Stone Circle a hero

aww. T-T

it doesn't necessarily surprise atausiq that his mother is the very first to arrive on the scene. he is excited to see her and glad that she doesn't ( presently ) appear to hold any animosity towards him. he allows to her to come close and pepper him with nuzzles and licks, even if a spear of guilt lodges itself in his heart, throat; twisting as she misinterprets his howl announcement to mean he's returned. his ears flutter back, slick against the curve of his skull. uh, n-no, he croaks; clears his throat and tries again. that isn't my big news, mama.

now, more than ever, he's invested in the isle. in the family that he and hua had. he likes hua, too. a lot. he wouldn't claim that he was in love with her yet ...but it wasn't hard to imagine that he would fall for her easily enough. and she needs him. the seadragons need him. he feels important there ( new rank aside, heh ); responsible. still, guilt twists within him again as he considers that he, once again, is disappointing valette.

hua, my wife, he almost stutters over the word but catches himself. he is emperor now. if he cannot speak to his own mother without stuttering, without stifling the guilt that threatens to drown him how will he address the pack? she has given birth. three girls and one boy. atausiq feels something warm him from inside, like a sun threatening to burst from him born from his joy at saying it out loud. i'm a father.