Etienne was fast growing, and he was able to walk now. His body still ungainly and odly proportioned. He was still quick to tire out, but he couldn't seem to stop his curious streak. Everything amazed him. Everything was still blurry to his eyes, but he could smell a little better, and now that he had teeth, he wanted to nibble at everything. Some things tasted good, other things made him wish for something clean for his mouth.
Nothing fascinated him more than the bright lights that came and went. There was usually a bright light at certain times, leaking into their den, and then later it was just twinkling little things. It was one such time that, he followed the dots around the den, body ungainly, gait uneven, though he kept his feet.
Grandchildren were always a joy, but having some present? Even more. She knew that they had others, at least from Reyes, but she couldn't recall their names. They were likely adults by now.
Rosalyn was a frequent babysitter. It was something that she could do easily with little physical strain, and now that the weather had grown hotter, she found herself tiring too quickly to be much use elsewhere.
She woke from dozing off to the sound of Etienne scrambling about and chasing the patterned shadows. It had gotten dark while she was here. Rosalyn yawned broadly but didn't get up just yet and instead watched him, wondering silently how long it would take for him to become discouraged.
Etienne followed the light until he began to lag. His tiny body tired. He stood still for a moment tiny breaths raising his sides.
He recognized this babysitter. She wasn't manman, but she was cherished all the same. He teetered towards her. Legs moving despite their tiredness. He finally made it and ungainly lay forward and burrowed into his granmè's chest.
He blinked up at her and gave a small yap atill getting used to his voice and he pressed against her tighter. He liked the vibrations when the adults talked and sang.
He was a sweet, cuddly thing! Rosalyn tickled the fur on his back briefly, then pressed a kiss to his little spine as he burrowed into her chest.
She wasn't a singer but she did start to hum. Rosalyn wasn't sure where the tune came from but it was stuck in her head, repeating, and it brought some sort of feeling with it. Sad, but also comforting.
Perhaps I can tell you a story, little one. If I can remember the words.
Something about the tune made her think of another beach, far away.... and a pack, faces vague, but somehow familiar.
Etienne gave a soft whuff whuff sound at the gentle tickle along his back. He wasn't sure what the sensation was. He both loved and hated it. Then the warmth, of kisses. He made a cooing sound.
He pressed harder into her as she began to hum. Little body rocking with the cadence, or as ungainly as it could possibly be. Probably looked ridiculous, but to look down she would have seen eyes closed, a look of absolute bliss upon his face.
He couldn't understand her much, but he didn't care what she did as long as she kept speaking. Kept the rhythm. HE leaned up and purely instinctual licked at the bottom of her chin with a happy churr. Silently pleading she continue.
Rosalyn smiled as he licked her chin and nuzzled her forehead in another fond kiss. Her grandmere would do her best.
The coast has always been ours, but a long time ago, there was a different shore. There was a little girl, not much older than you. And she loved the same sea, though she knew it less, perhaps.
Rosalyn grew distant, for a moment, but the puppy's presence grounded her in a way few things could. She could not remember the faces but she would never forget the sea.
No matter how lost she became, or how little she had, the sea was always near. And as she grew, and walked it's shore, she found new things to love within its waves. Someday, little one, so will you.
When he was old enough.
Etienne cooed and churred softly as she began to speak. His tiny body smack against hers. He loved it. He didn't know it now, but someday the vibrations in the earth would be something he both hated and loved. He would turn into a quiet boy with eyes as wide as stars and he would love the sky and the ground, and the sea.
He blinked up at her with happy expression on his face, tucked as tightly to her as he could. He couldn't get closer unless he crawled into her skin, but he liked it there. With just him and his Grandmere. How precious this time would be. He would never know.
fade this and have another sometime?
He seemed to respond well to the sound of her voice. As he cooed and cuddled close, she pressed him in an embrace, then tickled the fur of his belly affectionately.
Then she began to speak, telling him of recent days. How happy she was that he and his siblings were here, how she had spotted a fox and her kits while walking the borders this week. And how she regretted less, now, passing on the helm. He would grow knowing the strength and leadership of a captain and a mother. A child of Sapphique couldn't ask for more.
Yes please I want him to be close his grandmothers.
Etienne listened and though he fought hard to stay awake. her voice soothed him more than anything else could, and he he slowly began to drift.
The vibrations in her chest were his favorite feeling and he wished he could understand what she had to say. It seemed important, but little eyes can only stay aglow for so long. So tiny toes and little nose and he was fast asleep, there tight against her. Loving her as only he could, though he didn't have the word for it yet, but he would.