Moonspear princes who adore you

Though he'd grown up on flat, endless meadowlands, Kindle was sure-footed enough. It helped to have Treepie there; he watched her paws carefully before managing the sheer scramble himself. It wasn't as quick or as smooth, and there was a hairy moment where he thought he might slide right back down, but he did make it, in the end.

He was facing her by the time he got to the top, having just asked a question he was a hair too out of breath to answer. He made a show of looking back over the steeper patch, as if measuring where they'd come from, before replying, just a little breathlessly,

"His uncle, actually."

He turned back to Treepie, his tail fanning in idle happiness despite the burn of muscles he did not usually employ.

"His father is my eldest brother," he informed her, moving to follow once more. There was a faint trail here he wouldn't have to haul himself up, so it was a good little break for walking and talking. "They lived out here at first. Then they showed up at Round Valley — that's my natal pack — when I was about six months old. Older, maybe. We've both got the Morningside curse, seems like. Itchy paws. That's what they call it when you wander off early. Though, mainly, I followed him 'cause he was still just a little thing."

He still thought Katmai needed watching after. He did not need to be a leader of this little pack in order to do that, however. He trusted his status as uncle to keep Katmai in line.

"How about you?" he asked her. "Kat says you grew up here. You'n that girl he's so blame fool in love with."

Katmai had claimed to be no such thing — but Kindle was sure that this was the stories thunderbolt at play. It was in their blood, after all, to fall hard and fast and irrevocably.

Often to their detriment.