Lion Head Mesa The sun doesn't give light to the moon assuming the moon's gonna owe it one

His eyes remained closed as his mind took in the sensory feedback from her touches—the way her tongue moved gently over the fur of his cheeks and neck—the feeling of her paws brushing against the fur of his broad chest, rough and soothing at the same time. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before, and he was quickly getting lost in all of it. 

When she spoke, it was to ask about Merrit. The question pulled him from his almost dissociated state, his eyes slowly flicking open to look at her as she worked. He drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. Another subject he didn't want to get into, but he felt he could offer some glance into the turmoil of his past, especially as she worked so reverently on cleaning the months of travel from his fur. Yes, he is my cousin. Our mothers were sisters. Valette came to his mind then, the despair flooding his chest as he remembered her lifeless body—another loved one torn from him too soon. He swallowed. He is the only family I have left— Kallik paused a moment, swallowing again. I need to find him. He didn't want to feel these things right now, and escaping them was the only way he had ever coped. So he leaned down and nuzzled whatever part of Jawahir was within reach, his eyes closing again as he tried to relieve some of the tension that had creeped back into his muscles.