him. adi let out a shuddering breath, marveling at the way the world had shifted in the last few minutes.