Blacktail Deer Plateau let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday

Ty appeared, the perfect unaffected complement to her sister's emotional paroxysms. "Ty!" the darker child cried when her sister's face appeared above her. She rolled onto her side, then onto her belly and sprang at her litter mate. Osprey slung her arms around Tytonidae's neck and smothered her face with licks even as she continued to giggle and whimper.

When a deep, familiar voice spoke from behind her, Osprey released her sister and turned to see her father standing there, a look of disbelief on his face. "Daddy!" Junior shrieked even as the Alpha male sprang forward to collect both little girls in a hug. Osprey squeaked happily as Peregrine mushed her together with Ty, her whole body shaking and wriggling and her tail whipping back and forth.

"I missed yous guys!" the pup croaked, alternately snuggling her face against Ty's neck and her father's chest. Tears, happy tears, brimmed in her eyes and began to stream down her dark cheeks. "Did you miss me?" she questioned, utterly unaware that her family had not only missed her but thought her dead and buried.

A sudden thought then occurred to her and she froze momentarily, two-toned eyes growing wide as she pulled back to gaze into her father's face. "Are you mad at me?" she asked in a suddenly small voice. "Am I in trouble?" Her large ears began to flatten even as the colorless sky rumbled ominously, threatening an encore performance of this morning's stormy weather.