Wheeling Gull Isle You are my anchor, so steady me, steady me now

Caracal very rarely unleashed his stern voice on his kids, though when Dinah disregarded him and began walking in her mother’s wake, he said, Dinah, get back here, in a tone that brooked no argument. If it’s safe, your mother will call for us, he added more gently.

Heda did just that only moments later. Caracal stood pensively for a moment, looking at his sons and daughter. They were old enough to stay at the den by themselves without supervision, though it still made him a little uneasy.

I would ask that you stay here, close to the den, he said to the four, but if anyone insists on coming with me, they’ll need to walk quietly beside me. No running ahead. No asking a zillion questions, Caracal laid out his terms whilst looking pointedly at his beloved Dinah.

He set off then, toward the beach where first Everett and then Heda had called. Caracal had no idea what was happening but would never have guessed he would walk up on the two of them tending to an entire litter of newborn pups.

Caracal froze, staring, his mouth a moue. Were these Everett’s pups? Where was their mother? Heda smelled of sweet milk and he knew she must have nursed them. Swallowing thickly, he moved to take a closer look, wondering if they needed medical care. Could he provide it, if they did? He wasn’t a medic any longer…

It didn’t take a genius to see Everett and Heda meant to help these poor, innocent babies. And of course Caracal would help them render aid. But he felt a cold stone in the pit of his belly. He wasn’t sure he could go through this again, not so soon. He had just started enjoying parenthood and now God was really going to test him.