Broken Antler Fen half of my heart

Tambourine sensed what was coming the instant Eljay hesitated. He understood that pain very well, having lost most of his own children as a direct result of Larkspur's negligence. She had refused to nurse them, for crying out loud! He felt an echo of bitter anger, horror and sadness but quashed it down. This conversation wasn't about him, it was about his new pal, Eljay.

But he did want Eljay to know he wasn't alone. "Hey man, I know that pain," Tambourine empathized with a soft smile. "Will she be back to help rear the littles? Lele was such a huge help with Harps." In fact, there had been times where Lele was more of a parent to Harps than either Spur or Tambourine himself, when he couldn't get past his resentment and it resulted in rancorous arguments.

He shook off that recollection as well, his expression growing a little sheepish at Eljay's candid surprise. Larkspur didn't count, no matter how long they'd spent entwined with one another. They'd never been the least bit romantic, nor ever spoken of any sort of official arrangement. All the same, Tambourine might know more about partnered life than his new friend, though he sincerely hoped the Blackthorn's relationship was leagues healthier.

"Well, you can have my belated and my future congratulations, for the nups and the pups, respectively," Tambourine quipped companionably. "This seems like a great place to raise a family, by the way. I've never felt more at peace than I do here in, uh, in... Brachiosaurus." Oh, Eljay knew what he meant.