Redtail Rise niente

I wanted to nab one before other ic things go down <3 as long as that's ok! Can adjust if needed

As soon as Ashlar returned, he was drawn towards @Reki. As he was preparing to go to Chacal, and verified that the boy looked as she'd described, Ashlar had also noticed the way he trailed after Augur. And he was both surprised and ashamed at the jealousy this inspired. He could not, and should not, resent this. Ashlar had done nothing to earn the place of a father in their lives and, even more, had actively given up the opportunity entirely.

Augur had not. He raised his children.

The bard still wished to meet this final son, though, before his mother inevitably came. When he approached, he was surprised to hear humming... and even moreso to find Reki enthralled with a patch of late autumn wildflowers.

Ashlar smiled and stopped short to avoid disturbing him. Hi. Those... those are useful. They can help sometimes. Ancelin had shown an interest in the way herbs could help, and maybe Reki would wish to know as well. Then again, maybe his son took after him more than he imagined, and it was the colors and scents that meant more initially. Ashlar had never paid much attention to those first lessons baba provided.

Reki needed time away from the other children to recharge. He had found a patch of pretty flowers and quickly sunken in among them, enjoying their smell, and humming a little tune to himself when an adult he had not met arrived.

They spoke quickly - said something about how the flowers are useful. To the boy that meant, what are you doing? Get out of my flower patch!

Almost as soon as he'd heard the comment, Reki was standing rather than sprawling, and began the process of high-stepping out from the heart of the blooms.

Sawwy, he hastened to proclaim, his ears back.

Oh! Ashlar read the body language immediately and his own shifted in response... posture lowering, smile fading to concern and apology. Sorry, I... you don't need to leave them alone. He replied softly, uncertain of how to proceed. I just didn't know if... if you wanted to learn.

Baba had always seemed to know exactly what to do and say for him, growing up. He'd never seemed uncertain. How had he done it?

That song is pretty. If one avenue failed, maybe the second would open. He didn't want to intrude if his company was unwelcome but he found himself, even more than usual, desperate to make a good impression. To make the boy smile.

As soon as he had exited the flower patch, the man was saying things were okay. Reki read his posture and heard the tone of his words shift, which had more of an impact since he wasn't a vocal boy to begin with; he had adapted well to the behaviors of Augur, Masque, and the other quiet people.

The man had listened long enough to hear his little tune, which made Reki feel as red-faced as Masque. He bashfully looked at his own toes. The man had also said something about learning which piqued some interest from the child.

They're... they smell good.

He thought about it a second, then turned and plucked one of the flowers and carried it to the man. He placed it across one of his feet and tilted his head slightly, curious what the man might do.

This wasn't going particularly well. Ashlar could feel that and it led his soft voice to trail off. He wondered if he should excuse himself and leave the younger wolf to his quiet... he had no reason to expect anything after all. It wasn't Reki's fault that Ashlar felt disappointed like this, or that he didn't know what to do from here. As far as the boy went, the bard was a complete stranger.

Ashlar's tail stilled behind him as he contemplated this, and he was about to give up when Reki responded. A bit of hope stirred in his chest when the flower was placed on his paw. Requiem was giving him a shot to try again.

He tried not to be nervous but it was difficult. He couldn't put into words how he was feeling, but it was similar to other times when he'd felt the need to measure against something Ashlar knew he'd never match. The easiest way would be to try and forget... to treat them as someone else's. They are someone else's.

It's called a coneflower. Ashlar replied, lifting his paw to look at it and to bring it more into Reki's view. You wouldn't want to eat a bunch of it, or any plant. But it helps with colds. Ashlar lowered it and looked at Reki with a soft, somewhat shy smile. The roots are good to chew too, if someone's tooth hurts.

My Baba used to take me to meadows like this and teach me things, but I always had a hard time listening. There were so many pretty things to see. It's okay if you'd rather like them for the smell. He nosed it, enjoying the taste of the scent. It was easier, then, to talk about things he knew. Thinking of Baba made him relax somehow.

Reki watched the man. He didn't see a family resemblance in his face because he didn't know that was a possibility, but he saw kind eyes and heard a knowledgeable voice speak to him of the flower, and he listened obediently. The voice wasn't a bad one. When the explanation finished, Reki found the man looking at him fondly, as if they now shared a secret.

The boy was immediately shy and looked away. The man spoke of a baba and the word was so strange, it made him want to laugh! But he didn't, because he didn't know this man very well and it didn't feel right to laugh with a stranger there.

What is a baba? He almost couldn't say it, it sounded so silly!

He'd forgotten. The boy spoke so softly that Ashlar hadn't felt the need to hide the way he usually did. It was the bard's turn to look down at the flower, wondering if it was right for him to be the one to say this. He couldn't refuse to answer now and lying would be worse.

Baba is what I call my father. The word sounded oddly stiff and formal, and when he thought it, he did not picture Gannet. A wolf called father would be a stranger to him.

He and mama both taught me things. She taught me songs and he taught me plants. He didn't look for a recognition he knew wouldn't be there, and instead waited to hear what Reki might make of it. Had he claimed new wolves to hold those titles? Or did he still see his own mama as the one to take this role completely?

Oh. Was all he said, at first. The explanation left a void inside of Reki. He wasn't sure if he should be charmed by the idea of a father, or a special name for one, or if he should feel. . . anything, really. He felt a little despondent as he considered his own family, vague as the concept had become for him.

The man spoke of his own mother — his mama who taught singing, and this baba with his plants. Reki's eyes glossed over for a second but he couldn't figure out why. His eyes went down, as he tipped his nose towards the dirt.

I like singing sometimes, he segued with a sniffle, blinking away the sheen across his vision quickly. He didn't want to feel sad, so he focused on the flowers, as they always made him feel calm. Plants are good though. Quiet.

Ashlar's timeline is already a little broken beyond repair with this entire thread XD but lmk if this breaks things for you too and I can adjust. Trying to balance keeping him in character with adjusting for what's known and isn't

Ashlar noticed the way the pup seemed to react to this, and he hesitated, wondering what caused it. Did he miss his own family? It was the most likely reason. Ashlar couldn't imagine not knowing his own mother, and knowing mama was looking but couldn't find him would have destroyed the boy as a child. To his mind, Reki had to be experiencing something similar.

I know your mother. I've sung with her, and her voice is beautiful. He smiled, then looked down, softening even more if possible. She wanted to know you were safe. I will go tell her. But I'd love to sing with you, and explore plants, if that's okay. There's so many different kinds, and a lot of them can be used to help.

He hoped that this would make Reki happy, that his mother was both looking and soon would know he was safe. He was quiet after to gauge the reaction, silently worrying he hadn't said the right thing, but calm despite it. He wanted to help Reki to lose some of the lost feeling that seemed to touch him, and he hoped that he knew he was loved.