Golden Glade sober

His boy looked up to him with a twist of confusion - at what, Alder could only guess - but the King barely cared. This pup seemed to like him: that alone put a lot of his fears to rest. This was proved by the grin that copied from his face and pasted on the younger Pryor's - should Alder have known that it would be one of few, he might've savored it a little more at each flash of that gummy mouth.

Hawthorn didn't seem too pleased when Alder first reached out, but his words soothed the boy - the ruler knew they weren't understood, but the tone was understood. The dark child revealed yet another grin that faded swiftly, and then seemed like he was over standing - the boy plopped ungracefully to the stone floor, rolling onto his back and showing off his chubby belly. 

Alder took the whine and smile as a sign of playfulness, reaching down and aiming to lick the boy on his dark chest, to poke and tickle at his sides with gentle nails.