i dare not go, for if i do, my mother will say...

Gil pulls the boy to the ground and smirks as the youngster is covered in mud. Watching him roll away and successfully evading capture, Gil still doesn’t move. He sits and watches. He can see the light and the energetic youthfulness in the boy. It was a game to the boy and Gil is okay with that. He’s a father after all and the purpose of the raid wasn’t to seriously harm anyone. It sat better with him to call it more of a practice raid anyway - with a prize for them if they won.

As the pup stands, Gil takes a moment to assess the rest of the raid one more time. Jack is engaged again and Calliope is being bellowed at by the bear, he’s not worried yet, but is pleased with Flurry’s win. Maybe he won’t have to berate the older woman for being so outrageous toward a damn puppy. And by the look in Jack’s eyes, Gil can tell his demeanor has changed.

Distracted by taking a moment to ensure his group is okay, Gil is surprised when a wave of mud sprays up into his face. Sputtering loudly, he shakes his head and sticks out his tongue trying to rid his mouth of the forest debris. His eyes close and he’s trying not to laugh, trying to appear somewhat stern, but it’s not working. His resolve dissipates further when he suddenly feels paws grab ahold of his shoulders. Though the youngster isn’t strong or large enough to actually throw him to the ground, Gil flops over anyway. Taking the boy with him, Gil attempts to wrap his own legs around the boy and wrestle him further into the mud.