Wheeling Gull Isle she’s a 10 but…

He sagged a little when Heda spoke of Mireille’s losses. It took him a few beats to realize exactly who she meant: Erzulie and Rosalyn. He mouthed their names, though no sound escaped his lips. And who was the brother? Was it the very same one Heda had mentioned as a possible match before?

I can’t remember if I told you this but Erzulie and Rosalyn, Caracal said, they are—or were—my grandmothers. I barely knew them, he was quick to add, lest she redirect her pity to him when it belonged to Mireille. But still… damn.

He nodded when she said she’d go back soon. Perhaps he’d go with her, though only if Heda wanted him to come along. He wasn’t sure Mireille would want to see him and, well, if Erzulie wasn’t there to welcome him and Meerkat no longer lived there, then that bear had cut many of Caracal’s ties to Sapphique.

Oh, he said when she prompted him about his own trip, it was kind of sad too, to be honest. My youngest sister, Leo, died. I never even met her but it’s really fucked up my mom’s family unit, understandably. I think they’ll be alright but I just… He paused for a moment, searching for words. I just hope I never have to know what that’s like, you know?

His toes were still gently wound in Heda’s nape. Caracal cupped the back of her neck a moment, then let his foreleg drop. This had turned out to be quite the heavy reunion, so he sought after something a little more uplifting to say.

I caught up with Killer too. He was my best buddy growing up and my OG travel companion. So that was nice. I told him about you.