redrum

For lil' @Whittier .. let's talk trash about your bro. >_>

All four children were settling into their new home - even Whittier, although it took him a little longer than the others to accept that they would not be going back to the den. His mother indulged him despite knowing better, giving in to requests for cuddles and letting him feed way past the accepted time limit for weaning. She had three (four, if you counted Jorunn) self-sufficient children to be proud of - and four out of five was not bad.

"Acorn," she began, picking out his fourth terrible nickname of the day. They were lounging at the centre of the rendezvous site, watching Allure follow Swift around as he investigated everything that grew from the ground. "Does your brother.. does he share his grass and twigs with you? Tell you about them?"

Whittier was quite happy snuggled against his mother's torso, lying on his side with his paws twitching in a happy dream. He had nearly caught the delicious-looking bunny when he was roused by his mother's voice. His eyes fluttered open as he shifted his muzzle across the ground to blink up at her, his tail beginning to wag happily as a smile spread across his little snout.

His ears perked curiously when she asked her question, and only then did he roll onto his chubby belly and pick up his head to regard his mother with a thoughtful cant of his head. "Siff share?" Whit repeated, giggling, "Nah. Dey're boring, ma!" Why would he want to watch Swift play with plants? What a silly mama she was.

"Exactly," Bazi agreed empathetically, rewarding her chubby son with a kiss. She could not imagine anything more boring than sorting stalks and leaves, but Swift seemed content to spend the majority of his days doing just that. By now, it was clear this behaviour was not a one-off - he did it with purpose and what looked like know-how, but she could not be sure of it. Bazi was only barely able to identify yarrow. 

"Well does he ever explain?" she pushed, frowning down at Whittier. "Does he say why he's doing it?" She didn't dare ask Swift directly, for fear that he might (correctly) interpret the questions as a sign that his mother was displeased. Bazi was not against having a healer in the pack, but not one that had acquired his skills through some kind of magical mystery telepathy mojo.

Whit didn't exactly understand what he had done right to deserve her affection in that moment, but he wasn't complaining at all as she showered it down on him.  His little tail wagging frantically, he crawled forward a couple of inches so that he could reach towards her face to return the kisses, dragging his back legs out behind him as he did so.  Bazi promptly tossed another question to him, which he eagerly answered.

"No," Whit replied with a broad smile, "Is boring!"  Banking on that being what his mother wanted to hear, he stretched out his head expectantly awaiting his well-earned forehead kiss.

So boring, in fact, that Whittier had to repeat the sentiment twice. Bazi withheld kisses for the moment, locking eyes with her son. Surely he knew something - Swift was his brother. They had assailed her bladder together! Or perhaps that was entirely Whittier's doing - she had dim memories of what it had felt like to squeeze him out of her backside. "Sweetheart," she said, "What games do you play with Swift?" Does he try to touch you in your special place? ... erm, no, wrong species and universe and time.

The praise he was expecting did not come, leaving Whittier to blink stupidly up at her as she pressed him for more information. His little muzzle twisted into a pitiful pout, but he didn't hold it for too long before he was trying yet again to earn his gosh dang kisses.

"Boring games, mama!" Whittier chirped brightly, followed up by a series of loud, obnoxious barks, "BORING BORING BORING!" With that, the boy succumbed to a fit of giggles before hopping up and attempting to pounce at his mother's muzzle, hoping to incite some playtime since - like everything about Swift, apparently - this conversation was quite boring to the cheerful baby boy.

Bazi pursed her lips, wearing her displeasure very plainly on her face. "And why is it boring?" she demanded, raising her head to avoid the boy's flailing paws. Unless he ponied up some useful information, mother was not going to play - and she made sure to give the pup Angry Mom Eyes to really hammer home this message. In case the phrase 'A Watched Swift Never Does Freaky Things In Front of Mom' held any merit, Whittier was to be her spy. So far, he was not earning his pay.

Bazi was not pleased, and she made it quite apparent with the tone of her voice and the expression on her face.  Whit wilted before her, his ears flopping and his head bowing sadly.  He was at a loss now as to how to make her happy, so he went ahead and just answered honestly, completely unaware that doing so was exactly what she wanted.

"'Cause we pay an he stops and gits pants, mama," Whit explained with a little frown, "Pants is boring."  It was not unusual for Swift to pause in the middle of their games to start snatching up whatever plants they had happened upon during their play.  He was always leaving Whit standing there, which was especially annoying when they played hide and seek.  All of these things, he didn't quite know yet how to communicate.  So he repeated obstinately, "Siff likes pants mo' den paying and pants is boring."  Pants were sure getting a bad rap today.

Eventually, she got what she wanted - not that it changed much. Swift was only interested in plants. Swift was boring. Swift was strange. Bazi knew all of this, and more. But she could not force Whittier to recall something he had never witnessed (evidence of something more ominous, perhaps). "Alright. Thank you, sweetie," she sighed, forcing a smile. "But keep an eye on him, alright? And if he does anything strange, tell mommy and you'll get a snack." Whittier received a smooch for his good work, and an unspoken invitation to follow - maybe to go find the nearest cache, maybe to spend the next hour patrolling. Bazi had to be careful not to reward too much of her son's good behaviour with food - otherwise his adulthood obesity would be all her fault.

Penultimate post? :D

Though he hadn't expected that his answer was what his mother had been looking for, Whittier was gratified when his mother smiled and thanked him. His tail began to wriggle quickly again and he army crawled closer to return the kisses to Bazi's chin. Her instructions were lost on him, but he did hear the part about getting a snack. Happily, he bounced to all fours and followed eagerly after her, thinking that the snack she'd mentioned was next on the itinerary for the day, though in truth always perfectly willing and happy to follow his beloved mommy anywhere.