Redtail Rise aureolin

He could not help but think of his own relationship with his sister, Iser.

It had been fraught even during the best of times. They had never understood each other, perhaps had never tried. But this had always been the natural order of things, and Gavrel did not mind that there was no love lost between them -- in fact, he even preferred it that way.

So instead his mind turned to Jannik.

And there his heart clenched as it always did, and he moved his paw over Redd's own. He thought he could transmit everything he felt to her, through these few inches of skin.

Then let it be that way, he murmured. The sister packs, being Wealda, everything -- let it all happen.

He gave her a wary glance, then.

I told her I loved you -- was that stupid of me?

Such questions could only be conceived of and asked in the middle of the night.