It wasn't just the newborns that had changed things up; Moonshadow's prodigal son was back. He'd known she'd lost him, it was what had made everything so perfect. That he could sneak in and fill up that hole that the other pup had left, soak up all the love and attention that had been meant for Chan. Then the next generation had come and still he'd thought there'd been hope. Maybe he could find a way to cut the numbers without being found out, or even maintain his place amongst them. Would having little siblings really be so awful so long as he was the favorite?
Then fucking Chan came home, all bright eyed and social. They hadn't seen him in forever but they all fell over themselves welcoming him back home, couldn't get enough of the damn kid, weren't even mad that he'd run away to being with. It burned Roland right up, and so he decided that while he figured out what to do about the whelps, he'd nip this problem in the bud quickly.
So he sought him out, the tawny boy who was currently playing in the lake's shallows.
"Heya Chan, wanna play?"