Redhawk Caldera papa knows best

hoping for @Aditya ? :D

Eljay was happy that they'd found @Shenanigans parents. He really was. But he was also worried, and he felt protective of her. She had become his daughter; she was his daughter, now. That could not be reversed, and while he would give his blessing if she chose to leave with the man who had fathered her, Eljay found himself wary of anyone else whispering thoughts into his daughter's head, perhaps convincing her with beautiful promises. The man had lost her once already, so who was to say that things would go over well a second time? Eljay knew it was unfair — he had lost Elfie, too, after all — but he could not shake his feeling.

He would make sure to have a good talk to Shenanigans if she decided to go anywhere with this man, just to be sure that these were her own thoughts. He could not help but think of the close bond between Ani and his children; each of them in their own way, but mostly Chickadee. Shenanigans felt like such a close-knit part of Brecheliant. It was hard to imagine the Caldera without her.

For now, Eljay let all of these worries simmer and stew a bit. He'd told some of them to @Maia, but hadn't sought out his daughter yet. She would come to him when the time was right, or maybe he would figure it out at some point. Today, Eljay sat at his favourite spot by the lake and watched the cold winter sun dance on the water while he mulled over his thoughts and worries.

aditya padded by the lake's edge, saw the other man, and nodded in deference. he came closer with a chuff, and settled upon his haunches, emitting only a brief sigh accompanied by an elderly groan.

your face is familiar to me, aditya remarked, casting a sidelong glance toward the other. i came to this mountain once before. maybe. . .a relative of yours, i've met?

altogether possible.

he chuckled lightly, looking back toward the wind-waves against the lake's surface.

Eljay chuffed back to acknowledge Aditya and watched him approach. The man said that Eljay came familiar, which immediately made him rake his mind, trying to think about where he might know him from. If Aditya knew him, after all, he must..? But then Aditya shared that maybe it was a relative. The Blackthorns did look alike quite a bit, Eljay admitted to that. Ah. Yeah, uh, the Blackthorn family is quite extensive. My parents lived here, too — I grew up here. Maybe it was from a time long past. It must've been long ago, but by the looks of him, Aditya was not the youngest, just like Eljay himself. Eljay tried to find the words to start a conversation — you are Shenanigans'.. father, right? — but none of the words he could think of seemed right for this weird situation they found themselves in. In the end, Eljay just said, Are you here to stay..?

aditya looked over the grayscale man, examining the specifics of his pelt. yes, very familiar. perhaps your father, or an uncle, he replied, shrugging.

are you here to stay?

an arrow to his heart. he sagged, slightly, glancing away. 

i must tell ani's mother that she is alive and well, aditya replied. but she is here, and happy. . .i don't think i can take her from you. she belongs here.

it's a lump of rocks within his throat.

and would tytonidae accept it?

no, of course not.

he hardly wanted to leave the girl. his daughter, his beautiful girl.

It made sense that perhaps Aditya had met his relatives before. It was funny to think about it, since Eljay himself had lived here for most of that time, too (well, from when he was born, anyway). Well, no matter.

The answer to his sensitive question should have cheered Eljay right up, but somehow it made him feel bad. He'd lost Elfie, albeit at a later age and probably through less of a tragedy. Eljay did not know how Shenanigans had come to them or how she had become lost from her parents, but she'd been so young. Elfie had chosen his own path, at least, before life so cruelly had ripped him away.

Eljay's heart truly bled for the man in front of him, even though he was also relieved that he would do nothing against Shenanigans' will. I understand, Eljay said with a nod, even though he realised that he could never really understand. But he understood that he needed to leave to tell his wife. If she would be open to that, you two would be welcome to stay here, of course. Though Ani didn't seem to remember much of her biological parents, Eljay could imagine just seeing that she was well and seeing her grow up might be good. But he of course did not know their situation; if they had a pack and maybe other children to look after. After a moment of silence Eljay added: I'm glad you want what's best for Ani, and you want to offer her her own choice. He smiled; softly, genuinely. It was good to know that Aditya would be of no immediate threat to their family.

i do not think tytonidae will come, aditya replied, the name of his once-mate spilling somewhat clumsily over his tongue. she and our son are happy elsewhere. and i am glad ani is happy here.

he sighed, and settled alongside eljay, tail curled slightly round his paws in embarrassed admission.

i have not been the best father, he continued. i have not looked out after my children—they've scattered, and i don't know where they are. my own father. . .i never knew him, adi added, glancing at eljay.

did he know? perhaps not. the familiar pelage—they'd made their home here for some time, and eljay likely knew his father. and his children, too.

ani in a place with roots—

i just want her to be happy, he admitted in a whisper, breath fogging upon the chilly air.

Eljay nodded as Aditya mentioned that his wife and son were elsewhere and that they were happy. Eljay said softly and kindly, I understand. Though they would be welcome here, Eljay would not leave his home and pack — his family — if one of his children would have undergone the same as Ani had. Hopefully this was not a choice he'd ever have to make, though.

As Aditya said he'd not been the best father and that he should've looked after his children better, Eljay's first thought was to say that it wasn't so, to deny it, to comfort the man. The truth was, though, Eljay knew nothing about the man or the reason that Shenanigans had ended up here. Eljay wondered at Aditya's last admission whether him not knowing his own father was why he thought he had not been so good at it, himself..? It made some of Eljay's old insecurity flare up, because he didn't know how to respond. Eljay focused on his breathing for a moment to stop himself from having a panic attack. It was a long time ago that he had last had one, but the fear of it was suddenly on his mind again.

After a short moment of uncomfortable silence, it was Aditya who spoke again first. I just want her to be happy. That meant a lot to the caretaker. Eljay said, I don't know you well enough to say much about how good of a father you are, but you seem like someone who means well, and I think that counts for a lot. I'm sure that you're doing your best. Eljay smiled, trying to be reassuring, though his uncertainty shone through.