Hushed Willows As the smile fell from your face, I fell with it

"Hi," he answered, visibly sagging in relief. His eyes crinkled at the corners and he crooked a paw to bump it gently against her wet cheek. "You—" he began to say when she thrust herself against him, burying her face in his fur. He didn't mind that she wiped tears and phlegm on him. He shifted to drape a foreleg over her little body, patting her gently on the back and answering her whimper with a low croon of reassurance.

After a few moments, he murmured, "You're okay," then paused and said, "How about we go back to the den?" Maybe they would run into Amara there and Tambourine could ask her why her children didn't seem capable of eating or drinking without hurting themselves.