Porcupine Ridge auntblood

To the panther — the teller of tales — there was no greater compliment than to be told that his voice was strong. Perhaps he would have been bashful under different circumstances. Tonight, he only felt a strange thrum below his breastbone. It made his eyes deep and solemn as he gazed at the other man, unable to look away.

"You are strong, too," he said after a long, quiet moment. His voice, unusually low, scraped just barely above the howl of the wind. "In your heart. You have a great love for your family. I admire this."