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Sunny didn’t realise he had ventured too far from home until it was too late.
He had been so distracted, completely and utterly in his own world; playing explorer with an imaginary lion by his side as they made great discoveries (well, really, the lion at first had been Mr Finnegan until the little cat deemed it to be nap time and curled up in a spot high enough away from the boy’s game). He was meant to stay by his dad’s mega base and under the alpha’s supervision while his mother took his sisters to their joint flight lesson with Uncle Timmy and the twins, but he had been so bored and couldn’t help but be swept up in the thrill that his imagination had provided.
The savannah stretched wide and golden beneath amidst far too bright and hot sunlight, with nothing but a soft breeze rustling against the tall, dry grass breaking the silence. Sunny marched bravely through it without thought, a wooden toy sword clutched in his hand as his lion companion padded faithfully beside him - big, strong and fearless. He felt so brave, just like one of the heroes from his dad’s bedtime stories as he darted past the tall acacia trees and hopped over every rock.
He let out a small huff and grunt as he scrambled up a small rise, planting his feet proudly at the very tip top. “We did it!” he announced to his imaginary lion, puffing out his chest as the creature let out a loud and mighty roar.
It was only after savouring in his momentary glory that he realised something was wrong.
His imaginary lion flickered out of existence as the game stopped and his smile slowly dropped. He turned around cautiously at first, then in utter panic a second time.
He couldn’t see his dad’s base.
He couldn’t see anyone's base.
He walked a little further, his sneakers crunching softly against the dry ground, eyes darting left and right. Maybe he just needed to find a bigger hill to see further? He was sure he would be able to see the top of someone’s base and remember where to go. Sunny just needed to find the right direction to walk back to before anyone noticed he was missing and would be in trouble for wandering too far from his dad without meaning to.
But the more he walked, the tighter his chest felt.
The savannah didn’t open up into anything familiar. Instead, the land dipped and rose again, shadows stretching longer as the sun slowly began its descent. The wind picked up, rustling the tall grass until it sounded almost like whispering voices.
Sunny stopped. He didn’t feel so adventurous anymore.
“…Dad?” he called, voice small despite his effort to sound brave.
No answer came.
“...Mama?”
Nothing.
Sunny swallowed hard, fingers curling tight around the hilt of his wooden sword. His heart thudded painfully against his ribs now, the realisation finally settling in with uncomfortable weight.
He didn’t know where he was.
Sunny blinked rapidly, eyes stinging as he hugged his sword to his chest. He told himself he couldn’t cry. He was sure his mum or dad would come looking for him soon. If not them, then his Uncle Suma, or Uncle Mumbo, or Uncle Cub… anybody, really.
Still… the savannah suddenly felt much too large for someone so small.
He sniffled and wiped his eyes, trying so hard to be brave. Maybe if he got really high up he could find the way home, or someone would be able to find him quicker. HIs eyes darted around until they landed on a tall acacia with sprawling branches. It didn’t look too hard to climb, he had climbed bigger and taller trees before.
Sunny approached it with renewed determination, pressing his palms against the bark as he tested for good handholds. The acacia was rough and warm beneath his fingers, its crooked trunk leaning just enough to make the first part easy. He hauled himself up with a small grunt, the soles of his shoes scraping as he found a branch to stand on.
He climbed higher, carefully, just like Papa K had taught him once when he was looking after him for a day - slow, steady, one limb at a time. The higher he went, the smaller the savannah looked beneath him. The grass blurred into patches of gold, and the shadows stretched longer as the sun crept lower in the sky.
Sunny shuffled out onto a thicker branch, lifting himself up to stand. He squinted, turning his head, searching desperately for anything familiar. A flash of colour that wasn’t brown or gold. The point of a tower. A distant silhouette of a Happy Ghast. Anything.
With nothing new gracing his sights, he turned back to the branches above him and decided to climb higher.
The branch beneath his feet creaked.
Sunny froze.
“No-!”
CRACK!
Sunny’s world lurched violently as the branch broke and as he tumbled downward, arms flailing as the air was punched from his lungs. He hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the breath from his chest in one gasp, followed by a sharp, searing pain that shot up his leg.
He cried out, the sound torn from him before he could stop it.
Sunny curled instinctively, clutching at his ankle as tears spilled freely now. It hurt. It hurt really, really badly; and no matter how he tried to move it, the pain only flared brighter. His chest heaved as panic crashed over him all at once, drowning out every brave thought he’d been clinging to. The savannah felt enormous again, towering and empty and far too quiet. His imaginary lion was gone now, bravery slipping away with it, leaving only a scared little boy sitting alone in the dirt with a throbbing ankle and no idea what to do next.
Sunny tried to stand, and immediately yelped - collapsing back down with another sharp cry. He hugged his knee to his chest, tears soaking into his sleeves as his cries grew louder, more desperate.
“Help!” he wailed, voice cracking. “Help, please! Dad! Mama!”
His words echoed uselessly, carried away by the wind as the sun dipped lower still.
He continued to cry, torn between the pain throbbing in his ankle and the horrific awareness of just how alone he was. Overwhelmed by the fear that no one would be able to find him so far away, especially once the sun began to slowly set in the sky. He let out a wail at the first signs of orange tinting the once clear blue sky. He should be home, with his mum and sisters and all his toys while they played as dad made dinner. Would they leave him out here all night as a punishment for not listenting and staying close to the base? He let out another loud cry at the very thoughts.
Then he was torn from his cries at a sudden sound of rustling,
The tall grass nearby shifted, bending and parting as something moved through it.
Sunny froze, breath catching in his throat with a sharp hitch. He scrubbed at his eyes quickly, forcing the tears back as he listened, heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst. Was someone coming for him? Had be been found?!
“D-Dad?” he called hopefully, voice small but eager. “Mama…? I’m over here!”
The grass stirred again, closer now. He waited in anticipation of a familiar, wide brimmed fedora. Or of a flash of bright blue, yellow and red feathers. He briefly felt relief flutter in his chest as he shuffled forward, prepared to hear his name be called out.
Instead, the grass parted, and a spotted wolf stepped out into the open.
Sunny’s breath caught sharply as he went completely still.
The wolf was larger than he was used to seeing, its coat dappled with dark spots that blended perfectly with the savannah hues. Its ears were perked forward, tail low but steady as its sharp eyes fixed on him. It took a slow step closer, nose twitching as it scented the air.
Sunny’s heart slammed painfully against his ribs. He loved animals. He absolutely adored them to no end. His dad always joked that he could befriend every living creature on any server if given enough time. But this wasn’t a tame mob like Tilly Jr; this was still very much a wild wolf, and Sunny knew enough to recognise danger when he saw it.
“N-no,” he whimpered, scooting backwards instinctively. Pain flared white-hot through his ankle as he tried to scramble away, forcing a sob from his chest as he collapsed back into the dirt. His injured leg refused to move properly, sending another spike of agony through him.
“Please-” cried Sunny, tears spilling freely again. “I d-don’t have any f-f-food…”
The wolf paused, its head tilting at an angle slightly as it watched him, ears flicking as Sunny’s sobs echoed through the savannah. Slowly, it padded closer, each step deliberate and cautious.
Sunny squeezed his eyes shut, curling in on himself as fear overwhelmed him completely. His parents always assured him and his sisters that respawns were safe and painless; but nonetheless, he had never felt so terrified in his life as he braced for the feeling of sharp teeth preparing to pierce into his skin to eat as much of him as it could before he did disappear.
Except the expected pain of a wild wolf bite nerver came. Instead, something cold and wet brushed gently against his cheek, and then he heard sniffing very close to his ear.
Sunny startled, opening his eyes just in time to feel as the wolf pulled away just far enough to give a soft lick across his cheek. He gasped, frozen in disbelief as the wolf nudged him with its nose again - not roughly, but rather with surprising gentleness. The wolf lowered its head, sniffing along Sunny’s arms and chest before focusing on his injured foot. It let out a low, quiet whine. If Sunny had to guess, it almost sounded… concerned?
Sunny sniffed, staring through tears as the wolf carefully nudged his ankle, then licked it, slow and careful as if trying to soothe the pain. “I-” he hiccupped, voice shaking. “You’re… not gonna eat me?”
The wolf huffed softly, tail giving a small, reassuring swish as it settled down beside him, pressing its warm body lightly against his leg in a protective lean.
Sunny’s sobs softened into shaky breaths as he reached out hesitantly, fingers brushing against the wolf’s spotted fur. Rather than pull away from the unfamiliar touch, the wolf leaned closer as its tail wagged faster. He sniffed again, dragging the back of his free arm across his nose as he tried to steady his breathing. The wolf remained pressed against him, warm and solid, its presence grounding in a way Sunny hadn’t realised he needed so badly.
“Um… hi,” he murmured softly, glancing down at it. “I’m Sunny.”
The wolf’s ears flicked, but it didn’t pull away.
“I got l-lost,” Sunny continued, voice wobbling but quieter now. “I was playin’ a game and I was meant to stay with my dad and I didn’t. He’s gonna come find me soon. Or my Mama.”
He hesitated, then ran his hand repeatedly along the wolf’s pelt, fingers sinking into the rather soft, speckled fur. He found his hands soon tracing around the different patters of patches, finding particular interest in the one in the shape of a four leaf clover. The wolf let out a quiet huff of contentment, leaning into the touch as it began to pant.
“You’re… nice,” Sunny decided. “I was scared you were gonna bite me, but you didn’t. So… thank you.”
The wolf didn’t answer, but it shifted slightly, settling in closer like it was keeping watch. Sunny continued to stroke its fur, the pounding in his chest finally slowing to a calm beat.
He glanced up with a worried frown. The sun had dipped lower than he’d realised, the sky beginning to bleed into warm oranges and purples as long shadows stretched across the savannah. The tall grass rustled somewhat ominously as the air grew cooler, causing Sunny to shiver with the slight chill.
Then…
Rattle.
Sunny stiffened.
Another sound followed.
Clack. Rattle. Clack.
Sunny’s blood ran cold as his head snapped toward the noise, just in time to see a skeleton step out from behind an acacia tree, bow already clutched in its bony hands. Its empty eye sockets locked onto him immediately.
Sunny’s breath hitched and seized in his chest, terror flooding back in all at once. He scrambled instinctively, panic surging as he tried to move away - only for his ankle to scream in protest, sending him collapsing back down with a cry.
The skeleton raised its bow.
Sunny curled in on himself, hands flying up over his head as he squeezed his eyes shut, fear completely overwhelming him now as he let out a panicked scream for his parents to save him.
Beside him, the wolf gave a low, warning growl. Sunny felt it tense beside him, rising to its feet as it stepped protectively in front of him, hackles raised and teeth bared. The wolf’s body blocked his from view as it let out another warning snarl, staring the skeleton down.
Sunny peeked through his fingers, breath hitching once again with fear for his new found friend. “D-don’t hurt it,” he cried to the skeleton, utterly terrified. “Please don’t-!”
The skeleton let loose its grip on the bow string, and the arrow flew towards him.
Sunny screamed.
Before he could even think, the spotted wolf surged forward with a feral snarl, throwing itself between the boy and the incoming shot. The arrow struck with a dull thawck, burying itself into the wolf’s front leg - earning a sharp, pained yelp.
Sunny’s heart shattered. “No! No, no, no!” he cried, reaching out helplessly as the wolf staggered, blood spotting the dirt beneath its paw.
For a terrifying heartbeat, Sunny thought it would fall. Instead, it let out a loud and viscous snarl, planting its injured leg with stubborn determination. Then it charged.
The skeleton barely had time to draw another arrow before the wolf slammed into it, teeth snapping as it knocked the mob to the ground. Bones clattered as the skeleton fumbled in place, trying to raise its bow again - but the wolf was faster.
It lunged with a loud snarl. There was a sharp crack as the skeleton collapsed completely, dissolving into a puff of pale smoke - leaving nothing more than its bow and a single bone.
Silence followed for a brief moment, broken only by the wolf’s rapid panting. Then Sunny’s frozen state dissipated as his own breath hitched violently, bursting into tears all over again. He crawled forward despite the pain in his ankle, dragging himself through the dirt until he reached the wolf.
“Y-you’re hurt,” he cried, hands shaking as he hovered uselessly near its leg. The arrow was buried deep, and a steady stream of blood flowed in a horrifying river down in droplets past its hovering paw.
The wolf huffed softly, leaning into him again despite the blood and the tremble in its leg, as if trying to reassure him instead. It licked his cheek once more, warm and steady.
Sunny pressed his forehead against the wolf’s neck, sniffling as his tears disappeared into its fur. “Thank you,” he whispered gratefully.. “You saved me… You’re really, really brave.”
He clung to the wolf, chest heaving as he tried to calm his breathing, ears still ringing from the chaos that had just passed. The savannah lay hushed beneath the darkening sky, the stars beginning to blink into existence one by one.
Then another sound pierced the silence. A low, rumbling groan…
Sunny lifted his head slowly, dread pooling heavy in his stomach at the unmistakeabble sound. He spotted the zombie quick enough, shambling toward them, arms outstretched, eyes fixed hungrily on him.
“Oh no…” he whined, voice breaking.
The wolf growled again, forcing itself upright despite the injured leg. It limped forward, planting itself protectively between Sunny and the approaching mob, teeth bared even as its leg trembled beneath its weight.
Sunny’s chest hurt. “You can’t,” he cried softly, grabbing gently at the wolf’s fur. “You’re hurt…”
The zombie drew closer with another menacing groan
Sunny squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself as tears spilled freely once more. There was no way they were going to make it through the whole night like this. Sooner or later, he had to accept that he would be forced through a respawn he didn’t want… but he didn’t know what would happen to his new friend.
He waited for the inevitable… Only to find his vision darkening behind his eyelids as a shadow swept over him.
He opened his eyes as the sound of wings cut through the air with a sharp gust. A moment later, something crashed down from the sky with a loud, feral snarl.
His mother hit the ground like a meteor, wings flaring wide as he slammed straight into the zombie, blade flashing in the light of the setting sun. The mob barely had time to react before the omega tore through it in a flurry of movement, raw panic and fury lending him terrifying speed.
One strike later, the zombie collapsed, dissolving into smoke at his feet.
His mother let out a final, satisfied snarl before letting out a sharp gasp. “Sunny!” He spun immediately, dropping his sword as he rushed forward, skidding to his knees in front of his son. His hands trembled as they swept over Sunny, checking him over with frantic urgency.
“Oh my god- Sunny, baby-” he choked, pulling his boy carefully into his arms. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you, you’re safe…”
Sunny broke completely.
“Mama!” he sobbed, burying his face into his mother’s chest - salvaging in his familiar, albeit wilted, scent. “I was s-so scared- sniff- I g-got lost and- and-”
His mother held him tighter, wings curling around them both protectively as his own breath hitched. “I know. I know, sunshine. I’m here now. You did so good. I’m so proud of you.”
“Sunny!”
Sunny looked up at the cry of his name, hearing a whistle of a rocket alongside it. A second later, another figure crash landed before them - though with much less grace as he retracted his elytra. His father stumbled back upright, his wide eyes landing on his son still wrapped tightly in his mother’s arms.
“Oh, Little Berry!” He gasped in relief. He reached out a hand. “Oh, you’re okay-”
His mother let out an aggravated snarl, yanking Sunny away from the alpha protectively as he bared his teeth up at him. Taking the message loud and clear, his father took a cautious step back as he bared his neck visibly to the upset omega - though his eyes didn’t leave Sunny once.
Another burst of rockets distracted Sunny from the rather protective, hostile display, and he looked up to find his Uncle Xisuma coming in for a landing beside the family.
“Sunny!” the admin cried, leaning down close enough to inspect the boy. Though a low, rumbling growl from the omega ensured he didn’t get too close. “Are you okay?!”
Sunny sniffled. “I hurt my foot,” he whimpered.
“Which one?” asked Xisuma, seemingly ignoring the way Grian was now levelling Scar with a heated glare. Sunny’s nose wrinkled, unable to determine who was the more distressed between his parents’ withering scents.
Sunny shakily pointed to his right ankle. Xisuma quietly asked Grian for permission to check the boy’s coding, knowing there would be no way to touch the boy without risking the omega’s protective wrath otherwise. Upon receiving a single, shaky nod, the admin panel was brought up in a bright flash. A moment later, the tension in the pack leader’s shoulders lessened.
“Looks like it’s just twisted,” he said reassuringly. “Nothing a bit of ice and rest won’t fix.”
Sunny sniffled and looked over his mother’s shoulders. “What about them?” he asked in a wobbly voice, pointing over at his new friend.
Only then did the adults notice the wolf. It stood a short distance away, body still angled protectively toward Sunny despite the obvious tremor in its injured leg where the arrow jutted out. Its ears were alert and eyes sharp, but it made no move to flee.
Scar sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of the injury. “Oh my god…”
Grian stiffened again immediately, wings flaring just a fraction wider as his gaze snapped to the wolf. A low warning growl rumbled in his chest on instinct alone, though it lacked the raw edge it had moments ago.
“N-no,” Sunny uttered quickly, tightening his grip around his mother’s sweater. “Mama, it’s good! They saved me. There was a skelly and- and it shot at me. And then it jumped in front of the arrow! They got hurt ‘cause of me.”
The wolf huffed softly, as if on cue, and its tail gave a small, tired flick.
Scar crouched slowly, carefully, keeping his movements non-threatening. “Well hello there,” he murmured to the wolf as he slowly reached out a hand. “You kept my boy safe, huh?”
The wolf’s gaze tracked him warily, but didn’t retreat. Taking it as a good sign when the creature merely sniffed at his outstretch hand, Scar reached forth and gave it a soft scratch behind the ear. The wolf leaned into the touch and began to pant contently. Sunny watched his father curiously for a moment, and observed the way his brow furrowed in the way it always did when he was thinking hard about something.
Sunny sniffled and looked back up at the admin. “Can you fix them, Uncle Suma?”
Xisuma glanced between the boy and the wolf, though Scar already seemed to be attending to the task at hand as he gently prodded around the area where the arrow was buried deep into flesh. Though upon looking back down at Sunny’s pleading expression, he softened immediately. “Let me see what I can do. Scar, stop touching the arrow - I’m gonna try removing it.”
The admin panel flickered into existence once more as Xisuma worked, carefully seeking the depth of the injury and where the arrow interrupted it. The wolf tensed, likely feeling the uncomfortable feeling of code being dug into, but didn’t resist, glancing back toward Sunny as if seeking reassurance.
Sunny leaned away from his mother just enough to be able to look at the wolf properly. “It’s okay,” he sniffled. “They’re nice. I promise.”
The wolf stilled; its soft, brown eyes blinking slowly in Sunny’s direction.
His father leaned back as his own gaze was torn back towards his family. He scrubbed at his face, dragging in a shaky breath as he managed to lock eyes with his mate. “I’m sorry,” he said hoarsly. “I swear I only looked away for a minute-”
“Scar,” Grian cut in, voice still tight but no longer hostile. Sunny squirmed as his mother’s grip tightened around him. “Later.”
Scar nodded immediately, baring his neck again in silent submission.
“Got it,” muttered Xisuma, pressing one final button on his panel. A moment later, the arrow began to dissolve and vanish. The moment it was gone, Scar hurriedly tore off the end of his shirt and wrapped it around the wolf’s wound to cease the flow of blood - briefly earning a loud yelp of pain.
“She’ll be okay,” reassured Xisuma as he deactivated his admin panel. “She just needs some rest. Same as you, bud.”
Sunny sagged at the words, exhaustion finally catching up with him now that the danger had passed. His fingers curled weakly into his mother’s sweater as he peeked over towards the wolf. His father was murmuring quiet apologies as he finished his bandaged work, still looking at the creature with that strange, deep-in-thought expression.
“Mama… can she come home with us?” Sunny asked sleepily, and very hopefully. He always wanted a dog…
Grian looked down at his son, then at the injured wolf with a twisted expression. “I… Sunny, we’ve already got a pretty full house. Maybe your Auntie Pearl can-”
“She comes home with us.”
Grian’s head snapped back up at Scar’s declaration. “Scar, no! We said-!”
“Grian.” Scar stood a little taller, no longer baring his neck in vulnerability. There was something unusually firm in his father’s stare that Sunny wasn’t used to; not unless he was really, and very, very rarely cross and wanted him or his sisters to listen properly. One thing Sunny knew though was that his dad never looked at his mother like that ever. He could feel the way his mother stilled, possibly aware of the same cautiousness his son was feeling. “We’re bringing her home.”
It was rather quiet for a while, and Sunny worried for a moment that his mother was going to get really angry. On the contrary, the omega softened in a kind of understanding, as though his own invisible hackles were lowering. He then glanced down at the wolf, who only stared back as her tail slowly wagged. He let out a long sigh. “Fine. She can stay with us.”
Sunny gasped happily. “Really?!”
His mother nodded, though he still fixed his rather determined mate with a curious stare. “We’ll work out the details later; but she’ll come home with us tonight.”
With an excited squeal, Sunny lunged up to wrap his arms excitedly around his mother’s neck. “Thank you, Mama!”
He felt a gentle kiss be pressed against the side of his head. “Of course, buddy. Right, let’s get you home and get that ankle all wrapped up…”
After a truly whirlwind of a night: from his grand adventure, to being attacked by rogue mobs, to listening to his sisters get overly excited and riled up by hearing his story and seeing their father carry in a spotted wolf - Sunny was rather relieved to finally be in bed. It was calm and quiet now. He was warm and snug beneath the blankets after being tucked in by his mother, comforted by the soft glow of lantern light casting gentle shadows across the room. His ankle still ached a little, even after a small dose of healing potion and being firmly wrapped, but he didn’t mind it so much.
Not when his new best friend was resting right beside him.
Sunny reached out to stroke the wolf’s soft fur, his smile widening when she leaned into his touch and shuffled closer. Slowly and carefully, she settled until her head came to rest against his chest, letting out a deep, content sigh. He giggled quietly, the sound breathless and soft as the warm air tickled his face.
She wasn’t even meant to be up here. His mother had been very clear about it. The wolf could stay. She could even sleep in Sunny’s room if it helped him settle - but not on the bed.
Sunny had nodded dutifully, hugging his pillow as Grian carefully guided the spotted wolf down onto the thick rug beside the bed instead. The omega had checked her bandaged leg with a practised gentleness, murmuring soft reassurances as he did, before tucking the blankets up around Sunny’s shoulders.
“She needs space to heal,” his mother had said firmly, though his tone softened as he brushed a hand through Sunny’s hair. “And you need to rest too, sunshine.”
The wolf, for her part, had merely watched him with steady eyes, ears flicking as if she understood perfectly well what was being said.
Grian lingered a moment longer as he brushed his son’s hair, the edge of his earlier panic still clinging to him in a cloud of wilted wildflowers that still caused Sunny’s nose to wrinkle. He pressed a careful kiss to the boy’s forehead, whispered a quiet “I love you,” and finally slipped from the room, pulling the door gently closed behind him.
The second the latch clicked the wolf moved.
Sunny barely had time to gasp before she carefully hoisted herself up, ignoring the rug entirely as she climbed onto the mattress with surprising stealth. She circled once, twice, then settled neatly against Sunny’s side as if she had always belonged there.
Sunny stifled a giggle, clapping a hand over his mouth. “Shh,” he whispered conspiratorially. The wolf huffed softly, tail thumping once against the blankets before going still again.
He had just reached a hand out to brush against the bandages bound around the wolf’s own leg when a quiet knock rapped against his bedroom door. He looked over, finding his dad peeking in.
“Hey, Little Berry,” the alpha murmured, easing his way into the room. Behind him, Jellie pattered behind in featherlight footsteps. “You feeling okay?”
“Ah huh,” Sunny nodded.
His dad knelt down beside his bed, just like he always did before bidding Sunny a good night. He glanced over, smirking a little at the sight of the wolf resting on the boy. “I don’t think Mama would like her up on the bed, mister.”
“He didn’t.”
Scar giggled. “Didn’t think so.”
“...Is Mama still mad at you?” asked Sunny.
There was a pause as Sunny watched his dad try to scramble for an appropriate answer. “He’s… still a bit mad, yeah. I should’ve been keeping an eye out for you and… But don’t worry, okay? This is just between Mama and Dad. We still love each other, and he loves you very much. But don’t be surprised if you see me on the couch for the next night or two.” He trailed off with a light giggle, though it felt as nervous as his mildly soured scent.
With a quiet mrrp, Jellie leapt up onto the bed and delicately sat herself close to Sunny’s head. First giving the boy a light sniff along his cheek as though in reassurance before she fixed her green-eyed stare upon the wolf. The wolf stared back, her ears forward and upright in full attention as the feline regarded her. Sunny watched the interaction curiously, noticing that the stare seemed to have the same strange kind of intensity when his dad first carried the wolf inside and laid her down so the kids could shower her with pets. Katy Bee and Mr Finnegan had scampered almost immediately, not at all keen on the idea of a wolf invading their space. Jellie, on the other hand, had remained firmly upon her perch atop a nearby chair - observing the wolf rather thoughtfully in consideration.
Scar watched the quiet interaction with him, not daring to interrupt the moment at all. Sunny wondered if his dad was nervous that the wolf might try to hurt Jellie, but there was a soft smile twitching at the corner of the alpha’s mouth.
“Hey, buddy?” he called gently, now looking over to his son. “Do you know what Jellie is?”
Sunny frowned in confusion. “...A cat?”
His dad giggled again. “Yeah, she is.” He leaned in close to dramatically whisper, “But did you know she’s a special cat?”
Sunny wasn’t too sure how to respond; unsure whether his dad was just trying to tell him a made-up bedtime story to cheer him up after such a rough day. Yet there was something sincere about the sparkle in the older alpha’s eye that had him trusting his father was being truthful. “Special?”
Scar nodded. “A very special cat. She’s something we call a Familiar. Have I ever told you what those are? You know, ah, the ol’ memory ain’t what it used to be.” He trailed off in a dramatic, croaky voice that had Sunny giggling from the silliness as he shook his head.
“Familiars are magical animals, and they’re known to tie themselves with those with a magical hert-heta-heritage- that’s the word. They’re like a kind of guardian that chooses you, and when they know they’ve found their place, they bond with you for the rest of your life. And sometimes, for the rest of your family’s lives.” Scar reached out to finally give Jellie an affectionate scratch behind the ear, earning a soft purr as she leaned into his touch.
“Queen Jellie here has been a member of the GoodTimes family since your great, great, great, great… uh… great? Yeah. Great Grandfather. She’’s been following our family all that time as our guardian, each time choosing who she follows into the next generation to watch over them. She was my dad’s best friend before she was mine, and she’s been watching over me since I was a baby - just like she’s been watching over all three of you.”
“Wow,” whispered Sunny. “That’sa long time!”
“It is, isn’t it?” Scar’s voice softened as he spoke again, losing just a touch of its playful lilt. “She’s been there for all of it,” he continued quietly. “Every scrape and every loss. Every moment I didn’t think I was gonna make it through on my own.”
Jellie flicked an ear at the sound of his voice, tail curling lazily as she shifted closer to Sunny’s head - but her eyes never left the wolf, watchful and calm.
Scar smiled at the sight, fond and a little wistful. “When I was little,” he said, lowering himself down so he was eye-level with Sunny, “I used to get scared at night real bad. Storms, monsters, the dark, any little noise that went bump in the night, you name it.” He chuckled softly. “Your granddad used to tell me to be brave, but… bravery’s hard when you’re small.”
Sunny nodded solemnly. He knew that feeling very well.
Scar reached out again, resting his fingertips against Jellie’s back. “Jellie would sit right here,” he said, tapping the side of his own head. “She’d curl up by my pillow and purr so loud I swear it rattled the walls. And no matter how bad things got, she never left me once.
He swallowed thickly, continuing to stoke the little grey cat’s fur. “She’s not just a pet,” he said gently. “She’s like my anchor. When things go wrong and when I get hurt, or scared, or I don’t trust myself to make the right call, she helps me feel stable and safe. I don’t think I could ever imagine a life without her.”
Sunny’s gaze flicked between his dad and the cat, something warm and understanding blooming in his chest.
Scar’s own gaze finally broke away to now rest upon the wolf still gently curled up against Sunny - her head still cushioned upon his softly rising and falling chest. “And now it looks like your own Familiar has found you tonight when you needed her the most.”
Sunny’s eyes widened, and he rolled a little to properly look at the wolf. “Wait, really?! She’s like Jellie?!”
“That’s right,” said Scar, reaching across to gently rub at the space between the spotted wolf’s ears. “I could tell the moment I saw her that she was something special
The wolf’s ears flicked beneath his touch, but she didn’t pull away. If anything, she leaned into it just slightly, eyes half-lidding as she remained pressed against Sunny’s side.
Sunny stared at her in awe. “So…” he whispered, careful not to move too much. “She picked me?”
Scar smiled, soft and proud. “Looks that way, Little Berry.”
Sunny’s chest fluttered, emotion swelling until it made his throat feel tight. He reached out again, resting his palm carefully against the wolf’s shoulder. “Does that mean… she’s gonna stay with me?”
“For as long as you’ll have her,” Scar said gently. “Familiars don’t choose lightly. And they don’t leave once they’ve chosen.”
The wolf let out a quiet huff, tail giving a slow, contented thump against the blankets as if to seal the promise.
Sunny laughed, small and breathless. “She saved me,” he said softly. “She didn’t even know me and she still did.”
Scar’s voice grew quieter. “That’s how guardians work,” he replied. “They show up when you need them most… sometimes before you even know you need help. In a way, she probably already knew exactly who you were the moment she saw you”
There was a gentle, awed silence that followed as the weight of his father’s words began to properly sink in for Sunny. This wolf was his guardian now; his Familiar. She would get to be his constant companion for the remainder of his life, and if he ever got to get married and be a dad too, she might follow his children just like Jellie did. A grin split across his face, just as the wolf reached forth to gently lick at the underside of his chin.
He had a best friend for life.
“You know,” his dad prodded gently, “she needs a name still. You thought of anything?”
Sunny paused thoughtfully, still brushing his fingers through the wolf’s pelt. His eyes traced over her, trying to think of something perfect that she deserved. Spotty felt a bit too on the nose, and not quite right. Savannah briefly crossed his mind before he crossed it off; it didn’t feel quite right, though it sounded rather pretty. He entertained the idea of Lucky, considering how lucky he felt to finally have the dog of his dreams to come and save him from danger; that name felt close, but still not quite right.
Then his eyes landed on the patch of fur by her side, where he found the familiar pattern that looked a lot like a four-leaf-clover. Maybe Lucky was the perfect name? Then he realised almost at once that he had already thought of the perfect name without even knowing it.
“Clover,” he declared. “Her name’s Clover.”
His dad nodded approvingly. “Clover is a good name. What do you think, girl?”
The wolf’s ears flicked at the sound of it, and when Sunny said it again, softly with a hopeful lilt, she shifted closer, tail thumping gently against the blankets.
Scar chuckled under his breath. “Yeah,” he murmured. “She likes it.”
He rose carefully to his feet, mindful not to disturb either of them, and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to Sunny’s forehead. “Goodnight, Little Berry,” he whispered. “Sleep well, okay?”
Sunny yawned wide, eyes already drooping. “Night, Dad,” he mumbled.
Scar lingered just a second longer, gaze soft as he looked over the small scene before him - his son safe once more, a new guardian curled protectively against him.
Jellie chose that moment to move. With another quiet chirp, she padded across the bed and stopped beside Clover, brushing her head along the wolf’s in a slow, deliberate gesture. Clover stilled in surprise before relaxing, lowering her head slightly in acceptance as the cat rubbed against her once more - clear approval given over the bond acknowledged.
Scar’s breath hitched softly at the sight. “Goodnight, Clover,” he added quietly, voice warm with gratitude.
Jellie gave one last flick of her tail before hopping down from the bed, choosing her spot by the window instead - close enough to watch, but far enough to allow the new family member her rightful place by her boy’s side. Sunny barely noticed. He had already snuggled down, arms curling instinctively around Clover as she tucked herself close, her steady warmth and soft breathing grounding him completely.
The lantern dimmed, and the door clicked shut behind Scar. Within moments, Sunny drifted off to sleep with a contented sigh; cuddled against his dog, dreaming peaceful dreams at last…