Heron Lake Plateau they escaped the weight of the darkness

With his entire family encircling him at the plateau's edge, Rannoch felt as though he could truly breathe for the first time in days. Liffey was the one to summon Raven and Quioxte, and as she did, Rannoch took a moment to do a mental roll call of the children, and get a grasp of where they had all settled. All seemed still until Sionnach screamed. "Sionnach," Rannoch summoned, his voice sharp; although Wisteria was a stranger, she still deserved respect from her younger sister. "Do not talk to your sister like that, you know better." He glanced as Wisteria then, wondering what he reaction had been.  Whatever her reaction was, Rannoch then decided that he'd rather keep a closer eye on Sionnach. "Come on over here, Sionnach," he requested, his voice softer. "If you're good, daddy will carry you." 
 
Raven and Quioxte arrived shortly after Rannoch requested his daughter's company, and he turned just in time to touch noses with Raven. "Raven!" he replied, "I'm sorry we made it in so late—we wanted to get here as quickly as he could." Rannoch then offered Liffey a knowing glance, as he quickly recalled their conversation hours prior. "These are all the children—Breccan and Deshyr, who you've both met before," he glanced at his eldest, and motioned towards them with a bob of his muzzle. "And our youngest, Sionnach, Aengus, Tiarnach, and Eshe." He motioned to each child as he spoke their names. "We also found Wisteria, one of our older children on the way—she ran off before she could meet you all." He turned to his blonde-haired daughter and smiled. 

Once his upon the plateau's reigning alpha pair once more, Rannoch added quietly, "They're all worn out from the trip—I'm sure they'll be in higher spirits in the morning."