Sticking together

It wasn't long before a dark figure came into view. Honeyberry held her breath a moment, her excitement building as she tried to determine from a distance exactly who it was. As Branch came closer, a small squeak escape her and she bounded forward to meet him. "Branch!" she called her brother's name with unbridled joy, "It's been too long! How have you been?" Considering how tightly their family was bonded, spending a few seasons scattered from her close relatives had seemed very strange and lonely. She returned his gesture of greeting, touching her nose to his shoulder softly, her tail swishing. Then she stepped back and looked at him, her expression brimming with elation for their reunion.

"I'm so proud of you for making this pack come together," she said, knowing it must have taken him a great amount of work to bring the scattered siblings and relatives back together. She hoped she hadn't missed anything significant, hoping she'd arrived in Kesali early enough to see it grow and thrive. Though she was itching to go explore again and see who else was here, she patiently waited to hear what Branch would say.