Sun Mote Copse at the end of the day

Eljay didn't really realise that Phox felt guilty about Elfie at all until he brought it up and until Phox said that he wished that they'd been able to find him. Eljay blinked as it hit him like a truck crashing into a building when Phox trailed off and then apologised for not doing good enough. No! No... he said, shaking his head. It wasn't your fault, Phox. I... I chased him away in the first place because I was just... I was trying to protect him. Eljay frowned as he thought of how poorly a job he'd done at that. By trying to protect Elfie and treating him like he had no right to freedom, he'd chased him right away and if he hadn't, then maybe Elfie would still be alive.

And nobody could've seen the collapse coming, right? Eljay looked at Phox, hoping that that was indeed right. The only way that Phox could be blamed at all would be if they'd seen it coming, and he was pretty sure they would've immediately gotten everyone out if that was the case.

Eljay of months ago would've blamed Phox, for sure -- he vividly remembered blaming Towhee, even, when she first returned here, safe and sound, without his son. But by now he could distance from it in some way, and though it still hurt to think of Elfie's possible death but certain disappearance, he no longer felt the raw anger and helplessness that he had at first.