Sun Mote Copse Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society…

@Rhonen :)

A bad storm passed by overnight. Towhee vaguely remembered waking up to bright flashes of lightning, presumably accompanied by thunder. She’d tugged Bushtit closer to her chest and drifted back to sleep, waking again only when the morning sun crept into The Taigh.

It was bright, sunny and wet outside. Towhee scooped a pile of soaked leaves away from the doorway as her son trundled around her legs. She saw him peeking out the door but he didn’t seem particularly interested in anything but breakfast. The little squirt even reared onto his hind legs trying to reach her.

Hang on, you turd, she grumbled affectionately, swiveling to stretch out on the floor just inside the door.

Bushtit buried his face against her belly. Towhee jumped a little when his tiny fangs latched onto her. Just a few weeks ago, she’d reveled anytime he managed to nurse. Now, she wondered just how early she could get away with weaning the toothy little bugger…

A storm had woken the boy. It had also been a bad night for his dad. Who he was used to having moments of bleak darkness. Theie mom took good care of him.

But he stepped out into the taigh to see and peruse the damage. He was a big Boi. Thanks to his dad amd he saw no reason not to use his height and his size to clear some branches.

But he was momentarily stopped by his father's friend as she settle eight outside her home. 

A soft little twitch and he wanted to trundle past but he couldn't.

Dad had said she couldn't hear so he got nearer to her.

Heeheello.

Cameo from this booger so he stops falling off the ranks…

Bushtit paid no attention to his mother’s epithets, though he could hear them perfectly well. He even understood them, to an extent. Turd, he thought to himself, giving a few final tugs before popping off and looking up at Towhee’s face with a shark-like grin.

Turt, he tried, smacking his milky lips.

Rhonen appeared in the doorway. Bushtit gazed up at him. He hopped onto all fours but he didn’t approach the yearling. Instead, he peered toward the back of The Taigh and waddled toward his favorite skin tucked up against the rear wall. He stretched out on it with a sigh.

Before he closed his eyes to nap, Bushtit blew them a kiss.

Someone she didn’t recognize very well approached The Taigh, which caused the fur all down her spine to prickle a little. This must be Rhone, she realized, trying to coax herself to relax. He was paler than either of his parents, his coloration actually reminding her of Meerkat. That comparison helped put her at ease.

His lips moved, though Towhee didn’t quite catch what he said. Before she could ask him to repeat himself, she felt Bushtit unlatch. Her eyes dropped to see his mouth move, though there was no way Towhee could pick up on his babyish babbling.

She could only watch as he toddled over to his bassinet—flattened now into more of a proper blanket—and settled down to sleep off his breakfast. Towhee arched a brow at his kiss, then returned her attention to the yearling.

Hey, you’re Rhone, right? I’m Towhee. And that little goblin is Bushtit. It’s nice to put a face to the name. Anyway, what’re you up to?

Rhonen couldn't hide the smile that broke across his face at teh sight of the baby throwing them kisses. It brightened his gaze and filled out the laugh lines in his face. He was a quiet beast. But babies and flowers were his cryptonite.

Huhuhello towtowtowhee. Yuyuyess iii'm Rhoroho rhonen. He took a deep breatha nd looked down shame faced. Unsure how to make her understand. His dad said she read lips, but Rhonen didn't form words right.

IT made him feel stupid and uneasy and he didn't know what to do about it. But most of all it shamed him. So deeply and so harshly that he hated conversation.

It was very difficult to read Rhone’s lips. Towhee caught a few syllables, though not enough to really piece together a cohesive statement. If he’d answered her question, for instance, she hadn’t caught it at all.

-“Do you happen to know any Ptero?”- she asked, signing particularly slowly and emphatically.

He shifted his feet in the rudimentary way his father had taught him. Enough to hold a conversation. Made more so on their travels here. He had informed them of Towhee and Rhonen could say hello.

Hello. I'm Rhonen. Can you teach me, more. Those few words were enough to exhaust him, but he tried. He tried hard.

She inhaled sharply when his limbs began to move, then let out a breathy laugh. He could sign! She noted the “N” at the end of his name and mentally corrected herself: Rhonen, not Rhone.

-“Absolutely,”- Towhee responded with a grin. -“It’s usually easiest to pick it up via actual conversation, so I won’t worry about formal lessons or anything. I’ll make a point to sign whenever we speak, so that you’ll just sort of naturally get the hang of it. I should be doing that anyway, so he can learn too.”-

Towhee’s orange eyes cut over to Bushtit, snoring softly at the back of the cottage. She smiled at the sight, then faced Rhonen again. Her tail tapped as she considered what to say next. If he’d answered her earlier question, she hadn’t caught it, so she would start there but phrase things as “yes” or “no” questions.

-“Are you doing anything in particular today, Rhonen? Or just out enjoying the copse?”-

Reyson had taught the basics of what he knew. And had doubled his efforts when had realized they would be coming to the copse. So rhonen had many of  the lessons fresh in his mind. He could not hold a lengthy conversation yet. But he always learned quickly and besides if he could learn something that didn't make him talk, he was all for it. 

Ears perked forward as she spoke and eyes on her paws. Learning. Her paws went so fast at times, he scarecely could keep up. But a small smile jumped unbidden to his maw. Rhonen's eyes went to the little one.

He signed Cute

Her next question had him thinking. No, just fun adventure. Learning.

She followed Rhonen’s gaze to the back of the den, orange eyes flicking back to him just in time catch his comment. Towhee couldn’t help but smirk.

-“Sometimes.”-

He seemed to think over her question a moment before signing a ponderous response. Although Rhonen’s Ptero was rather rudimentary, it was more than sufficient for Towhee to understand.

-“Sounds like a good use of time. So, do you like babies? Have you ever babysat before?”-

Rhonen laughed then. Soft and light. Completely different than the boy that sat before her size wise at least. He was built like his father with his mother's caring nature. 

There was much to learn while sitting in the home of the matriarch Towhee. He enjoyed what she shared and the way the little pup in the back moved about. He was precious and cute and he found him so sweet. 

I do. There were not many in the former pack. WE were the youngest until the new babies were born, but we were still too young to help take care of them.

-“Well, I’ve got good news for you: I’m on the market for a babysitter. If you think you can handle it, I’d love for you to look after Bushtit sometimes. He’s an easygoing little guy, so you should be fine even if you don’t have a ton of experience.”-

Bushtit chose that moment to fart loudly in his sleep. Although Towhee didn’t hear it, the smell quickly filled the cottage. Her nose wrinkled and she gagged. She motioned Rhonen toward the door.

-“Good lord,”- she exclaimed, -“baby farts are the fucking worst. On that note, I could use a potty break myself. What do you think of doing a little test run? You can keep an eye on him. I’ll only be gone for fifteen minutes or so. Think you’re up to it?”-

Rhonen was surprised and his ears perked up and stood on end at the thought. But he looked over at teh baby. A small smile just about to curl around his mouth. When the most horrendous sound filled the air and then the stench of the day circled around them.

He coughed softly and followed behind Towhee. Thinking to himself. Ohmygod i can taste it. Yuck

He was nervous and studied her and then looked at teh baby could he do it. Yes he could. He nodded. I will watch him.

He looked a little nervous. Towhee had some slight reservations—she’d only just met him, could she really trust her baby with him?—but she reminded herself that he was Reyson’s and Meadow’s son. He was a stand-up citizen, with a clearly genuine interest in care-taking. Besides, she would only be gone a quarter of an hour.

-“Thanks, Rhonen. Back soon.”-

She trundled away from The Taigh, her feet getting muddy in the wet soil. She didn’t really need to use the little girls’ room, she just enjoyed a break every now and again. Anyway, this was more about giving Rhonen a chance to integrate with the residents of the copse. Probably Bushtit would sleep the entire time.

Indeed, when she returned exactly thirteen minutes later, the bairn hadn’t moved at all. Thankfully, the air had cleared of his stench too. Towhee gazed at him for a moment, then caught Rhonen’s eye and reached out to give him a fist bump.

After Towhee had left. Rhonen had settled to his stomach and then laid his head across his paws. He stayed like that motionless, just watching the baby breathe up and down. Marveling at teh tiny little thing that he could break so easily, but he never would of course. But he was so tiny and yet he also seemed so sturdy. It just blew his mind. 

Rhonen grinned and gave her a small fist bump. His face a little bashful. ::He didn't move much.

He looked over the younger male again a small fondness in his chest for him. He hoped there would be more babies to love eventually. Because he did really like them. He realized then that he was far more like his mother than his father and determind he would seek out the trade of caregiver mostly for the puppy perks, but he could get behind flowers that smelled good and were useful.

She set down her foot and looked past him again, watching as Bushtit began twitching in his sleep. Towhee padded over to him, hovering over his bassinet and staring. Was he having a good dream? Or a bad one? She couldn’t resist bending to nose the top of his head, offering a soothing lick that made him go still.

Glancing over at Rhonen, she said, -“Think I’m gonna lie down with him. You’re welcome to stay, though don’t let us keep you if you have other things to do. You can come by anytime, especially if you want more babysitting gigs.”-