The Sunspire i can't get you out of the rain.

Summer listened wordlessly as Ame told of her travels and how they had failed to bring her any closer to finding their wayward leader. A small frown twitched across his lips. He still cared very much for Ferdie, but he was swiftly moving beyond the hope that the man would return to them. In truth, he was beginning to consider his hope to be more a symptom of denial. No, Ferdie was gone, leaving behind the pups he had boldly claimed as his own (even though they weren't), and the woman he had brought to their Spire to become his mate (even though she wasn't).

"As do many predators who would mean us harm," Summer replied with a tired smirk of his own, "Maybe I should practice trailing you." He had little doubt that the cougar who had brought all of this stress upon the pack moved with just as much stealth. Perhaps tailing the alpha really would do the boy some good.

"Quiet," he said, allowing his gaze to drift up the mountain, "Very quiet... Sometimes I wonder if it's not too quiet--" Summer paused, turning his gaze to Amekaze apologetically as he realized he was doing it again; saying too much, stepping too far out of place. That was another problem with the poppies. While they took away the self-awareness that often caused the boy insufferable anxiety, they also tended to remove all inhibitions, including those that kept him conscious of what he was doing or saying how whether or not he should be doing or saying them.

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