Hollowpoint had always been able to diffuse the situations which his sister managed to bring to a boil quickly. She called him brash in his more foolish antics, but it was always she who was prepared to bite first and ask questions later which, in his humble opinion, caused much more trouble. He was pleased to see he had not lost this ability as their newfound companion relaxes in his lackadaisical presence. The lopsided grin on his face manages to grow wider upon learning his name and that he was good humored enough to throw in some minor word play. All good signs.

Astrid stood grumbling in the background about him being too foolhardy, surely cursing the fact that he managed to follow her out of their mother’s womb, but he paid her no mind. His tail wagged idly while he listened to Sleekwings proposition. No doubt the twins could have gone on to find water fit for swimming somewhere, but to have someone show them the way would not only provide some other company than his sister, but surely this wolf knew the best spots around! What better way to learn? He stepped up beside Sleekwing, keeping a comfortable distance but close enough for genial conversation as they walked.

Astrid picked her way slowly over the rocks behind them as they began to move, not minding that she was left out of the conversation, for talking wasn’t her strong suit, but she was still able to listen to the conversation between her brother and this stranger. She huffed at his question, anyone with half a nose could tell they weren’t from around her. Sure it was polite conversation, but she had never been able to stomach anything that didn’t get directly to the point. Her large paws found their way across the rocky terrain with a grace that belied her size. Lithe as Hollowpoint might be he lacked balance and poise in almost every way.

Hollowpoint didn’t bother to look over his shoulder to make sure his sister followed, a twitch of his ear in notice of her soft pads falling on the rocks was more than enough to indicate that she did. Instead he focused on his new-found companion. “Yes, we are,” he responded to his question, “my sister and I have taken to traveling this last year and happened to find ourselves here.” They had found themselves quite a few places, some friendly and some not quite so. He was pleased that this place was paying off well so far, he felt they were due for a rest. “You are from here?” he questioned, politely continuing the conversation in the typical manner. He wondered if this Sleekwing had a family and home. Unlike his sister, Hollowpoint could one day see actually settling down somewhere, he wouldn’t mind putting in some roots for once. He had followed his sister with blind trust for their entire lives, but perhaps a time was coming to choose his own path.

He fell back as their path narrowed, watching Sleekwing descend the tricky path and trying to mark where each of his light gray feet fell. As he watched Astrid pulled up behind him, stoic as always her breath ruffled the black hairs of his hindquarters. She rarely liked them to have company, something inside of her feared the loss of her brother that she knew might come one day soon. He was the only one who had put up with her prickly disposition without fail, always trying to coax a smile from her, and if left she was worried no one else ever would. Yet as she watched him picking his way down the path she knew one day she would have to let him go. That’s what family did after all.

Vacillating for only a moment she followed them down, her weight heavy on the rocks and her mind so focused on the next step she missed what unfolded below. Hollowpoint had become overeager in his decent, taking larger steps as he neared the final ledge where Sleeking stood. Making his final leap her hit the ledge solidly, but too close to its edge; unable to stop he skidded over the side and fell the short distance to the rocky shore of the pool with a startled yelp. His momentum kept him rolling, head over paws, until he hit the shallow water with a splash, paws flying every direction. Hearing her brothers cry Astrid flew down the rest of the crags with surprising grace, landing hard beside Sleeking and prepared to take the final leap down until she saw her brother sit up, lanky and awkward with water pouring off of him like a duck and laughing his head off. She shook her two toned head as he looked over his bony shoulder, tongue lolling out of his mouth letting out a barking laugh. “Well what are you waiting for?” he asked as if the whole thing had been planned all along. She roller her two-toned eyes, casting a rueful glance at the gray, “Well at least he’s durable.” She let the words hang for a moment before leaping down to the rocky shore.