Broken Boulder écris une chanson contente

 

queenie was, to put it nicely, not the best mother.  but while all of the adults in bracken sanctuary knew this, solomon did not.  queenie's hot-and-cold style love was all she had ever known.

but she was getting older.  she was more mobile now and, naturally, the den was not enough to contain a spirit as large as hers.  

blue skies cracked through heavy brushstroked clouds.  her head was pointed that way as her body kept walking another, and before she knew it @Alarian's face was blocking the sunlight and she had smacked directly into one of his legs.

ow, was all she had to say, although it really didn't sound like it hurt at all. 

He's not sure if it's a blessing or a curse that Delight is so easy to avoid— or maybe he's just really good at avoiding people. Most of his day is spent just outside the territory, whether anyone likes it or not; the woods are good for gathering herbs, and also very good for avoiding packmates. A packmate. He returns with mouth and fur full of plant, trailing flower petals and leaves like a furry Disney princess based on depression memes and put through a blender.
The last thing he expects is to run into one of Delight's kids— or, uh, the other way around. He comes to a halt even before she reaches him, but hesitates; she'll see him, right? Nope. He realizes at the last moment that he's overestimated the observation skills of a one-month-old, but it's too late. The resulting collision is fatal, killing him on impact and making Solomon the youngest mu— okay, wishful thinking time is over.
He drops the plants in surprise, even though he'd seen her coming— he's great like that. They shower over her, and surprise surprise, she makes a much better princess than he does. Sorry, He's a little amused and a little concerned— where is Queenie? Where is Delight? Oh god, he can't face either of them right now, but— well, secretly he's been wanting to see the kids, despite himself, despite everything. Uhh, where— where are your mom and dad? Oh gross, gross, gross, he doesn't want to refer to them as that— gross!

 

and before she knows it, a flurry of flowers is falling down around her!  her mouth is still gaping open and her head is still pointed towards the sky; a single petal of brilliant gold falls in her mouth and she smacks her tongue in distaste against the roof of her mouth in silent protest against its choice in lodging.

she either misses alarian's inquiry entirely or is choosing to be vexatious.  she gathers herself up on all four of her little paws and stares with wide, twinkling eyes at the bundle of herbs.  she looks from alarian to the plants and without thought she picks up a strand of lavender in her mouth, carrying it much like alarian had just been.

Thankfully, nothing he'd gathered is toxic; he winces a little nonetheless when she eats one of the petals. Hey— Before he can finish, she's picking up the lavender, and his heart melts a little. Okay, that's cute. He sighs, immediately folding. He can always take her back in a few minutes— there's nothing wrong with a bit of curiosity.
Lavender, He tells her, knowing full well the information will not stick. It's pretty, isn't it? Calming. And that— He reaches to nudge some of the fallen marigold towards her with his paw. Is marigold. Not too good for eating. The advice comes with no small amount of amusement— he figures she can't really tell he's making fun of her, so it's fine.

she eyes him furitively, and is pleased when he succumbs to her will easily.  she drops the herb in her mouth, points to it like he does, and says, wavendaaa, before she scoops up a paw of marigold and lets it drop to the ground.  ess not for eatin's, she says and makes the same disgusted face she made when she'd gotten it into her mouth.  but wait.  then what are they for?

The girl's clumsy words spark an unfamiliar warmth in his chest, but it isn't unwelcome. He doesn't have a lot of experience with kids overall— but he can't deny the feeling best described as paternal uncoiling within him. It's odd; to say his own father was horrible is an understatement, and he's always thought parenthood isn't for him.
Lately he's changing his mind, it seems. Too bad she's not his kid. Nope, it's not, He can't help but grin. No one ever listens to his rambling about plants, and she seems interested enough. Lavender helps when you have a cough or a fever— and when you're uhhh, really upset. It's almost too pretty to eat, isn't it?
He decides to sit down, beckoning her closer; even if she's not likely to understand or remember, maybe he can impart some knowledge and feel better about himself. Or, who knows, maybe she's a child genius. What's your name? He asks after a moment, hoping the answer is coherent. Otherwise he'll just have to— figure out something to call her until he can ask Delight.

 

children are, fortunately or not, extremely empathetic.  solomon's hot-and-cold mother has left her perhaps even more sensitive to the emotions of others.  she recognizes some kind of shift in her father's beau, and she wiggles back and forth, shifting her weight between her front legs and wagging her rear exaggeratedly behind.  

wavena, she repeats, reaching down to sniff at it again before chirping, pwetty!!  and letting out a delighted squeal.  although she is still too young to absorb the information that alarian offers her, she is old enough that when she is older she might look back upon this interaction and appreciate it.

umumumumaaaaa, she babbles, uaaa... saaaaaa...

He laughs when she starts wiggling; it's a light, happy kind of laugh that he doesn't hear often from himself. It's nicer than he expects. Unfortunately, he doesn't get a clear answer on her name. Shit, He mutters before he can catch himself, and his ears pin to his head in alarm. Oops. I mean, uh— you didn't hear that, don't repeat that oh my god.
Anyway— He continues as if it's a normal conversation, as if she's going to respond with something that makes sense. I guess I should find something to call you, huh? How about— Sunshine? It's a little typical, but it's cute (as if she's in a position to disagree anyway, he thinks). His mother called him sunshine once; just once, and he thinks it's because he never really was a light in her life, even if she loved him enough to pretend otherwise, but he's never forgotten it. Maybe one day the chocolate girl can appreciate the sentiment the same way he does— or, more likely given his luck, she'll hate it and hate him.

it was kind of too bad for alarian that she was at the age where repeating practically everything sounded like a good idea.  shut up were words she knew, but don't repeat that were not.  shid!! ohmagawwhh, she howls fervently, squeezing her eyes shut as she stops her wiggling to focus on the word that has now turned into a tiny howl.  

ama, aaaa, shaaaiinna, she tries (and fails), tilting her head at him and offering a gummy smile.

Something halfway between a giggle and a snort escapes him at the "shid." He probably shouldn't be encouraging it, but— well, it's funny. The "ohmagawwhh" sends him into a laughing fit. It takes him a moment to recover— all he can think is that he really hopes no one figures out what shid is supposed to be.
Sunshine, He repeats when he finally stops laughing. Are all kids this cute, or is it just Delight's genetics fucking him over again? There are two other pups to test the theory— but he thinks meeting one is enough for now, considering he's already fucked up and taught her (probably) her first curse. He gestures with his muzzle toward where the sun hangs in the sky. See the sun? That's what lights up the world, and the light is called sunshine. When the sun goes away, it gets dark, and that's night.
Explaining night and day isn't his most intellectual moment, but she's not exactly old enough for deep philosophical discussion— not that he's in the headspace for that right now anyway, but. Back to the point, there's something satisfying about it— it's simple, he knows he's not wrong, and he definitely knows he's not fucking anything up by telling her how the sun works.
Eventually he takes her back to the den, though he doesn't dare get close; instead he nudges her toward the den entrance until she gets the idea and, when he's certain she's back under supervision, disappears.