There were things he should have been doing. Plenty of them. In fact, he ought to have begun choosing some kind of path, some kind of purpose and yet, after having met Sorcha... well, things seemed different. He had a purpose though it might not have been conventional; he suddenly had a reason to put effort into his everyday actions. He wanted to make her happy, to make her proud, and yet he could barely ever explain just why that was. Did it count, then, as a purpose? Did it matter to anybody else that he had found that reason? He ought to have talked to his cousin about it. She was Queen, after all, and he had no doubt that she had knowledge far beyond the reaches of his own. Perhaps she'd have an answer for him. But for now, at least, nobody seemed bothered by it at all - negatively or positive. He merely existed and did as he did and nobody took it upon themselves to speak up or make a move against him. So, why stop? Why not allow himself to continue through the motions? He didn't have an answer. He didn't need one.

He rests with little reason, then, as the winter sun hangs low in the sky. The peeks are exceptionally beautiful at such a time and he watches clearly out across the boundless plains below. Everything had changed, and yet the land below stayed the same. There was stability in that sense. At least some parts of life were unchanging. So deep in thought he had been that he barely noticed as his heart fluttered just that tiny bit faster - an instinctive response to he closeness. Oblivious, he merely gazed out into the world beyond, his head neatly atop his paws. At one point, he began to rise, inadvertently drawn upwards. Still, he has no idea she is so close.

Somehow, he is barely startled when it occurs. Still, a yelp of sorts breaks through his teeth as she is suddenly upon him - perhaps a yelp of excitement and play, or perhaps some part of his had been alarmed. Regardless, his body does not close up with fear - instead, it is instantly warm with her touch. It is brief, however, and he lets himself tumble onto his side, belly up for a moment as his limbs kick out wildly. There is always a gentleness, though. Never would his body let itself harm her.

His lips are pulled back into a grin as he struggles onto his tummy. As soon as his paws feel the soil though, he leaps for her, intending to wrap his legs around her neck, chewing like a puppy would on her golden ear.