Luneshale Pass No one will ever

-“I’ll only ever laugh with you, not at you,”- he insisted with a boyish wink. -“I’m not from anywhere, really. I was born in my older sister’s pack in a place called Sun Mote Corpse,”- he explained, unaware that he’d bungled that name a bit. -“But I barely remember it, to be honest. My mom and me have been traveling together since I was old enough to walk more than a couple feet.”-

He laughed, a fond little noise that quickly died in his throat. He’d gone everywhere with her—and vice versa—until now. Bushtit drew in a breath as he grappled with a fresh wave of guilt. They were usually thick as thieves. He should’ve at least said something…

-“What about you?”- he asked, speaking a little loudly as if quite literally trying to speak over his own thoughts. -“Where did you come from and how’d you end up here?”-