The Sentinels but through my ups and downs

Alarian was gone, and he felt adrift. When he had found his brother missing, he had followed the scent trail, thinking the worst. After not encountering a body, he assumed that he was fine, that he had found. . .wherever he was headed. A new home? He hadn't headed to Bracken Sanctuary. Did he no longer live there? Instead he'd gone closer to the mountains, but. . .

Zamael stopped tracking him, after a while. It was clear that his presence in his brother's life brought them both nothing but anguish. If one Keil was a hot mess, two of them together was a full-on dumpster fire. And people wondered why he had nothing nice to say about Sunfil Grove.

So he returned to Skeleton Man, Stormrift, and the bay. On the way, he stopped in the ugly burned forest he'd met Ashari in, praying to whatever gods there were that she wouldn't be there. There was a flash of pale fur nearby, and he held his breath for an instant--but it was gold, not silver. He drew closer to inspect, and his pained look melted into something almost resembling a smile.

Hey! Prince Charming! Zamael called softly, padding toward the boy with his tail wagging. Didn't think I'd see you again--not out here, anyway.