Willow Ridge Mind that hubris

Even more concerning than the limp was the way Hagar seemed lost in thought, only pulled out of it and looking at the pup when Daegal had spoken. Wide silver eyes met green and Daegal waited for his dad to speak, to say everything was going to be fine and maybe even for Daegal to wake up now - even though the boy knew he wasn't sleeping.

But all Hagar answered with was a single word and that didn't help the little moon feel any better. "Are you okay?" he asked, even though the answer was clear by the dark stains in his dad's fur and the stench of blood clogging Daegal's nose.

He began to cry. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to be big and strong like you and bring home food for everyone!" he wailed, dropping to his haunches. He hadn't wanted dad to get hurt - wanted anyone to get hurt!

Are you okay? he asked, and Hagar's first instinct was to be honest and tell him no. He needed to get home, where it was safe and he could rest and tend to the injury. Faintly, he even thought of @Clover and the talents she purported to have. Maybe, there was something she could do to help ensure he healed properly...

But Daegal was in tears before Hagar could. His stomach pinched and flinched, immediately feeling awful that the boy was so upset. He moved to tuck his lanky frame against his own broad chest, hoping to somehow comfort him. He'd wanted to hunt that thing? It didn't make much sense to him, but that was part of being a child, wasn't it? Dae simply hadn't known better.

"It's okay," Hagar assured him, even when he knew fully well it might not be. Regardless of what happened, he would not blame his son for just wanting to help.

"We'll talk about this, okay?" maybe he needed to do more of that, maybe he wasn't doing a good job teaching them because he kept so many words to himself, "First, we need to go home. Are you ready?"

It would be painful, but then he would get to rest and Daegal could ask as many questions as he wanted. If it kept him out of harm's way, Hagar would stay up all night and day with him and talk until he lost his voice. Just as long as there was not another scare like this, and no more moments where he thought he was about to lose a third of his whole world.