Noctisardor Bypass the stars will burn themselves out one day

the weather blooms warmer, more agreeable and as ezra grows, his hesitation at playing outside ebbs away into comfort. until it feels natural to feel the sun warm his face, because he was not a creature made to linger in the shadows of a den forever. if he settles down for sleep at night, it is it hold tight to the excitement that it would start all over tomorrow.

he bats around a small tree frog — dead ( from his ministrations or not he doesn't know and doesn't care ) — he found, not unlike a cat.

he does not stray out of eyesight of whomever is watching over him and the others — though it would be an impossible feat, even if he wished to!; content.

hope its okay to have Eti. Im trying for pupsitter with him. His time line is a little crappy

The air is warmer. The days last longer and start earlier. The children were growing. And though it hurt to see the boys. It wouldn't be fair to take it out on them. So he kept an eye on them same as he did the others. Played and talked.

Today he followed behind the tiny, excited steps of Ezra. He watched with careful eyes as he batted at the tree frog. Part of him worried it was a poisonous one, but it wasn't bright like those ones. So it must be safe.


Etienne watched with bright golden eyes. A small smile present. So cute. Even if it broke his heart.

that's perfectly ok! thanks for joining! <3

as ezra notes etienne looming nearby, he snatches the frog up and covers it with his body, as if it would be taken from him. as if he were a human child shoving a cookie he wasn't supposed to have into his mouth; cheeks puffing with food and a culmination of crumbs and chocolate smeared on his lips.

but his watcher was smiling softly in his direction and makes no move to take his toy from him.

so ezra bats it around some more until he inevitably grows bored with it; his attention still so fickle when there were so many exciting things happening around him.

he turns to etienne then, golden gaze bright. wha' doin'? he asks him ( his very favorite thing to ask everyone and everything ).

Etienne didn't crack a smile, but he thought he busted a rib trying to keep his laughter in check. These children even as babies had mannerisms of their parents. He could see this same move from Anselm as a youngling. And if that didn't just splinter his heart all over again.

Etienne didn't want the frog. He actually was a little upset at how careless the boy was with another living thing. But he also knew they were predstors and frogs weren't bsd tasting.

Sittin' watc'in wut you doin?

it was, to ezra, a rather unexciting answer. the boy lets a frown tug his lips down. oh, he couldn't imagine that 'just watching' was just fun. it sounded like the exact opposite of fun. still a child and thus without obligations or expectations, ezra's days are full of play and naps and little else.

to him, being an adult looked like a snore fest.

why? he asks then, in his era of a thousand and one questions.

Etienne shifted and looked the boy over. Truthfully it was unexciting. And he wasn't sure what to do about it. But it was what he had been doing. If Ezra had wanted him to play he would have, but he had wanted to hide the frog.

Because i learn new tings dat way, but. You want to 'unt for some new sticks and small tings for you and de otter little ones?

He was thinking sticks, maybe catch a squirrel for them to chase around.

etienne's thick accent makes it a little hard for young ezra to understand him, and it takes him a lot longer than it should have to discern what the adult man was saying. but, after some time of awkward staring, he finally pieces it together. sticks. other things to play with.

wocks! he yips then; decisively. want pwetty wocks!

Etienne hadn't really thought deeply about his accent before. Until the young pup stared at him as if he had grown two heads. It was then that he realized. Perhaps he wasn't as easy to understand as he thought.

Den let's go get some. We need go river for dat. Now you 'ave to listen real careful w'en we get near water. Yea.

Etienne knew of some very shallow bends that wouldn't cause an issue.

luckily for etienne, ezra had yet to reach his temper tantrum phase where he does the exact opposite of what he's told. in stead, he's excited by the prospect of getting to pick pretty rocks and totters on ahead with unbridled excitement in his step: unsure why he had to be careful by the water but trusting the older man's judgement all the same.

o-tay! he chirrups; though truthfully he would've agreed to anything to get his way in that moment.

Etienne led the way. It wasn't far from the densite. They could keep it in sight. That way if Ezra got nervous, he could still see home. Etienne remembered how nervous he had been as a pup.

'ere we go.

The bend was shallow and soft. The water lazy and not fast. It barely would reach past the young males knees. He could cool off and look for rocks and there would be no dangers.

Sometimes dey rocks are in de muck of de river. Just be careful pullin' dem out.