Redhawk Caldera No sandbox on my playground

@Liffey @Lagan maybe? :)

Although there was still a Lucy-sized hole in Elwood's heart (and it had grown now to include Finley's shape, as well), he was beginning to settle back into the routine of daily life in Redhawk Caldera. He worried incessantly about his mate and daughter, but he discovered that the best thing to do was to keep himself busy and think positively. Somehow, he wasn't as good as the latter as he used to be -- but he still found himself often thinking of Finley's success in tracking down Lucy and bringing her home. It would be a glorious day when the Blackthorn family was reunited.

While patrolling and hunting kept him occupied -- especially since he had to step up after Peregrine was attacked by Ferret -- he yearned to spend more time with his remaining children. They were growing like weeds! He felt a thrill of excitement -- an emotion he hadn't experienced in quite some time -- as he returned to the rendezvous site from a hunt, a plump rabbit carcass clasped in his jaws. "Liffey! Lagan!" he called after depositing the body on the ground, his gaze sweeping the clearing expectantly.

HI HUSDAD! FATHBAND??

Liffey was a very laid back little girl. When Lucy had gone missing, she had been sad. But not heartbroken like everyone around her seemed to be. It may very well have been fueled by naivete, but the Blackthorn pup felt perfectly confident in the fact that Lucy would one day return, and it was that thought that kept her from being too depressed about her lack of presence.

The same was now true of Finley's absence. The little river missed her mother, but it felt more like disappointment that she wasn't there than any true sadness. She wanted her mom to be there when she settled down for bed, or when she ventured away from  the rendezvous site to explore. Her mom was fun, and she was nice to cuddle with at night. But she still had Lagan and Eljay, and she still had her daddy. And so, Liffey's optimism found its way through, even though it was now two of her family members that were missing from her life.

And so, it wasn't at all a stretch for Liffey to feel excited when Elwood called out to her and her twin. She had been busy cutting her teeth on a stick she'd found near the edge of the rendezvous site. She was busy licking splintered bark from between her teeth when she heard her name. Almost instantly, the young Blackthorn was up onto all fours and sprinting towards her father. She slowed only a little when she collided with his forelegs, laughing as she tripped and stumbled to her haunches. She hopped back up a split second later and bounced up towards Elwood, her tongue flicking eagerly across his chin. The rabbit was yet to be noticed in her glee at seeing her dad - another wolf that had been missing, but one that had finally proven her theory that all who were lost would eventually return, and thus supporting her unflinching optimism.

YOUR AVATAR IS GORGEOUS OMG

There was no sign of Lagan yet, but Liffey came bumbling towards Elwood. The Beta's yellow eyes lit up at the sight of his daughter and his heart swelled. Although he missed Lucy every second of every day, he couldn't forget that he had another beautiful daughter to care for. At just about three months of age, she was beginning to look a little more like a teenager and less like a baby.

"Hi, Liff!" he greeted her, his voice carrying more enthusiasm than it had in some time. "You want to practice some hunting?" he asked, letting his gaze stray momentarily to see if Lagan was approaching; when he didn't immediately see his son, he looked back at Liffey's striking young face.

*giggles* Oh why thank you!

Liffey's tail was frantic as her daddy reached to return her affection. She smiled appreciatively up at him as she settled down and dropped to her haunches right in front of him with ears perked attentively likely the absurdly polite little wolf that she was. Her head tilted to one side as he asked if she wanted to practice hunting - something she was, in truth, none too familiar with. At least, not that she realized. She spent much of her time at nght trying to hunt crickets and fireflies, but never had she equated it to the retrieval of food as adults would. Nor had she ever considered hunting anything during the daytime that might serve to sustain her rather than amuse her.

In either case. "Yah!" Liffey said eagerly with a nod of her head. Truth be told, he could have said Wanna go learn how to set forest fires?? and the little river would have been all about it, simply for the fact that her papa was the one who suggested it.

Her excitement was contagious and Elwood felt his spirits lifting already. "Okay, I have an idea," he said, and he reached down to pick up the rabbit carcass in his mouth. Around the fur and warm flesh, he said, "Stay here and close your eyes."

He lingered for a moment to make sure his young daughter followed his directions, then crept away from her. He didn't go too far -- just a couple of yards, planning to keep things simple at first -- before he deposited the body. He didn't make any effort to conceal it; he wanted to use her eyes and nose to find it.

Then, as he padded back towards Liffey, he prompted her by saying, "Can you find the rabbit?"

Liffey grinned with excitement as her father announced that he had an idea for them. She shut her eyes obediently, still smiling as her head canted to listen for what he was doing. Her tail slowed when she realized he was walking away from her, her smile wilting somewhat. Her little heart wanted her to chase after him for the simple fact that she liked his presence. But still, she sat patiently awaiting his return. He hadn't promised her one, but she had complete faith that she would get it.

Her mind had wandered while she waited, and so she started slightly when she heard his voice announcing his return. Liffey blinked up at him, her expression blank and curious for a moment before her memory clicked and her broad smile returned. She pounced up onto all fours, chirping "Yah!" before twisting her head back and forth with perked ears and anticipation etched across every angle of her small frame.

She was totally lost as to what to do next, though. She lifted her nose up towards Elwood after a minute, gazing imploringly up at him. She blinked at him for a beat, then giggled and ran at him to plant more kisses on his face.

Liffey was eager and determined, and Elwood was already convinced that she was a hunter in the making. She was beginning to resemble her mother in build, which would likely make her quick on her feet -- this could potentially be an asset when it came to bringing down prey large and small. He blinked expectantly as he watched his daughter take in her surroundings with wide eyes and tall ears...

...and then was surprised when she suddenly set her sights on him. She moved away from the rabbit -- in the opposite direction, in fact! -- and began to lick at his face affectionately, her childish giggles resounding in his ears. Rather than be annoyed (because really, how could he be?), Elwood felt warmth bubbling in his chest -- which resulted in the first deep laugh he had experienced since Lucy was kidnapped. He guffawed aloud, the reaction causing a weight to lift from his shoulders, at least momentarily.

For the time being, the rabbit was forgotten as he playfully noogied Liffey's head with a forepaw, still laughing uncontrollably.

Her daddy laughed, and nothing had ever made her happier. Liffey's ears smashed against her skull as her tail, still wagging wildly, tucked against her rump. She whined gently and fell to her back to expose her belly, reaching up at him with flapping paws and a giant smile upon her face.  It was a submissive move, but not one caused by fear or the need to show respect. It was driven by instinct, and done in a selfless desire to make her daddy smile again.

Naturally, when Liffey rolled over to expose her stomach, Elwood just had to tickle her. He reached down with his forepaws, kneading his toes against the soft, pale fur of her belly, continuing to laugh all the while. It was doubtful that the rabbit would get eaten anytime soon. More important than any hunting lesson was simply enjoying quality time with his daughter.

After a few solid seconds of tickling, Elwood leaped away. Rather than head for the carcass, he ran in the other direction, tail flagging over his haunches. "Come and get me!" he teased, loping away at a pace that wouldn't make it too difficult for Liffey to catch up with him.

Elwood was quick to attack while his daughter was vulnerable. Liffey squirmed in his arms, kicking harmlessly at his face as he tickled. She was breathless from laughter, but still managed to call out a desperate "Daddy stop!" once or twice before it was over. She scrambled to her paws as soon as Elwood darted away from her, pivoting as she did so that the moment she had all four paws under her, she was sprinting towards her father in a mad dash to get him.

While he didn't make it too hard on her to catch up to him, Liffey couldn't at all tell. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her after him, determined to catch him. It was much like how she liked chasing after crickets and birds and fireflies, only far more exciting because if she won this chase, she would win her daddy.

Gonna fade here since I just jumped into your spoopy thread!

He ran and ran, aware that Liffey was slowly gaining on him. Without meaning to, he led her back towards the heart of the rendezvous site, until he decelerated so much that she was able to catch up to him. "You got me!" he cried, flopping to the ground dramatically.

It was only a few hours later -- after a well-deserved nap -- that Elwood returned to retrieve the rabbit carcass. He brought it back home so that he, Liffey, and Lagan could make a meal out of it.