Wheeling Gull Isle when life’s moving too fast, we can make this dream last

Judah’s with the babies! He’s always with the babies. Babies stay in the den and get milk and more time with Ami and Papa! Sometimes Ami doesn’t see and he sneaks in beside them to nurse on her belly. He was supposed to be eating big boy food now, and Gramma brought a lot of that, fishes and rabbits and other meats that smelled pretty good. But not as good as Ami’s milk.

Babies are boring. They don’t talk and can’t play and if he’s too rough they fall over as easily as a leaf. He used to play with Simmy and Dinny but now Simmy is preoccupied with the babies. Sometimes he misses when he was Simmy’s only baby. And Dinny goes goes goes! Out the den, where Judah can’t follow. Mal always is there, Mal always with Juju.

Not Ami and Papa. They are always hurrying around, in and out, sleeping at weird times, laughing less at his little antics, like pulling baby ears or burying their big ole paws in dirt as they nap.

But today is different! Today Papa calls for Judah! And the cub springs into the air with overwhelming giddiness, bounding about and singing “Papa! Papa papa papa!”

He leapfrogs out into the sun briefly to tap Caracal’s paw before quickly retreating. “Papa!” bounce. “Papa!” roll. “Papa!” nip.

He stares up at Caracal’s big golden eyes and collapses just inside the den, belly-up in a dizzying whirl of high-pitched giggles.