Though he had not gone out of his way to reunite with his long lost brother, he also had not made an effort to avoid him. So it only made sense when he came across his scent leading out to one of the highest precipices in the land that Sleekwing should follow it. When he came to sit beside Swallowbane, he did not speak. He simply seated himself close by and lifted his own gaze to the stars. Together, in silence, they looked out into the great unknown. The realms beyond their reach, where perhaps MoonGlow and Alcide ran together and every so often looked back upon Moladion and smiled at all that they had created. A family, while somewhat disconnected, whose roots ran deep into the core of the mountains. It was a part of them, and part that they could never deny or shed from their existence. It was what had kept Sleekwing within Spirane under the rule of their mother’s killer, holding fast to the faith that what was meant to be would be. And so it had – Daenerys had come home and reclaimed had always been, and would always be, their family’s.

Swallowbane’s animosity towards Alcide was well known amongst the older members of their family. Even Daenerys knew of her elder brother’s distaste towards their father. Haven and Idunn were fortunate enough to have a clean slate in regards to their more morose sibling – they did not know of the bitterness between father and son, only that Swallowbane had been gone for many years. Sleekwing often wondered what it was that made him so greatly dislike their patriarch. Sure, he hadn’t been there much when they were growing up, but that hadn’t been entirely his fault. Even Sleekwing had felt a bit unsure about his father’s presence in Spirane for the first few months, but it hadn’t taken him long to forgive him and get to know him better. Maybe it was MoonGlow’s indulgent raising of Swallowbane that had made him so fiercely upset about his absence. Was it possible that in MoonGlow’s forgiving of Alcide’s absence his brother had somehow felt slighted? Unsure, and not wishing to prod at an old wound, Sleekwing remained silent, staring off into the oblivion of the stars above and hoping that Alcide knew how much he had been loved.

His ear slipped to the side at the sound of his brother’s words, and his nostrils flared as in inhaled deeply, blinking and continuing to stare up at the heavens. Did he think they were up there? They, meaning MoonGlow and Boneclaw, or MoonGlow and Alcide? Swallowbane had always had a great affinity for the monarchs of their family. Either way, it was a hard question to answer. “I hope so,” he replied after a few beats of silence. And then he lapsed into a quiet state once more, musing over his thoughts. No matter who his brother had been referring to, all of their ancestors had to be together, wherever they were. And that was some form of solace in the heather streaked warrior’s mind. “I’m just glad they’re together,” he said. Knowing the sting of the imprint bond, he could not imagine a life without Malina in it. True, their bond was not that of romantic grandeur as their parent’s had been. He could not say if such was the case for Swallowbane and Calista. But the bond that rooted itself in one was that which could not be denied, and Sleekwing was just content in knowing that Alcide and MoonGlow had not let even death come between them.