Sun Mote Copse thick water

As he expected, Eljay's response was negative. Still, despite Elwood's anticipation of that answer, it wasn't fun to hear that food was still difficult to find. He huffed a gentle sigh, setting aside those thoughts as Eljay asked him to walk. He nodded his affirmation and fell into step with his son.

They had taken only a few steps when the younger Blackthorn began to pose a question. His words paused momentarily, in a cadence that was familiar, and Elwood simply turned his head towards Eljay, ears cupped forward to show that he was listening. After just a moment, Eljay continued with his query, asking whether or not Elwood thought Elfie would eventually return to the Firebirds.

He could only speak from his own experience. His other children had all come and gone; Eljay was the only one who had stayed consistently with his parents (save for his short time away with Wildfire). It was difficult to predict whether or not Elfie would choose to come back, but Elwood honestly thought there was a good chance he would (of course, this was before they knew about Asterism Grove's collapse). He knew that Elfie was headstrong and hadn't always gotten along with his dad, but he suspected that maturity and time would help to forge their bond as father and son. "He might. He knows that his family is here and that he would always be welcomed back with open arms," he said. It might not have been the exact response that Eljay wanted, but it was Elwood's truthful opinion.