Stone Circle Darkness comes swiftly

For days his eye had been bothering him. Blurry and filmy on the left side with the most facial wounds. And today he woke up to absolute darkness in that eye. A soft whimper at first, because he had known it was coming, but stubborn hope it wouldn't. It wasn't to be so.

He stumbled a little as he began to maneuver. Possibly even stepping on @Taktuq's paw, but he hoped not. He had to swing his head wide as he moved and rely on his nose to find the open air. When he stumbled into the light outside he was pleased at least that his right eye was still fine.

He lowered his head to a spot at chest height and shuddered, tears escaping past the filmy eye and the one that was fine.

He knew his time was expiring, and he had made peace. But the pain that his loved ones would go through almost brought him to his knees.

Finally, he shook his head and set out to learn to handle this new handicap. It would take him sometime, but no time like the present to learn.

He stumbled and fell a few times when he couldn't quite catch sight and of course that hitch in his hip didn't help.

tag for reference

I hope you don't mind me sneaking in here.

The boy had risen early that morning. Having left the den to embark on another expedition, he had found a particularly good stick for chewing. The only problem was that if was far larger than he was. The conundrum of how to bring it home to his brother and sister was a task soon left abandoned as his little ears caught the sound of staggered footfall.

On fleet paws, Ujurak went to investigate, finding his father. Bouncing with each stride, excitement overtook the boy as he rushed towards him. Tail high and tongue lolling. Faðir!

He skid to a stop near Gunnar's flank. Turquoise eyes beaming up at the elder, his smile was slowly replaced by a puzzled expression. Ujurak had never quite seen his father without a hitch to his step, but he couldn't quite recall his father staggering about either. He was... different.

Faðir? Are you okay?

For all of Astrid's faults, for her gnashing teeth and crude smirks; there was one person on this planet who her heart softened for.
Faðir.
Her dearest papa, her knight in shining armor; the warmth of his embrace and the soft snores in the night, the laughs that thundered from deep in his chest. He always had time for her; he was patient and gentle; her first memories were of wriggling toward him in the rose-gilded, serendipitous mess of her early days.
And there was something wrong with him.
Ujurak calls out and Astrid is the first to come tumbling out toward them, chest heaving from how fast she'd lumbered on stout legs; groggy, still, with sleep that had not found her. Daddy, her face contorts into an ugly frown, a soft glance cast to her brother. you're stumbling. Why are you stumbling?

not at all

The children didn't stay in the den much after sunrise. Preferring to carry themselves on adventures. Gunnar did not fault them this. He enjoyed watching them play and learn.

His heart seized as not one, but two of his children came to his aid. He had to move his head to look at them both. But they each recieved a smile and a gentle nuzzle to their heads.

halló elskurnar mínar

He shifted and settled to his haunches so they both could snuggle if they pleased. I am just having trouble seeing today.

He didn't like to lie to his little ones. It felt so unfair. And his mother and father had never lied to him even of his parentage.

Astrid was quick to sound to his alert and he returned her worried glance. As quickly as she arrived, their father soon comforted them. Ujurak quickly nestled into his father's arms, pressing his cheek into Gunnar's chest. He made sure he left room for Astrid.

Will you see better tomorrow? Ujurak's eyes were wide as a slew of questions formed in his mind. What was wrong with his father's eyes? Would he get better? What if he doesn't? Does Faðir need help? Can he help?

His ears swiveled away as his tongue poked between his lips. Can it get better?