Roamin, as ever, was a blur of crimson and cream, darting around them even after she and Sen stopped to wait for Coszcotl. She watched him with warm eyes, that characteristic half-smile tinting her features, as he rolled in the grass, staining his fur with late-summer green. She resisted the urge to pull him to her and see to his cleanliness; for now, at least, he could have his fun. There would be plenty of time for baths later. Mireille called out to him from her side, expertly playing her part as the older sister. Not that he was listening: he was immediately off again, this time into the trees ahead of them.

Hush smiled down at her daughter; Mireille was anxiously following Roamin’s noisy explorations with her lavender eyes, waiting for the word to stay or go. “Go on,” she said quietly. “But stay close. Coszcotl will be here soon.” She was excited for him to meet the children, and wasn’t looking forward to explaining Reian’s absence. When it came to keeping tabs on babies, her track record wasn’t getting any better. And Coza had a certain…fierceness about little ones. She watched Mireille bound away, noting with pride the grace in her young strides, and thought that she was certain to grow into a glorious creature one day. It would be smart to keep her close as she grew, safe from prying eyes and anyone who might take it upon themselves to taint her youth.

“Sen?” He had stiffened at her side, hackles rising as his eyes fell on something he didn’t like. Was Reian hurt? She turned to see what had him distressed, and there he was. Running at her, calling for her, as she had never dared to hope he would. “Mama?!” His keening voice pierced her heart. She was up in a flash, a breathy gasp catching in her throat as he hit the ground at her paws. “KELLIN!!” she screamed it, a foreign strangled sound, the name she had barely been able to think for over a year. He scrambled along the ground around her feet, and she so needed to have him close; Hush dropped to her stomach to meet him face to face, digging her muzzle into the fur of his cheeks, licking his ears. She crawled forward, closer, and laid her head across the back of his neck, quivering against him as she struggled to calm them both.

“You’re alive,” she said finally, quietly, just for him. “You’re home. You’re safe.” She breathed him in, relearning him. He had died in her mind. She had spent all this time trying to forget, trying not to think of his face, or his tiny voice. But he’d never really gone. And now his warmth radiated into hers and it was amazing. She rose when she could do so without shaking, nudging Kellin’s chin to suggest that he should, too. She wanted to really see him, as motherhood demanded. What stood in front of her was terrifying all over again – his perfect little body was incredibly thin, and there were thin patches in his fur where she suspected scars could be found. What could he have gone through to get here today? That was a question for another time.

Her focus expanded again, and the blurs around her became other living creatures. Sen stood to the side, watching with anxiety in his face; he had worried for Kellin, too. His loss was a grief they experienced together. She looked from one to the other, hoping that Kellin could remember, certain that Sen was hoping for a reunion but waiting for the boy to make the first move. The quiet between the three of them was broken by Coszcotl’s well-timed appearance, calling out to the family at large as he approached. “Coza!” she replied, relief sweeping across her face as she moved forward to greet him, offering him a waving tail and a nuzzle to his chin. It didn’t occur to her to prostrate before him. Between their long-standing friendship and everything that was going on it seemed a strange idea. “We came as soon as we heard. Congratulations!”

He seemed disconcerted, having obviously noticed the oldest of the pups and his physical state. They had never told him about Kellin’s disappearance, but that could be saved for another time. She turned an eye on each of the pups in turn, accounting for all but Reian who still hadn’t caught up with them. “These are our children: Roamin, Mireille, and Kellin, our oldest.” It was so good to say his name. Her smile widened and she reclaimed her place at Sen’s side, their shoulders touching; she couldn’t keep her eyes off Kellin, though, and motioned that he should sit on her other side, if that was something he wanted. She feared that he was a phantom, bound to disappear at any moment.

“Sen and I would like to join you here in Taviora, with our children, of course. And Kellin, if he chooses.” Despite her attempt at normalcy, it didn’t feel right to group him in with the other little ones, who had no choice but to follow their parents. Kellin had been gone so long – maybe he wanted his space. She wanted him to stay so badly that it was almost an audible noise, but he could have his choice. But she wanted to see to his health; he looked so hungry. So wild. She could hardly bear it if he reappeared today only to vanish again tomorrow.