Sawtooth Spire drittgeborener

@Astraeus was smaller than his denmates, but no less racuous, no less strong. and while mahler grimly wondered what madness had taken his mother off, he could only hope it would not return to sagtannet.
quellcrist too was gone, and the gargoyle felt his heart ache with it. there had been little time to search as of late, all of his moments beholden to children.
by his tired reckoning, the little boy was nearly a month. mahler returned to the den with a bellyful of fish and chuffed for astraeus to make his way over the threshold, away from the greedy demands of his older bonus siblings.

Though faint in his wee memory, the scent of Mahelr was recognizable. His lids breaking the film of eye boogers, he grumbled as he found his legs again and stumbled excitedly over, though pensive at the thought of making friendly gesture. Though his milk-giver was gone, Mahler's presence lingered in that lonesome place, why was here now? Nipping as hard as puppy teeth could, he romped between his legs, sniffing and licking his ankles profusely. Never taught to play proper, he was rather ill-mannered.

mahler chuckled despite himself, grunting as the boy's sharp milk teeth nipped over his dewclaw and ankle.  a low rumble began in his chest, and he ducked his muzzle to nudge astraeus back and forth gently, a controlled roughhousing meant to inspire laughter or a renewed effort. "ein kleiner bär," he chuffed, amused.

Raucous, yes — but the gleaming star kept silent around the gargoyle. One could say that he was wary, the he shied away from those lavender, outlandish orbs that he saw through. As abrasive as he was, Astareus could not hep but ogle him with respect. What was that potent odor? It nipped at his thought, and the it was when he realized the carcass of some mountain specimen of fish. He ogled that as well with a peaked interest and full attention. His arse sitting, he patiently licked the two mongrel pilgrims feigning their belief in their God only to reap the reward.

so compelled, mahler opened his mouth and let loose the prepared heap of fish. it fell to the denfloor; he licked its remains away from his jaw and turned to crouch some feet away. the younger boy was still gathered to wylla's teat these days, but mahler had begun to know a weaning-time when it came to sense it. tail thumped; a low growl beckoned astraeus to the feast.

Astraeus when Mahler growls with well-intent: 

Yeah, no. He'd gratefully changed his mind when the fetid ordor of fish paraded in his nostrils. Brows furrowing at the gargoyle's low growl, he inched closer. The pupils had reclined to its forehead. Definitely not welcoming. Should he gouge them out? His small lips flitting, he bit into the eye. Wrong place. Spitting with vigor, he stepped a ways away from the fish and snorted with contempt.

feisty boi

astraeus did not seem acceptant of mahler's offering, but the gargoyle only lay himself down. it was what he had to offer, and if the little boy did not wish it, the older pair would. astraeus retained the luxury of milk, and mahler was pleased he had grown so well after being moved to the second den. he chuffed now, inviting the child over to play if he wished.

— And that was Mahler's greatest mistake. Kicking away the fish carcass expertly with this hind leg, the boy literally leapt at the chance the scuffle with the gargoyle's boulder paws. The man was soon plauged by the sonic form of a little one. Yipping feverently as he preformed tumbles and nips on the ears, as if to tame the wild king. 

he bore the needle-teeth in stoic stride, chuckling from time to time as astraeus nipped hard one ear-tip or another. "spare me," he begged in a teasing rumble as he suddenly rolled to his side, presumably swinging the boy over as he toppled back to the earth.

Big strong he sees. The little boy tumbles on the ground with a soft thump and grunt the vibrated through his delicate, chicken thin ribs. His paws scrabbled with great abandon, wild and . . .  screeching. Charging like the infamous herd animals that surrounded the stone spires in the east; however small he was, Mahler's ribs was about to receive the same treatment. Buckling below, his put all his weight to toppling the stone gargoyle to dust. Or at least his old man heart.

bright, sharp little sounds came from astraeus as mahler was harassed and harangued. in a dramatic fashion, he fell beneath the boy's frenzied onslaught, sighing loudly before he pretended to be still. all that stirred were his flanks; he surrendered jokingly to the young one and wondered what astraeus would make of it.

The young cowbird was somewhat startled to see Mahler still. Was he gone like his mother? She had been still for so long ... and then she had evaporated. Astraeus squeaked, know Wylla would surely reprimand him. Nosing the gargoyle to wiggle his limbs, Astraeus shook in guilt. Of all the men he had dealt, the gargoyle was at least the most warm. While he  still questioned his true family, losing Mahler wouldn't be a positive.

astraeus crept closer with a different mien; mahler paused only a moment longer before showing that he indeed lived. "poor mite," the man grunted, nosing the imp with a paternal warmth. "ich stelle mir jetzt vor, du willst essen," he commented softly, sweeping the boy closer.

Mahler was almost never mistaken, it seemed. Seasoned gargoyles are built like that, knowlegable... old. Astraeus wasn't famliar in his native speak, but his grumbling stpmach answered him just as a matter-of-fact.