Larksong Grotto Train Wreck

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Astik, uncommonly alert and aware for one so young, had noticed the change in his pallid counterpart just as surely as their parents had. It was palpable change, so very different. Tapat rarely moved from the back wall of the den, as far away from the den's mouth Astik pieced together as he could get himself. The shadow dappled Larksong boy enjoyed feeling the touch of Raas' light upon his fur though he, too, did not dare to venture into the outside world. Not when he was clearly needed here. He had not suffered the horror that Tapat had but forsaking the light for the darkest corner of the whelping den felt wrong to him, too (not that he had much grasp on religion). He did not hover over Tapat all the time, did not want to smother the pallid boy with his worry and protection, though he kept a watchful eye upon his brother, nevertheless.

The small leg bone from a rabbit that had been brought for them to play with was betwixt his paws as he chewed upon it, worrying it with small indents of his sharp teeth, suckling the succulent marrow from within. He paused mid chew, his eyes flashing to their mother as she rose and addressed Tapat. Slowly, the bone fell from Astik's mouth, coated with a fresh coat of slobber and tiny indents. He pushed himself to his paws and grasped it betwixt his jaws and padded towards the pallid boy. “Patpat,” He spoke to Tapat, drawing close and settling down close to him. Not close enough to touch him, afraid to accidentally hurt him more by jostling him the wrong way. He nosed his bone towards the pallid boy: an offering: not to play for his brother was in no state to play but for his brother to have it. Take it, the push of his nose against the bone silently encouraged.

Astik could not be of much help. He could not dress or clean Tapat's wounds, could not hunt for him. So he tried to do what little he could do: offer his brother a silent understanding and try to appeal to the happy nature that had once belonged to Tapat. Though Astik was at a general loss how to go about restoring his brother's happiness.

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