Broken Antler Fen Largo

Eljay wanted to say 'no, of course not' but he wasn't sure where to find the words. No, he didn't think that a leader should be a bully, of course. And he didn't want to say that Towhee'd been a bully, either. In the end though, he struggled to find the right words, and Lele instead mentioned that she thought he was a good leader, and that the pack was calm under him. Eljay smiled, feeling a little embarrassed; he'd never been good at taking a compliment. Oh, um, thanks, he said somewhat sheepishly, though he appreciated Lele's positive feedback.

From Lele's next words about parents, Eljay gathered that she didn't know whether her parents were alive or not. Oh, that's rough, Eljay said with a frown. Did you lose touch with them? What uhm, what makes you think they're not alive any longer? Lele didn't seem that old; had her parents been very old when she was born, Eljay wondered, that she thought this? Or was it just a rough life that had made her think this way about anyone's lifespan?