Redhawk Caldera sometimes following your heart means losing your head

set about a day after this

Eljay hadn't left the place at Redhawk Caldera's borders where he had found Peter's head. He had guarded it fervently as though he were still alive, he had sobbed his eyes out, hadn't slept, had just cradled the little head as though it were his baby. Something inside of Eljay died when he saw that little fluffy face laying there and he hadn't yet been able to fix it. At one point Eljay had needed to take a whizz and he had done it a few metres away. The short moment that he had taken his eyes off the head he had told himself that Peter wasn't dead, that it was all a silly nightmare, but when he turned back to see the head tears immediately started spilling from his eyes again and he'd ran the short distance back to Peter.

The night had come and gone and Eljay hadn't even been afraid at all, just cradling the head and at times talking to it as though Peter was still alive. Now daytime returned and Eljay's weary eyes scanned the surroundings. "Don't worry Petey, everything is g-going to be okay," he murmured as he put the head between his front legs and pressed it against his chest. Just like Peter liked to do. Every time the spine would touch his legs Eljay shivered and quickly repositioned so that it did not any longer. He wanted only the softness of Peter's head, not the cruel reminder of the truth that had yet to sink in. He pressed his nose against Peter's head, his breath softly wavering across the fur, and he didn't even realise how thirsty and hungry he was.