Dragoncrest Cliffs In the cold light of day, we're a flame in the wind.

It was true: Dio had been significantly busier in the recent weeks. Dacio hadn't really considered why nor was he bold enough to ask, but Portia had briefly explained the Heda's departure to her pups. He'd never had any real interaction with her that he could remember, but he felt her absence in the series of unfortunate events that followed.

"Yeah," he responded, a little sadly. While Portia had always been the pups' primary caretaker, Dacio loved his father fiercely and he didn't like having him around even less than before.

He is content to leave the topic behind, and his enthusiasm returns when Helix draws attention to the birds that lingered on the shore. Tail wagging at his hocks, the silver Goufa lopes forward with a spring in his stride toward them, barking a few times in attempt to surprise them.