Hushed Willows It’s the day I realized I was alone

She had been bored so she took a small little stroll along the borders yet she knew her dad didn’t want her there by herself but there wasn’t anything to do. All the kids seemed to keep to themselves. But she saw someone far away. “Hey! Who are you?” She asked curiously.

Old age was getting to him slowly but surely creeping up on him. It was time to make himself known. He had lurked in the shadows a while and his daughters scent no longer was in the territory but a single  silhouette on the borders caught his eye. “Asatira?” As he got closer he realized that it was a pup but whose? He stayed well behind the borders and let out a lone howl for someone of leadership. @Sunny

His spirits had been brighter since his run in with Steph. He thought nothing of the fact that he had thought of her several times since then, believing it to be nothing more than simple joy to have reunited with a good friend. Due to his high spirit he had intended to gather the children up and take a small day trip to the coast but the howl from the borders interrupted those plans. Quickly he hurried over and spotted Minnow first and frowned starting to grow concerned with how often she wandered the borders alone. He heard the stranger call to her, the word sounding like a name but he wasnt sure. Either way he strode forward and looked to his daughter "I hope you're being careful and not going to close" he said in a soft but gently scolding voice before he turned to the stranger with his welcoming smile "Hello, what brings you here?" 

pp’ing minnow

The pup went to the male and he smiled at the obedience. “I did not mean to come so close to your borders.” It seemed this was the male that he had seen his daughter with many times before. “My daughters scent seemed to have disappear from this land. Where is she? Where is Asatira?” He then realized this man may not have known her by this name. “I realize even she knew not her birth name. I’m looking for Aliac.”

His gaze softened and parted from the stranger as his daughter came over and he leaned down to ruffle the soft fur between her ears before turning his attention back to the male his expression rapidly changing the more the man said. When there was silence Sunny stared at the dark coated gentleman and cleared his throat, his eyes misting over as he struggled to swallow the many difficult things in this scenario. This man was Aliac's father, his father by mateship, grandfather to his three kids. He wanted Aliac. "My name is Sunny. Aliac was my mate. I'm sorry to break this news but during a bear attack Aliac and many others died protecting the children" somehow it managed to rush past his lips in one burst before he exhaled and struggled to reign in his tears for Minnow's sake. Unfortunately it occurred to him that if the man had come only a couple months sooner they could have been a family and it broke him down and the tears fell rapidly down his cheeks.

The young one watched her father it seemed now cry and nudged his leg. He felt his heart stop and his world start spinning as he legs seemed to give out almost making him fall. “No...” he gasped out in shock. He was too late, she had died. If only head been there. “Not my baby girl.” He cried out in pain that the news brought to him.

The tiny nudge at his leg was what caused him to pull himself together. He gave Minnow a reassuring nuzzle and lifted his still watery gaze to the grieving old man "I'm sorry...there isn't a day that i dont miss her. If it helps the grief fade a little, this is Minnow. She is our daughter. We have two sons as well. You are welcome to stay and be a part of our family" he made the offer in a trembling voice, looking down at Minnow "This is your grandpa...this is Mommy's father" he said to her softly, encouraging her to step forward.

The little pup waddled up to him and sat down giving a quiet but shy hello to him. He was seeing her at her level and smiled through the tears. “Hello little one.” He looked back at sunny. “I would enjoy nothing more. She looks and remind me much of her mother. “ He was a grandfather but was then blindsided by a small distinct scent. “My s..son is here...how?” He didn’t think it possible he thought he’d been dead killed by Muguuzi like she had her own pups.

Sunny's eyes flashed with something darker than grief, something negative  "She looks like her mother but shes her own beautiful soul" he said softly eyeing Minnow proudly and then glanced back up to his father in law nodding "He is. I dont know his history. Come inside and make yourself at home and anything you want, I am at your service" he said this warmly feeling guilty and as if he owed it.