Stone Circle Let's go back to the start

'Gone' wasn't a word that Nikai had learned yet. He had heard adults say it to each other, but never to him, and he did not fully grasp its meaning. When Keoni echoed the question he tilted his head in question, not understanding what was going on. But between all the words, he knew that something was said about his mother — she got hurt, and she was not able to come back. Gone. That must be what the word meant. When someone got hurt and they couldn't come back again.

Nikai sniffled, but he knew he had to be strong. Not because he thought he had to be, but because instinct dictated that he needed to unburden his family. Even if Keoni was his only family left, he would unburden her. So instead of crying or sobbing he pushed his nose above her head with a soft-spoken "Oonie...", softly snuggling the fur behind her ear, pressing her head into the nook of his neck in case she needed the comfort. Because even though he was not entirely sure what all of it meant, he knew that mama wasn't going to come back.