The Sunspire and i'll die for her

for my son @Okeanos <3 

as the last few days had dragged by, terance had grown weary. every day he sat outside rannoch's den, guarding, terance was reminded how he'd failed his own daughter. his lover. his family. his pack. when's the last time he'd done something right? he couldn't remember. or maybe he didn't want to remember-- nowadays, it seemed like the only thing terance ever did was wallow in self-pity. 

he was really gonna have to get over himself, and he knew this, he scolded himself daily for being such a big sad lump. but still, he couldn't stop.

tonight, sitting vigil outside-- he knew he wouldn't fall asleep, and he didn't want to disturb seabreeze or liffey or olive or any of the pups-- he stared up at the sky, trying to get lost in the beauty and forget all that ailed him.

every day his mastery of language grows, though he still stumbles on the complex ones (including his name, which remains oke-no for now). unlike ibis he does not flaunt his vocalizations, preferring to listen to her singing or the sounds of others talking around him, and despite being awake at this time of night he stays quiet, politely refraining from disturbing his sleeping family. but still he is just a boy and it is boring, so he wriggles around the den a bit until he notices papa just outside the den and scrambles that direction, poking his tiny head out to peep, "papa! may come out? pwease?"

terance turned to see the little face of his son poking out of the den. his heart swelled. terance was so, fully in love with his wife and his children that even despite all the stress and anxieties that built up-- he felt so at peace to see okeanos. to hear him. there was a trauma, but everyone was okay, and terance thanked the stars for that every night. 

"of course, dude," he said, waiting for his kiddo to come toddling on over, "i'm watching the stars-- do you want to watch the stars with me?" 

papa gives him permission and okeanos bolts out, doing a full body wriggle that ends with him flopping on top of his papa's big feet. "the stars?" he asks in astonishment, casting his eyes up (the baby blue beginning its transition to apple green, made purpley in the starlight). he tries to look directly at the bright spots of light but they hurt to stare at and he whines, turning to bury his face in papa's leg instead. "how look?" okeanos demands, peeping up at him -- and then adds a moment later, remembering his manners, "thank-u."

"you're welcome," says sunspire's beta with a soft chuckle. his wife's gentleness truly did shine through with his son. okeanos would grow up to be a great young man-- well mannered and-- at least terance hoped-- strong and intelligent. 

"bright," terance murmured softly, dipping his muzzle to kiss the top of his sons head gently, "white and shiny-- little glittering dots." one day okeanos' vision would improve and he could stargaze with his son and tell him all about what the different collections of stars were. the thought made his heart soar, his tail tapping gently against the ground for a moment.