Swiftcurrent Creek I lied I'm not picking a thread title

Dusty Rose doubted the man had stuck around, but he'd be lying if he said he hadn't sorta wondered about said girls. But there were others around to look after them, and despite all this — Dusty was pretty sure Everett wouldn't hurt the kids.

The family was strange, that was all. He didn't like it, but he figured that was fine, since Reverie didn't like it, either.

He didn't answer, though. This wasn't his party. He'd really like to head out now, actually.

Before that could happen, though, they had to see Arlette. Dusty Rose was reluctant to do this right up until it happened, and after that, he couldn't really hide his interest. It was just — he'd been one of the youngest. He'd never had much to do with pregnant women. Even Reverie had been largely out of his reach at the time, and so his strongest memory was still of his brother's wife in that brief visit. She'd been so little and yet so huge. Arlette wasn't quite there yet, but that just made him more curious, if anything. It was something new.

He glanced at Reverie, briefly imagining a not-so-distant future. His bottlebrush tail wheeled against his hocks for a few turns before he quelled the subconscious reaction.