Lost Creek Hollow rockabye

It was possible that the running joke against poor Pippin as he grew older would be that a butterfly had undoubtedly kicked his ass – for now, the boy could not fathom anything but his want for warmth and shelter, and so when Mordecai picked him up, the tawny boy hung loosely, yielding to his father completely.
 
Once deposited, the warmth of his father’s tongue smoothed over him, quieting the soft whimpers that had begun to escape the boy, who was quick to press the crown of his head to the chin and neck of his father, pressing himself as close as possible before giving a gentle hiccup, his cries disappearing fully now.
 
He was about to question his father about the beast that had hurt him, but Larkspur’s gentle query caused the boy to whip his head in her direction, and as if reliving the horrendous events of choking on a fluttering butterfly once more, the boy’s lip began to quiver, following swiftly by a drawn out sniffle.