Dawnlark Plains and she's buying a stairway to heaven

Shale suppressed giggles as Radcliffe fell over--though, of course, he gave him a hasty check to make sure he was all right--before leaning back as Timberlake lunged toward his brother, taking the tawny boy down with a tackle. The father kept one eye on the goings-on while getting up, peering into the den before sitting a short distance away from the boys.

All seemed to be well. It had been a moon, and the entire quartet was happy and healthy, to his knowledge. Well-fed, at least. The best-fed pups in Teekon, he'd wager. He'd sure been busting his ass to make sure of that; he'd hate for it to be any other way. Grinning, he egged the action on, dipping into a play bow and wagging his tail.

"Come on, Cliffey," he cheered his younger son, his eyes shining in bright contrast against the pale, angular lines of his face. "Knock him on his butt."