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Keer frowns at her, then at the hand. “He could’ve used a smaller piece of cloth.”

“I’ll remember that,” I tell him.

A little bark comes from beyond the tables, and I turn my whole body toward it.

Eskan reaches the path first, with Birdie nearly on his heels. Colm runs behind them, his ears bouncing at each step. All three of them are on four legs, and still so small that the grass brushes their bellies when they cut across it.

“Here,” I call, holding my hands out. “Come here.”

I wait for the little flickers I used to get off them when they ran at me. The only one I can feel is Rauk, and all I get of the pups is paws in the grass.

Paws it is.

Eskan stops so fast that Birdie runs into the back of him. They squirm down into the grass to shift, whining the whole way through it. Then Eskan’s pushing up on his hands, and Birdie’s already reaching past him for me.

Colm gets to his feet last. He comes straight between my knees while the other two catch at my shirt.

“Easy. I’ve only got two arms.”

Keer lifts Eskan onto the bench at my right, and Mel settles Birdie beside my left hip. I draw Colm close with my hand on his back. He presses his face into my stomach, and I bend as far as my ribs let me to kiss the top of his head.

Eskan climbs halfway onto my thigh, and I hold him there while he grabs my chin with both hands and turns my face to his. His father’s son. Birdie’s got a fistful of my sleeve, tugging until I look her way too.

“Yes, you as well. I can see you.”

I kiss her cheek, then Eskan’s, and he immediately wipes his mouth on my collar. Rude. Colm pats my knee until I lift his face for another kiss.

They’re all touching me, pulling my clothes and pushing at each other for room. I put my arm around Eskan and hold him against my side, with his feet away from my ribs. His hair tickles my nose.

I’ve missed this so fucking much.

“Stay there,” I murmur into his hair. “Just a little bit.”

He stays long enough for me to kiss him again. Then Rauk sits at the far end of the bench, easing his left leg out, and Eskan turns to look.

Birdie lets go of my sleeve.

Rauk puts his left hand down on the bench beside her. She leans over and pets the fur at his wrist, then digs her fingers in and takes a fistful.

He keeps the hand dead still, with the claws tipped up away from her arm.

“Soft,” she tells him.

She’s talking. She wasn’t doing that when I left. Ugh. I missed that.

He looks down at the little fist in his fur.

“It is.”

“Deedee.” Keer takes a step toward the bench. “Back here. All of you. The Gulon’s dangerous.”

Mel swats his upper arm. “Take the stick out of your bottom.”

He turns his head toward her. “Mel.”

“Kestria wouldn’t bring someone here to hurt the children. And he obviously cares about her. Look at his two fingers.”

“What do his blunt talons have to do with it?”