Lost Creek Hollow where and when along the way

vague pp of family because i gotta

At just a few days old, he was making tiny progress.  His awareness was still quite dim but improving, comparatively speaking. He was beginning to recognize some scents -- very weakly, at that -- and the distinctions between them were not so clear yet. There was one above all others that thrilled him when he felt it because a meal, a tongue-bath, and warmth always followed, so all of his needs were met when it was there with him. The others made him feel at ease too, though, since they had always been with him.

But since he was awake, and feeling relatively lively for the moment, he wriggled his whole self. Then, he extended his short legs to feel around blindly, inevitably bumping into whoever was nearest. Little grumbling grunts accompanied him and his efforts, no matter how small.