Hushed Willows you're my devil, you're my angel

The obstruction came loose and the puppy spat it up: a chewed-up piece of leaf. Tambourine immediately felt relief flood through him. His pats turned into gentle rubs instead. "You okay?" he asked, dipping his head down. Forgotten was the creepiness of a moment before as he sought the smaller boy's gaze. "Do you need a drink of water or something?" he added.

He was a little surprised when the puppy's features lit up and he began babbling. "What?" Tambourine asked, turning his head sideways so his good ear pointed at the pup. But he was just saying nonsense. His brow furrowed and Tambourine looked him in the face again. "I don't..." It only now occurred to him: maybe he was just too little to talk yet? Probably the leaf hadn't helped but it wasn't that he was choking or even a creep, he was just a baby!

"Ohhhhh." Tambourine withdrew his paw from where it was sliding up and down the kid's back. "You can't talk, can you? But," he wondered aloud, head canting so that his ear flopped comically, "can you understand me...?"