Ocean's Breath Plateau lonely times when i could not find a friend

Though he was given something like permission, the panther sensed his father's unease with this plan. Could it be right to remain here while Seelie was out in the world? Dutch didn't know the answer, but he felt deep in his bones that he couldn't live with himself if he did nothing. Even if this cost him — how could he do anything but try and right this grave evil?

"I will be safe," he said, testing the words for strength. He would need to be; he could not leave his family without a father once more. Even if they still had Chakliux, they deserved to have him, too. "I will come back," he repeated, a little more firmly. "Very soon. With our shadow girl."

Shadow girl.

The name came to his lips without thought, but pain lanced freshly through him, now. Sulukinak was lost to him already; he would not let this darkling girl of his own blood go the same way.

"You must hold on," he pleaded, crawling just a little closer to nose at his father's cheek. "So that you can hold her in your arms again. Yes?"

He searched the other man's eyes for reassurance.