Redhawk Caldera She's got an appetite for lightin' dynamite

The beta had spent much of the time since her homecoming resting away the pain and soreness in her bruised and battered body. She was worn and broken, and though she had been very well tended by her mate and goddaughter, the exhaustion seemed to have seeped deep down into the marrow of her bones. Fin felt as though she had somehow aged beyond her years. As much as she slept, she didn't feel rested. It was as though the entire time since she had left had just been one long, hazy day. And it still hadn't ended somehow even though she was home and safe again where everything should have felt like normal.

But it didn't. Thought it made her heart happy to be reunited with her precious son, Eljay had grown more clingy than ever. Though it was adorable and endearing to the weary mom, there was a tightness in her chest that clenched uncomfortably every time his little voice called her name and often she found it preferable to just pretend to be asleep rather than suffer the guilt that came with the inexplicable anxiety she felt when Jay made a request of her.

Fin actually had managed to doze off for a little while that day instead of merely pretending for the sake of her oddly off-kilter sanity. She awoke to find Eljay snuggled against her and she smiled fondly down at him in spite of the knot in her stomach. The boys gaze was trained upon Elwood who was lying just outside, poised protectively and also rather stiffly like a statue, so Fin leaned over to nuzzle his head to get his attention. 

"Hey.." She whispered quietly into Jay's little ear, "Go tell your dad he looks too serious." She gave him a tired smile, her gaze flickering to her mate to see if he had overheard.