I danced back and forth between them, paws light upon the earth as I rejoiced in their homecoming. Only moments after Idunn asked of Haven did she appear, running full tilt into the fray and the reunion of these two litter mates actually caused tears to spring to my eyes. I looked to Orca, silently grateful that she had brought her home, that she herself had come home. It felt so right, for us to all be together again. Caught up in the excitement of Haven’s arrival I had not answered my elder sister’s inquiry about Swallowbane, but as I glanced over her back I saw the dark form of our brother hovering off a short distance from the group. It was not surprising that he did not come forth and make to engage in the festivities; for a long time we had all thought him lost to us, and Haven and Idunn knew nothing of him other than his name. But this was his littermate returned home.

Taliesin arrived much to the delight of the two young girls, a figure in their life that meant hope, safety, pride and family. It would never matter that he was born to another, he had been raised as my brother and he was the closest I came to having a littermate. My eyes glowed as I gazed upon their reunion, and amidst the cacophony that this gathering had become I merely seemed to dance between each member present. I would touch a nose to a shoulder, a shoulder to a hip, a neck to a neck, but it did not matter who I greeted. So joyous were we all that I simply wanted to engage with all of them at once.

Upon Sleekwing’s arrival I glanced over at Swallowbane once more, and Orca finally seemed to notice that the entirety of her litter was present. She practically exploded, romping over to her brothers and embracing them each in turn. After a moment my Castellan moved to greet me as well, and I rubbed my shoulder against his before he turned to continue his greeting to Orca. As I mingled amongst the large group my eyes roamed back and forth over each individual, then glanced up at the surrounding tree lines. Where was Ceal? I hoped she would come, for even though she was a year older than me, she had been my closest sister when I was growing up.

Looking to each small reunion within the gathering, a felt a sudden pang in my heart. Orca, Sleekwing, Swallowbane. Haven and Idunn. I’d never thought much on the fact that I was the odd one out in my family, lacking a true littermate to which my life had been tethered. But my eyes fell upon Taliesin a gentle warmness glowed in my heart. I moved closer to him, allowing Haven and Idunn their time with him, but as soon as the two girls were to turn their attention back upon one another or elsewhere, I would move to stand beside my brother, to embrace him and seek a small comfort in knowing that although I had no litter mate, I had him. And I always would.