Redhawk Caldera then you'd love me, love me.

"You're not going to screw up again," Elwood said firmly, perhaps even a bit too forcefully. His expression softened when he realized how commanding he sounded, and he rephrased. "Eljay is...Eljay. And we can't change what happened to him. But we can move forward and try to provide him a safe, secure home." It was likely that even their best efforts wouldn't yield the results that they wanted -- Eljay would probably always be a nervous, skittish wolf. He always had been, even before Finley left.

Gazing thoughtfully over her shoulder at the trees beyond, he continued. "Besides, he's almost six months old. He's growing up, and you know what? I think he's going to be fine," he said. Sure, Eljay wasn't as well-adjusted as Nightjar, Wildfire, and Raven, but hopefully his confidence would continue to grow as he matured.

With that said, Elwood stood. He took a few steps, closing the gap between himself and Finley, until he was standing on her "good" side -- so that he was looking down at the side of her face that was still smooth and unmarked. It was like gazing into the past for a moment, and he had to give his head a gentle shake to remind himself of what was happening in the present. He leaned down, nudging her shoulder softly. "So what do you say? Are we still in this together?" he asked, and there was apprehension in his eyes as he withdrew.