Redhawk Caldera bury me with bourbon next to a moonshine still

Kivaluk was a great help to the pack, there was no denying that. Eljay used to keep track of the herds himself, but these days, he found his body faltering. His mind was still sharp as ever, but without the endurance to cover a lot of ground in a day, it was of no use to him, as there was little to remember. Perhaps it would have helped him to be in touch more with those agile enough to fill the gaps in his mind with data on the herds, but he never asked; the truth was, Eljay was ashamed. He had always been easy to fall prey to anxiety when it came to his own contributions to his pack, and though he had had several good years where he finally felt as though he did not drag down his pack — rather the opposite — now it came crashing back. So he did not ask, and did what he could.

Spring bringing the blossoms of puppies to the pack had always lightened and brightened Eljay's heart. He had cared for many, many children before he had his own, and it made him beyond happy to not only have grandchildren, but also that Chickadee and Kivaluk had chosen to return to Brecheliant to raise them. He was very involved, and he enjoyed spending time with @Chickadee and the pups every single day, helping where he could.

Eljay did not know Kivaluk well, though he trusted Maia's judgement to have elevated him to a leadership position. He was just on his way to Chickadee, Kivaluk and the pups when he noticed the man walk in the same direction as he did, a squirrel tail between his teeth. Eljay rumbled a low greeting to Kivaluk as he approached. Nice find, he said in friendly manner while he looked at the squirrel tail. From his extensive experience with pups, he knew odds were high that they would love it.