Blacktail Deer Plateau Once Upon a Time I Sighed

Although he no longer felt unfathomably angry at the mere mention of Tyrannus, the long fur at the nape of Peregrine's neck bristled when she asked him about his brother's actions. "He thought of me as a threat to his throne," he said. "I wasn't the only one, either; he kicked out both of my male litter mates as well. I'm sure they weren't the only ones..." He shook his head, his swarthy ears sliding backward. He would never be able to fathom the change that had taken place in Tyrannus, turning him into a beastly, feral tyrant who ran out his brothers unprovoked.

Blue Willow went on to explain how she handled the departure from her parents. Peregrine exhaled through his nose and nodded to acknowledge her. "Sounds like you want to settle down," he observed. "I hope you like pack life. I think it'll serve you well, as long as you serve it well," the Gamma added sagely.

"Can I ask you a question?" he said in the next beat, then forged ahead with permission. "Does it bother you, knowing you probably won't ever see them again? My dad died right before Tyrannus ran me out. It was rough. What eats me up at night is that I might never see Mo—my mother—again before she dies. I also miss my sister, Osprey, and I have a hard time with the idea that I may never see her again, either," he admitted. He wondered why he was telling Blue Willow this, then decided that there was something inviting about her sweet, talkative personality.