Redhawk Caldera Take a drive on cruise control

A sickness was spreading. A number of their children had caught it and Maia fretted over it, insisting on doing much of the legwork herself despite Eljay’s healer status. She worried about him if he caught it, especially with Bronco…

Bronco. Her breath still caught with a pang to think about it. She fretted over Teya too, in a quiet way, and wondered if she should offer to step up once more. Maybe it would be an insult, implying she didn’t think Teya was managing well.. and that was the last thing she wanted to say!! She couldn’t imagine the pain, and to stand so strong through it…. Maia hardly knew what to do. What to say.

Worry made her restless, and maybe that wasn’t the worst thing. The more that got sick, the more she needed to do. Sitting around at home was the last thing anyone needed from her right now.

Mommy? Sylvie asked as she sniffed and wiped her nose. I don't feel so good. Frolic had sneezed in her face, and since then, she'd felt under the weather. She sneezed and wiped her nose again before moving closer to Maia.

I think I might be sick, she finally said, frowning. C-Can you pet my hair and tell me a story? That always made her feel better.

Most of Frolic’s other symptoms were gone, leaving her with a persistent tickle in her throat that presented in a dry, hacking cough roughly every three to five minutes. It wasn’t particularly fun until @Callahan called her “thunder goose.”

Scrambling up to her mother, Frolic opened her mouth to share this funny tidbit with her when she noticed Sylvie. Whatever she thought of her sister before this, the pup’s eyes bugged a little at Sylvie’s simpering request. What a big baby!

Ignoring her, Frolic shouted, Mama, guess what! I’m a thunder goose! and promptly triggered herself into a raucous round of grotesque hacking.

At least Frolic seemed to be feeling better! Maia smiled at her daughter’s enthusiastic declaration, but winced a bit in sympathy with the cough. I bet dad has some honey to help with that. A little more goose, a little less thunder. She pulled Frolic in for a quick nuzzle, checking how she felt while she was at it. She seemed a relatively normal temperature, though it was hard to tell. Frolic and her sister weren’t the type to sit still long!

Sylvie’s request might have had her sisters rolling their eyes, but Maia wasn’t about to pass it up. It was too nice to have her older daughter home and, what’s more, so unabashedly close. So many of her children had been so quick to grow up, it felt… Frolic and Glee showed the same thirst for adventure she’d had growing up. Sylvie had so much of Eljay. Maia’s heart melted every time.

Of course. She lay down, lifting a foreleg to invite Sylvie in for a snuggle. The invitation was for both of them, though she wasn’t sure if Frolic would take it. What sort of story would you like?

Sylvie noticed how Frolic’s eyes bugged after she’d spoken, and she assumed that meant she’d done something wrong. Feeling very self-conscious and confused, Sylvie focused on her paws as her mother and sister interacted.

When Maia spoke and invited her closer, her head shot up, her eyes wet. Thanks, Mommy, she said as she lay next to her and cuddled in, looking extremely happy despite the occasional cough.

Can you tell me a story about when you and Daddy were young and falling in love? she requested. Hearing their love story always gave her hope that someday she’d find somebody, too.

Frolic simultaneously smiled and scrunched her face when Maia nuzzled her. She would sooner run for the hills than take most of her father’s remedies, though honey didn’t sound bad at all.

But she was still a child, so she had to make the token protest, I want more thunder, less goose, mama.

While her mother and older sister settled down for snuggling and storytelling, Frolic the busybody promptly took off in search of @Eljay.

I think a silly goose is what you are, Maia said affectionately, getting one last nuzzle in before her daughter escaped. She’d hoped both might stick around to hear her story but was glad that Frolic was at least going to Eljay to get something for that cough. It sounded more painful than anything else, though coughs tended to sound worse than they were at times. She seemed unbothered (in the usual Frolic sense).

Maia settled in closer to Sylvie, grooming her ears and thinking on her request for a moment. She had so many good stories she could go with, but which one to tell? Some had aspects of sadness, others aspects of joy, and some had both.

Did I ever tell you about the time Daddy and I took a trip and traveled all around here together? It was before we even knew we loved each other, but it was where we first got to know one another well enough to know it was possible. Maia smiled, recalling the details. Some of it she’d fill in as she went, but all of the important moments she doubted she’d ever forget. The stories of her family were priceless to her, and she treasured each and every one.

Yeah, Sylvie agreed with a laugh, beaming up at Maia. She is a silly goose—that's a perfect way to put it, mommy.

They got comfy, and she enjoyed the ear-grooming as her mother tried to think of a story. Although it didn't take long to think of something, she felt her eyelids grow heavy and yawned as she was asked what she knew. No, mommy, she answered, her voice excited despite the sudden sleepiness. That sounds like a good one! Can you tell it to me, please?

Maia could tell that there was a good chance Sylvie wouldn’t make it through the story without falling asleep, so she’d made a good choice.  Sometimes Maia liked to embellish her stories to make them seem more adventurous in hindsight, but the ones about Eljay and her she usually kept accurate. She wanted her kids to have the honest history to share with the family in years to come.

A long time ago, your daddy was married to another wolf, and your aunt Wraen and I were a part of their pack. Her name was Wildfire, and she was as beautiful and as powerful as her namesake. She’s the reason why you have your big sister Weejay. They’d never met her, but Maia and Eljay always spoke of her. She never stopped hoping that someday they would.

She got sick, and after she died, your daddy was sad for a long time. Losing someone you love never gets easy, and we always miss them, even now. But Wraen and I always looked for ways to cheer him up. We were all good friends, and we wanted him to know we were there for him too. Elfie, his son (and your brother too), wound up leaving the pack. I never met him, but I think he needed to find something new after everything. I like to think he found it out there somewhere.

The story was a sad one so far, but Maia kept her voice soft and upbeat, knowing that it would proceed into happier territory. It had a happy ending, of course! And it was important for her that her kids understand the worst things that happened could sometimes lead to the biggest joys. No part of her was glad that Wildfire died, but no part of her would trade having Eljay in her life for anything. A future where Wildfire lived, and Eljay remained happily mated to her, was a future for a different Maia who she would never have recognized. She was sure she would still have been happy; she just wouldn’t be herself.

Eljay knew I was a traveler and a scout, so he asked me to go looking for Elfie. I knew he hated to travel alone, but I thought maybe he could use a chance to get away for a while. So I asked if he wanted to come along. I never expected him to say yes! But he did. Her eyes shone remembering it. She’d been so proud of him at the time! Even though he still rarely left now, it was amazing to see how much he’d grown in so many other ways.

We traveled to all of the nearby packs. I got lost a couple times, but your dad was so patient, and he never minded taking the scenic route. We didn’t find Elfie, but the packs we stayed with promised they would look, and we exchanged stories and shared food with them when we stayed. I think Eljay was surprised at how friendly strangers could be! But I’ve learned that a good story, and an open heart, can bring almost anyone together.

It wasn’t long after that when your aunt Wraen and I left to go travel more. Your daddy stayed with his family, but we never forgot each other. Someday I can tell you the story of how we met again. But that’s not a story for a day like today.

Maia wrapped up there, kissing her daughter’s forehead again and settling in beside her. If Sylvie was still awake she would answer any questions that her daughter asked… otherwise she would just enjoy the closeness, listening to her peaceful breathing and reveling in just how lucky she was.

this is soooooo overdueeeee. This can be a fade/my last post if you like!