Noctisardor Bypass the stars will burn themselves out one day

the weather blooms warmer, more agreeable and as ezra grows, his hesitation at playing outside ebbs away into comfort. until it feels natural to feel the sun warm his face, because he was not a creature made to linger in the shadows of a den forever. if he settles down for sleep at night, it is it hold tight to the excitement that it would start all over tomorrow.

he bats around a small tree frog — dead ( from his ministrations or not he doesn't know and doesn't care ) — he found, not unlike a cat.

he does not stray out of eyesight of whomever is watching over him and the others — though it would be an impossible feat, even if he wished to!; content.

hope its okay to have Eti. Im trying for pupsitter with him. His time line is a little crappy

The air is warmer. The days last longer and start earlier. The children were growing. And though it hurt to see the boys. It wouldn't be fair to take it out on them. So he kept an eye on them same as he did the others. Played and talked.

Today he followed behind the tiny, excited steps of Ezra. He watched with careful eyes as he batted at the tree frog. Part of him worried it was a poisonous one, but it wasn't bright like those ones. So it must be safe.


Etienne watched with bright golden eyes. A small smile present. So cute. Even if it broke his heart.

that's perfectly ok! thanks for joining! <3

as ezra notes etienne looming nearby, he snatches the frog up and covers it with his body, as if it would be taken from him. as if he were a human child shoving a cookie he wasn't supposed to have into his mouth; cheeks puffing with food and a culmination of crumbs and chocolate smeared on his lips.

but his watcher was smiling softly in his direction and makes no move to take his toy from him.

so ezra bats it around some more until he inevitably grows bored with it; his attention still so fickle when there were so many exciting things happening around him.

he turns to etienne then, golden gaze bright. wha' doin'? he asks him ( his very favorite thing to ask everyone and everything ).

Etienne didn't crack a smile, but he thought he busted a rib trying to keep his laughter in check. These children even as babies had mannerisms of their parents. He could see this same move from Anselm as a youngling. And if that didn't just splinter his heart all over again.

Etienne didn't want the frog. He actually was a little upset at how careless the boy was with another living thing. But he also knew they were predstors and frogs weren't bsd tasting.

Sittin' watc'in wut you doin?

it was, to ezra, a rather unexciting answer. the boy lets a frown tug his lips down. oh, he couldn't imagine that 'just watching' was just fun. it sounded like the exact opposite of fun. still a child and thus without obligations or expectations, ezra's days are full of play and naps and little else.

to him, being an adult looked like a snore fest.

why? he asks then, in his era of a thousand and one questions.

Etienne shifted and looked the boy over. Truthfully it was unexciting. And he wasn't sure what to do about it. But it was what he had been doing. If Ezra had wanted him to play he would have, but he had wanted to hide the frog.

Because i learn new tings dat way, but. You want to 'unt for some new sticks and small tings for you and de otter little ones?

He was thinking sticks, maybe catch a squirrel for them to chase around.

etienne's thick accent makes it a little hard for young ezra to understand him, and it takes him a lot longer than it should have to discern what the adult man was saying. but, after some time of awkward staring, he finally pieces it together. sticks. other things to play with.

wocks! he yips then; decisively. want pwetty wocks!

Etienne hadn't really thought deeply about his accent before. Until the young pup stared at him as if he had grown two heads. It was then that he realized. Perhaps he wasn't as easy to understand as he thought.

Den let's go get some. We need go river for dat. Now you 'ave to listen real careful w'en we get near water. Yea.

Etienne knew of some very shallow bends that wouldn't cause an issue.

luckily for etienne, ezra had yet to reach his temper tantrum phase where he does the exact opposite of what he's told. in stead, he's excited by the prospect of getting to pick pretty rocks and totters on ahead with unbridled excitement in his step: unsure why he had to be careful by the water but trusting the older man's judgement all the same.

o-tay! he chirrups; though truthfully he would've agreed to anything to get his way in that moment.

Etienne led the way. It wasn't far from the densite. They could keep it in sight. That way if Ezra got nervous, he could still see home. Etienne remembered how nervous he had been as a pup.

'ere we go.

The bend was shallow and soft. The water lazy and not fast. It barely would reach past the young males knees. He could cool off and look for rocks and there would be no dangers.

Sometimes dey rocks are in de muck of de river. Just be careful pullin' dem out.

ezra trots along happily after etienne, trying to keep his eagerness in check when they reach the shallow bend of the river. he studies it for only a moment before fearlessly stomping into it, letting out a small shiver as the cool water rushes over his paws.

he studies the bottom for any rocks that catch his eye, though is briefly distracted by the man's next warning: of rocks stuck in muck.

why? he squints back at etienne as he wiggles his toes in the water, his gaze moving back to the rocks under paw, one ear crooked to hear his companion's answer.

Ezra was easily appeased. And stepped in sway with the seaborn himself.

Etienne followed slower into the water a soft gasp of delight as the water hit his legs.

Well dey can get stuck and w'en you be pulling 'urt you. Sometimes dey be havin' snakes and crayfis' under em. Crayfis' have pincer can pinch you if you aren't careful.

You be wanting to try and see wut we can find.

there are a few reasons that etienne gives him that sounds like a plethora to ezra. the boy frowns down at the smooth rocks he can see in the shallow section, brow furrowed.

snek?! he fixates on that, though it's uncertain if he actually knows what a snake was ( by both ezra and delaney, mind ). wha' dat? he asks then; distractedly, as a red rock catches his attention. he plucks it from the water and scrambles to shore with it, depositing it onto the bank; studying it's matte coloring for a bit before splashing back into the water to find more.

Etienne spoke softly. Long ting dat be lookin' like a worm, but bigger. Sometimes meaner. But most of dem be in water, dey just be water snakes, more scared of you dan you is of dem.

But his words were falling on deaf ears as Ezra foun dsomething to distract himself with. Etienne smiled and looked over the rock.

Dat be a pretty one. I like dey ones dat be many colors and smoot'

like a worm but longer. ezra scrunches his face up trying to imagine it and instead finds himself letting out a small 'ick' noise and shivering. he likes bugs but isn't overly fond of worms, so he assumes that he will not like snakes.

man-eee cowors? he asks. help look?!

Etienne had no love lost for snakes. He wasn't fearful of them. Unless they were of the sea. Those black and white mothers made him sick with fear if they came to the shores.

I will 'elp.

Etienne was quick to step into the mire and the muck of the small river bend. Digging out small stones and pebbles. Some with different colors, sizes. There were a few that were smooth and some quite not rounded about.

He held each one up for Ezra to inspect. Discarding or keeping whatever the youth found he wanted to do.

with the two of them both coming the river bed for rocks, it goes a lot faster and before he knows it, ezra has a small collection of rocks piled up.

what he's going to do with them ... he isn't sure. gifts for @Anselm and @Heda and @Gideon!

pick! pick! he encourages etienne, gesturing to their pile of rocks.

Etienne looked through the rocks. There were so many he and the youngling had found and collected. But there was one. That he gently pawed. White with orange flecks. HE pulled it closely to himself. It was a little rough around the edges. But Etienne loved it all the same. He pressed it into his paw adn nodded his head.

Tank you Ezra. We be takin' dese to your mama?

yeeee! ezra chirrups before gathering as many as he could carry in his mouth. leth guh—! the boy declares, albiet a bit uncouthly with his mouth full of rocks. clearly, whatever heda's taught him about talking with his mouthful has gone wholly in one ear and back out the other.

fade here? <3

Certainly. Thank you for the thread.

Etienne picked up his own rock and the ones that Ezra couldn't get or dropped along the way and followed with a jaunty step and singing a small sea shanty under his breath. His golden eyes dancing in delight. It had been a good day.