Broken Antler Fen and the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon

Caracal didn't bat an eyelash at his father's swearing, though he did offer a sheepish grin. He was lucky, he hadn't been thinking at all. He was actually kind of ashamed of himself. Towhee had taught him better than that. He wasn't much of a guardian apprentice, was he? Truthfully, Caracal wasn't really sure it suited him anyway. He liked to look out for others, very much, but the rest of it...

Reyes broke into his thoughts with a remark that made the boy roll to a stop. He'd felt a little hesitant to directly dredge up and dwell on this stuff, though now that Reyes had touched on it, Caracal didn't want to miss the opportunity to talk about it. He didn't take it as his dad throwing shade on his mom, though his words evoked a slightly scrunched expression.

"Mom said she actually wanted you to live at the caldera with us. But you refused," Caracal replied, peering closely at his dad. "How come?" Was it because she'd wanted him to be monitored all the time? As a child, Caracal didn't see the big deal, though his expression was open as he regarded Reyes.