Lost Creek Hollow As we roll down this unfamiliar road

He didn't know why he needed her to understand, but he did. He wanted her to be happy, because she was one of his oldest friends and she meant a lot to him. She was the last bit of home from before he had... but he couldn't make her be happy about it. And he could tell, now, that he was upsetting her too.

I want it too, he said quietly, frowning but feeling the truth of it. He had always loved kids, and while he'd never had the desire to take a mate, he loved the idea of a child of his own. To be called father. To have a pup look at him like the ones at Moonspear had turned to Charon, or Liffey's turned to Rannoch. He felt there wasn't much more important than that.

I'll see you later, he added, still quiet, and turned to go. He didn't like leaving things like this, but he didn't want to upset her, and he wanted to think on this.