"Get off me, mutt," he muttered, trying to shake him loose.
Instead of letting go, the man thumped Veer's shoulder hard enough to make him grunt.
"Well, well, look who flew in! Don't tell me you've been wandering the skies because you missed me."
Veer gave him a sidelong glare. "Miss you? I was hoping the wolves finally chased you off their mountain."
The man feigned a wounded gasp. "Ouch. And here I was, thinking you'd be grateful to see a friendly face."
"Friendly?" Veer scoffed. "The last time I saw you, you tried to 'welcome' me by throwing me in a snowdrift."
The man grinned wider. "And you still remember! See? I make a lasting impression."
"You make a lasting bruise," Veer shot back.
Kaya, watching from the side, blinked between them. From the easy way they jabbed at each other, she could tell this wasn't real hostility — more like two brothers locked in an endless competition neither planned to win.
