Wheeling Gull Isle rollin' with the homies

Even within the hug, he shrugged, pulling a face. He sighed, eventually, and pulled away.

I'd be happy with you, he explained. And I'd be happy with my dad. And I'd be happy with her. I'd be happy with Gramma Oh'ee and I'd—I'd be happy anywhere. At least anywhere where everyone was.

He shook his head. But that's never going to happen. You have Heda, my dad has his new mate, and Gramma Oh'ee has her family in the mountains. Ma only has me. It just happens that she doesn't want to be around the other places.

And he just couldn't let it come to pass that she'd be alone. 

He shrugged, again. He'd been doing a lot of shrugging as of late. I have legs, he reasoned. I can travel.