Dragoncrest Cliffs But I’m still tired of sleeping with the light on

She didn’t think too much of the teasing, even as Bronco laid it on thick. But Meerkat’s attention quickly fixed on her son, curious what he would make of a proper stranger. Bronco was family, though certainly not in the same way as the wolves in Sapphique. That thought panged her heart, though she was too busy catching on to Ray’s declining mood to pay it much attention.

He’s only teasing, she murmured reassuringly to her son, bending to lick his forehead and whisperered for his ears only, Besides, we all know it’s your da who smells… Meerkat complemented this lighthearted remark by throwing a gentle elbow at him.

Straightening and looking back at Bronco, she wondered: was this salvageable? She didn’t just mean his first impression on her son, but their own relationship. Her brow furrowed as she wondered what to say to iron out the wrinkles in this situation.

I’m going to escort Ray back to Corsair Beach, then I’ll meet you back here, she decided after a momentary pause. Come on, Ray, she said without waiting for a reaction from either one of them, nudging him gently.