After a moment of simply taking in the view, his hindquarters lowered to the ground beside Kiyomi. Immediately she leaned into him, and he embraced her feather light weight with a smile. Though she stood just as tall as he, she was considerably lighter than him, and his stoic form supported hers in a gentle manner. Once two wolves spent so much time in such close proximities as had been warranted by his illness, the boundaries of friendship became less rigid. They were comfortable in one another’s presence, though Sleekwing was unaware of just how fervid Kiyomi’s heart felt about his. If he had, maybe he would have made some effort to clarify the lines. As it was, he simply breathed deeply, content as they watched the sun slowly arch higher into the sky. Birds tweeted their morning songs, and all else was still in the world.

Kiyomi was the first to break the silence, her head turning to look upon him as she asked how his day had been. Sleekwing chuckled at her question as he pulled his navy eyes away from the horizon and turned them upon her ebon face. But he humored her. “In the hours before dawn I ran the borders – all is safe in Spirane, have no fear. And at first light I had the strangest urge to climb to the highest damned peak of the range. I wonder what could have elicited such a desire in me; I think perhaps my mind is falling ill once more,” he teased, for obviously it had been her call that had drawn him up into these high altitudes. A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as he wrinkled his nose jokingly at her.

“And what about you? What does today hold in store for a shewolf who has ascended the summit for the first time? Surely nothing can top a high like this.” His gaze cast out across Spirane and Moladion once more, before returning to her again. Subliminally he prodded at her, hoping to hear that she had chosen some path for herself amongst the wolves of Spirane. Perhaps after tending to him last winter she would choose to learn more of healing and join the Septons. Or maybe something else altogether interested her more. He was curious, but did not want to pressure her, for he knew she had a tender heart. So he would wait and let her come to the topic herself, if she so chose it.