Sun Mote Copse thick water

For some time Eljay managed to keep his composure, eyes shining with tears but them not flowing. Yet when dad moved forward to hug him there was something in him that broke. Eljay pushed his face against his father's fur and sobbed, his body heaving back and forth as he did. Nobody would understand what he was going through, and everyone seemed to have moved on from Wiffle's death but he. Even dad could not properly understand, but Eljay knew that that would never stop his father from being there for him, for understanding; for supporting.

The thought of losing his parents, too, was unbearable, but Eljay hoped that he would not need to see that day, not for another good while to come. He nosed against his father's fur, eyes closed as he cried violently for some time, until eventually he was all out of tears for the moment.

The sobs slowed down eventually until they fell silent and Eljay just hung against his father's shoulder, clinging to his father's support like a raft on a stormy ocean, as the remnants of the pain he had felt swirled around in his head.