Stone Circle It's only a lifetime, that's only a while

Once he could see and as his limbs grew stronger and stronger, Swift became ever more difficult to corral. He was aware now that there was much more to his world, and the less need he had of his mother’s and sister’s heat, the more inclined he was to explore it. But only on his terms.

And this was not on his terms.

Tauris’ son was dead asleep — all four paws stuck up in the air and his tail out straight — when she came to rouse them. Swift grumbled as her paw came beneath him, refusing to budge. But before he knew it his mother had him aloft by the scruff, and further grumbles and growls proved not to dissuade her from disturbing his snooze.

He let himself go limp in her jaws, and when she placed he and Katla in the grass, still he played catatonic. Swift ragdolled forward; his forehead and snout plunged into the earth; his forelegs flung toward his arse upon which he only half-sat. And there he stayed, the little puffs of breath rising his chest and stirring the grit between the blades of grass the only sign that he was very much alive.