Spirit Animal Ficlets

Swollen Bruises

Ganh loved his new son. He loved him with all of his heart. Little Tipu was chubby cheeks, cute little tummy, and happy little squeals. The earth master missed his wife dearly but that wouldn't affect his love for his son.

He wasn't very good with little kids or how to care for them. Naj joked with him that he was often doing it wrong or needed to be gentle. As the master of Earth, Ganh didn't even know what gentle was anymore. He did his best with his little boy but sometimes best doesn't always work.

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A table. Don't ever put a baby on a table. Ganh learned that now. He held his son close, the seven month old crying his little eyes out. His leg was hurt, it had gotten caught wrong when he fell and wasn't looking that good. It looked Swollen. As a nomad and an earth, swollen was never a good things. Ganh shushed softly "Oh no, it's gonna be okay Tipy-to. Papa will get you to the healer, it'll be fine I hope," he said. The baby was still sobbing, still crying even as they left the hut.

The healer wasn't too far away from them. Tipu would start quieting down but if Ganh made the slightest movement, he bust out into a new round of sobs. The healer had immediately began looking over his leg. Ganh just sat by and chewed at his lip "How bad is it?" He asked.

The woman looked disappointed "It'll heal but not at the proper angle, might give him a limp and making him slower and weaker than the other boys," she said.

Ganh felt his breath leave him. He had always dreamed of Tipu becoming the best of the earths but now? His stupid mistake had cost his son's entire future. At a chance of growing up normal was nothing more than a thought.

Ganh sighed "Totems help me, I'm not cut out for this," he muttered.

The healer began setting a cast around the leg. Tipu whined and whimpered at the occasional touches, he hiccupped as he tried messing with the women's hands. Ganh stared at his son, maybe he shouldn't take care if him at least not now. Maybe when he was older and could be handled better but right now Tipu needed somebody else who could take care of him.

Ganh was a master, he had duties to attend too. He loved Tipu so much but if his son had gotten hurt simply because Ganh had looked away then what would happen to him if his dad had been busy working?

He looked at the healer "Would you take care of my son? I can't keep watch of him and-"

The woman looked at him "I am aware, it would be best to let me raise him so I'll be able to help him learn how to live a possibly normal life with his leg," she replied.

Ganh sighed. He didn't want to do this but he had too "Thank you," he said.

She smiled and patted his knee "Its understandable," she said.

Tipu cooed up at his dad, little eyes red and puffy. Ganh got out of his chair and crouched down "I love you Tipu," he told his son. The baby didn't really say anything since he was a baby but he smiled at his dad anyway. Ganh smiled back.