babies breath in the breeze

A few of the twigs had started to die quicker than anticipated, and several of the berries were no longer fit for consumption. He was busy nipping a few of the good ones from the twigs when he heard a little voice pipe up behind him. He hurriedly mashed the berries against the roof of his mouth with his tongue, sliding the mixture down his throat. Thin skull, still held low between his shoulders and forelimbs, peered around his right forelimb to get a look at the girl. Ah, he'd woken Poem. He'd been hoping that the children would sleep through his early morning self-medication, but alas.

"My bad leg is giving me grief," he maintained a hushed whisper, auds tipped back towards his skull. "I didn't mean to wake you, love, you should go back to sleep." he crooned with a soft smile twitching ever so slightly at his lips, turning slowly about to face the child. A few hobbling steps, dragging his lame leg behind him, brought him back to his bed. He arranged his lame leg beneath him with some effort, and lowered his hind end onto the soft pelts before dropping his upper body down a little too heavily. A deep sigh escaped him, suddenly exhausted.