Stone Circle [m] I am not a woman, I'm a god

Concern had settled in, and found itself as much a part of Skáld's day as his shadow did. Gunnar was being tended to, and he had hopes that his father would get better, but he dreaded the inevitable, no matter how near or far it might be. 

Tending to the children- both Gunnar's and Tauris' broods- helped, especially now while Gunnar was recovering and Tauris tended to him. Figment had picked up responsibilities as well, leaving Skáld as the spare hand that helped in any place that he could- which often meant staying with the children. Gunnar's litter were old enough now that it was less supervision they needed and more guidance and entertainment, a bit of training here and there as well, but both Katla and Swift were too young to be left alone. 

It was seldom now that he found a moment for himself, and when it did it was often short-lived and spent resting. He'd fallen asleep on the bank of the stream, having gone to get a drink and then settled down in the moss for what he'd planned to be only a minute or two. 

He was startled awake by the call, and sat bolt upright with a soft boof, one ear sticking up and the other still flattened against the side of his face, littered with bits of yellowing moss. He recognized the voice, and was both surprised and pleased that Mae was calling for him. He detected something of....Well, if it was concern or nerves, he wasn't sure, but there was something about her voice that seemed a bit strained. He wasn't sure how much energy he had to go and help, if Swiftcurrent Creek needed help- but he would never have turned his back on a call from Mae. 

So while he was fairly droopy and dreary-eyed, he still smiled, and his lightly matted tail swayed in a broad arc from side to side, low by his ankles. He uttered a happy crooning note to her, and summoned the best smile that the exhausted yearling could manage before he affectionately uttered her name. "Mae?" He called out, noting her pacing and tension. The swaying in his tail stilled, and he tried to look a little more alive, now that it appeared that something was indeed wrong.