Sun Mote Copse i'll keep them still

Would love an @Elfie and @Weejay thread, set in the time when @Wildfire is resting after her initial coughing-up-blood while Eljay 'entertains' the kids? so set on uh 18 or 19/5 or so?

Eljay was worried sick, and it showed in every fibre of his being. He had always been one to wear his emotions of his sleeve. He remembered very vividly each and every time that his own mommy had been gone and he worried not only for Wiffle and her health -- they'd only just found each other in this way, he wasn't anywhere near ready to see something bad just this happen to her! -- but also that his children may grow up without a mother, or be traumatised by this... thoughts which then instantly sent him back into high emotion because he wasn't ready to do this all without Wiffle by his side either. Eljay had been crying about half the time since he had found Wiffle with the blood clot, and it was very taxing. He felt guilty that he couldn't take as good care of the pups in this time either as he would like. They deserved only the best. To see their mommy tired and sick must have huge impact on them as well.

Are you guys hungry? Eljay asked meekly. He'd not cried for half an hour though it was clear to see on his face that he was still worried and tired all the time. He needed something to keep his mind off things, but that on its own was very difficult. He just hoped Weejay or Elfie wanted to play a game or get some food from a cache that he could chew for them.

Elfie's world was small and his take on, what was happening around him was limited. Oblivious of his mother's illness he led one day after the other, making new discoveries, doing mischief, playing with his sister, eating and sleeping. The order of these things changed, but the number did not. He was a happy little chap, who was too absorbed in his own life to notice that the adults were acting differently. 

He had been busy, sharpening his teeth on his favourite deer-hide, when Eljay invited him and Weejay for a snack. "Foood!" he squealed merrily, springing to his feet and bouncing towards his daddy. Tail wagging and his little, round face beaming. He was all ready to go. To end this paragraph with a fun fact - "food" had been the first word he had ever said.

Elfie seemed excited about the prospect of food, and Eljay was just glad that he didn't seem quite as bothered by their mother's illness as his sibling. With tired eyes Eljay forced a smile on his face and said, Let's go find something. He nosed the top of Elfie's head lovingly and then came into motion, starting to make his way to one of the nearby caches. There was always a bit of food in the vicinity, and at least regurgitating some food for the pups made Eljay think of needing to eat something himself, too.

pop in any time @Weejay !

In the coming days Elfie would perceive the change in Weejay, Eljay and his mother. He would realize that something bad was brewing and he would cope it in his own way. First by living in denial and later keeping up a pretence that all was well, while secretly resenting all three of the people, who were dearest to him.

In a way his mother's demise would mark an early end of his blissful and happy childhood and this day would be one he would recall as, when everything still felt alright. He bounded after his father cheerfully with a prospect of good meal in his mind and wondering, whether dad would be up to a game afterwards.

Eljay smiled a broken smile as he got into motion and they moved towards the nearest cache. Maybe we can play a game after, Eljay suggested, finding it easier to keep everything moving along when he tried to pretend a little, too, even though he was awful at it. What would you want to play, hmm? Tug-o-war? Tag? Hide-and-go-seek? Eljay mused out loud as they reached the cache nearest to the den.

Maybe practise some hunting, or pounce on daddy's tail? he suggested as he started to unearth some food, as the latter seemed to always smash it with Weejay, so surely Elfie must like it too. Or give... He faltered slightly as he added, Give mommy lots of snuggles. Not really a game, but, well, she needed it, and they needed it more than they realised just now too.

Meanwhile Eljay had taken half a squirrel from the cache, which he started to chew so he could later feed it to Elfie.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes. At this stage Elfie was on his way to master the spoken language. He understood more or less all, what Eljay was telling him, guessing the rest and naturally assuming that his doting and devoted dad could do no wrong and was the coolest guy ever, when it came to games and playing. Therefore the decision to agree with everything came pretty easy.

But food first. Of course.

The boy sat down and in the beginning waited patiently for Eljay to finish chewing. But his patience wore thin pretty quickly, he sprang to his feet and balancing on his hind-legs, placed the forepaws against his father's shoulder. He had extended the neck as far as possible and his nose was sniffing greedily. "Oy-youuuu," he whined a "hurry up!".

While Eljay chewed Elfie was patient... for about half a second, it felt. Eljay chuckled as Elfie jumped at his shoulder, actually cheering up a little bit from the boy's playful attitude. It was easier to forget for a second what was going on outside. Fyurr gunna make me spill if alf, Eljay spluttered out as chunks of meat splattered on the ground beneath his feet. Maybe they would distract Elfie for long enough for him to be able to properly chew more of the rest.

"Hurrahhhh!" Elfie exclaimed, when his assault was rewarded with a shower of little morsels, which he went on to vacuum right away. This was a good plan of Eljay's for a short-term distraction, but he had missed that fact that in doing so, he had taught his son that he was a meat vending machine that only needed some shaking, rattling and batting to get the desired result. Therefore - no surprise there - 2 and a half minutes later, when there wasn't left even a tiny molecule of that meat smell, Elfie was back, where he had been earlier. And this time he jumped up and against Eljay's shoulder, yappping excitedly: "More, more more!!!!"

Elfie cheered for the morsels that were spilled on the ground. It bought some time, but before long Elfie was already back shouting for more. Eljay had never been a very strict parent - or babysitter - but especially in the light of all that was going on he was a much more lax parent. Though he didn't talk and spill more, Eljay had to deal with the assault of bouncing Elfie. It made it more tedious to chew but he just didn't have the heart to tell his son off right now (or ever, at all, because his children were also the cutest things ever).

After a lot of 'more'ing Eljay eventually threw up a pile of regurgitated meat for Elfie (who was probably almost starving at this point, such a poor thing) to eat.

Elfie was a labrador puppy - he was hungry and starving, even when his stomach was bloated and full to the brim with food. Because you could always eat some more. He attacked the food with such a voracious appetite, as if he had not seen food for days (which was not true, because both of his parents were very good at keeping their kids fit as fiddles). Vaccuming it all up took a while longer than the first try and, when he was finally done, the boy plopped on his belly, yawned and blinked his eyes sleepily for a few times. But the upcoming nap had to wait just a bit, because he cleaned his muzzle, by rubbing his face and nose in the grass, eventually taking a full go at rolling around with his four feet wiggling in the air.

You can fade this in your next post and we can start a new thread, if you wish? I want to play out the hypochondriac-Eljay part.

yes!! i'm a little behind after my denmark holiday, but i'll try to get something new up soon (or you could if you want <3(

Eljay watched as Elfie attacked the food and he smiled, feeling the weight of the daily struggles with Wiffle fall off him for but a moment's time as he watched his cheerful son. Eljay heaved a relieved sigh as he watched his son eat. After eating it seemed like Elfie was going to fall asleep, but he ended up toppling over and rolling in the grass instead. The sight was sure blissful enough to make a father forget the heavy weight on his shoulders. Eljay stayed here, in this moment, a bit longer so that he could pretend for but a moment that more tragedy did not await them at home.