Ocean's Breath Plateau dancing doe

Despite his youth, Kitimat was no child. He'd grown up quickly in the wake of his father and brother disappearing, and his mother's subsequent isolation—and this, too, would harden the young man into something more resembling the latter word.

He woke to the first scream, and in the scramble of pawsteps and commands and shouts, heard another, high and keening.

Mother.

Ignoring those herding him into the den with his siblings and the other pups—ignoring the stern instructions from her own mouth—Kitty instead burst into a gallop and raced toward his mother, sand flying as he skittered to a stop at her side.

There he would stand fast against her, reproach and admonition be damned. He would not leave her side until this situation was resolved and Seelie was returned home. . .and perhaps not even then.