Redhawk Caldera sometimes following your heart means losing your head

The she-wolf seemed to have at least a shred of common sense; as soon as Elwood arrived, she darted away from Eljay, though not without what sounded like a breathy sigh of disappointment. She wasted no time in leaving them behind, making a beeline for the borders. The Beta male watched her with a wrinkled muzzle, making sure that she seemed to be truly departing before turning his attention to his son.

Eljay hadn't even acknowledged his approach, and Elwood's brow knit together as he moved to his son's side. He cast one last glance over his shoulder at the lone wolf's retreating figure, and then looked down at the object that Eljay was curled protectively around. It took a moment for him to realize what he was looking at, but when he did, his chest tightened and he gasped audibly.

"Eljay..." he said uncertainly, feeling bile pressing at the back of his throat. Although he knew the answer, he posed a question anyway: "What is that?"