Broken Antler Fen and the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon

Towhee’s edict was pretty straightforward: you can visit your father at Brecheliant but you have to take an adult with you, no ifs, and or buts (lol, butts). Caracal accepted his mother’s terms and had no desire to disobey her.

But after going to find @Killdeer only to discover he and @Fennec weren’t at their den for the third or fourth day in a row, a very bored young boy went meandering around the caldera rather aimlessly.

I’M BORT, he declared to no one at all when he reached the southern borders, his tail giving an impatient lash.

He didn’t really think about his mother or her mandate when he set out for the lake in the middle distance. He had no intention of going to Brecheliant. Caracal knew Towhee wouldn’t want him leaving the territory, especially not alone, but it wasn’t his fault nobody was around to stop him and/or cure his boredom.

And once he hit the lake, he smelled the pack over yonder. He rounded the shore and traipsed that way, barely giving his mom a thought. Caracal only considered Towhee’s recent words when he thought he smelled @Reyes’s scent. That day when his father had manhandled him didn’t even cross his mind, to tell you the truth.

He paused, but only for an instant, before shouting, DAD!!! Caracal then zoomed straight for the fen’s borders.

Author: Kat

After the rendezvous with Teya, with both of them wrapped up in one-another and Reyes specifically at a level of exhausted that threaded through every facet of his self, there came a deep sleep so profound that when Reyes woke up again, he felt better than he had in a long while. He was also a little bit addled; Teya wasn't with him. 

He remembered how pissed off he'd been when he'd returned to Brecheliant and all the destruction he'd caused to the grove of trees, and felt a little bit ashamed of himself. As he rose and shook debris from his coat, he wondered if the night of angry sex had even transpired; it could've been one of many dreams he'd been awarded in sleep. Plus, again, she had vanished, if she had ever been here at all.

Strangest of all was the raucous shouting of, DAD! 
That was when Reyes realized how close to the borders he was. The voice wasn't familiar to Reyes except that it called out a title he had been coveting in secret, that of a father; but when he looked for the carrier of that voice he saw a golden streak moving quickly across the borders and across the fen. 

Over here! He shouted — then while he waited Reyes lapped at an errant puddle nearby as a means to 'splash water on his face' and maybe try to tidy himself up a bit, although he had a mad case of bedhead, some grass stains on his coat, and the telltale scent of Teya all over him.

“Over here!” a masculine timbre shouted and Caracal pivoted so quickly, he partly stumbled. When he regained his footing, he bolted toward the voice.

Dad! he repeated, a little more breathlessly this time. His tongue lolled from his mouth as he galloped over to Reyes. Caracal either miscalculated or simply didn’t bother braking in time, causing him to run straight into his father.

Laughing, he backpedaled and gazed up at his old man. Reyes looked a little disheveled, which earned another boyish chuckle from Caracal. Hi! he greeted, feeling an immediate sense of camaraderie with the only other male member of his family, Killdeer aside.

Look, he loved his mom. Rue was pretty okay too. But the twins were his constant rivals; he was so sick of them! And just lately, Fennec had been a real sourpuss too, always carting his one buddy off somewhere. Caracal was feeling pretty damn over all the estrogen and realized suddenly how much he just needed some guy time with his dad.

Author: Kat

Much like the previous time he had encountered the boy, Caracal's rambunctious behavior had him careening across the fen and in to his father. Reyes braced himself as soon as he heard the second shout, and while he felt the same snappish sensation course through his tensed muscles he managed to hold back on the impulse this time. The golden streak that was his son was suddenly there and as they untangled, Reyes took his time to appreciate who exactly he was witnessing.

This couldn't have been kosher with Towhee, he thought — fuck that, though, it wasn't his fault that the boy's mother was unable to monitor the children.

Caracal? Reyes knew it was his son, but was still quite shocked that he was here, in the fen. Doing stupid shit (like racing across a border) only cemented the fact. As Reyes pulled away from the too-close boy, he gave him a look and then his attention traveled the length of mud and torn up soil which had been Caracal's path.

Does your mom -- does Towhee know you're here? Somehow Reyes knew the answer to that, too.

He snorted when his father said his name like he wasn't sure he believed his eyes. "It me," he joked, tail wagging rapidly but slowing and stopping altogether when Reyes drew away and questioned him. The tip drooped almost comically as his head scrunched sheepishly toward his shoulders.

"N...no," he was forced to admit, though he hastily added, "I didn't come here on purpose." Realizing how dumb that sounded even as the words left his mouth, Caracal tried to explain, "I just... I smelled you and I wanted to come see you..."

Although he was still far too young to comprehend the situation entirely, Caracal knew he was at the root of the chasm between his parents. It had to do with that day when Reyes had grabbed him by the neck and pinned him to the dirt. He could faintly recall how afraid he'd felt, unable to squirm from his dad's grasp. But it had only lasted a second and Reyes had let him go. He had been shocked, sure, but not actually hurt.

Maybe it was strange that he didn't hold it against his dad. But he just didn't. "Am I in trouble?" Caracal murmured, afraid he already knew the answer. "I can go," he added, pouting a little as he tucked tail and turned.

As he thought, Caracal had come running without telling anyone or gathering permission. That made things incredibly difficult for Reyes; especially as the boy expressed the option of leaving. Reyes shook his head and tried to backpedal as quickly as he could, assuaging any doubt the boy now carried.

No, no, stay! He all but erupted.

I want you to hang out. I'm fine with it, and if you're fine with it, lets... I dunno, spend some time together. This felt awkward as all heck. But Reyes didn't want to send Caracal off so soon, not when chances such as this were so rarely presented. I can show you around for a little bit, if you want. We can grab a bite or something... And you can tell me all about things at the Caldera, how's that sound?

He was pushing a little too much, Reyes thought in the back of his mind. Still, Caracal would probably get a dressing-down by Towhee when he returned, so may as well make this visit count.

It was pretty much a total bluff; he wanted Reyes to stop him and insist he stay. And his dear ole dad did just that. When Caracal spun around again, he was all smiles. "Really?" he said, beaming when Reyes emphasized that they should hang out. "Yeah, yeah!" He didn't even really listen to the specifics of his father's suggestions. He would just be happy to spend some time with him, shooting the shit.

But now that Reyes had brought up the topic of Towhee, Caracal couldn't just ignore the fact that he was totally breaking the rules here. And he realized he wasn't just getting himself in trouble, maybe his dad too. He didn't want that, any more than he wanted to disobey his mom. He loved her dearly. Suddenly hesitant, he bit his lip.

"Mmm...maybe we could just walk here, near the borders?" he suggested, looking inquisitively at Reyes. He wasn't stupid; he knew Towhee would still be displeased that he was here without a chaperone. But wasn't there a word for this, a sort of lesser evil, a middle ground? Compromise?

At first Caracal appeared elated. It was a feeling Reyes shared openly, tail wagging in a rare moment of bliss, his entire being radiating a prideful, pleasant aura. He thought of the myriad of things to show Caracal around the fen — and the people they might encounter — before all those thoughts were sufficiently dashed by the boy's own admission.

It took some of the wind out of Reyes' sails, but he was glad Caracal still wanted to hang out. Yeah, okay, that works too. He agreed, casting a look over his shoulder and across the fen, before turning again to watch his son.

As he began to walk along one of the more prominent animal trails (which Reyes used on patrols sometimes) he took notice of Bridget's more prevalent scent and the way it tapered off in one direction. He led Caracal along the opposite way, so they could have some alone time.. And found his tongue feeling heavy, unsure of where to start or what to say.

The boy stopped trying to guess the term for it when Reyes concurred. Soon after, he began to stride away and Caracal bounded after him, falling into step with his dad. He could sense some of the uneasiness and could even understand it somewhat. They both had a bit of an ax hanging over their heads, didn't they?

"I'm glad I get to hang out with you," he said earnestly. "'Cause..." He paused, then lowered his voice, speaking sotto voce. "I'm pretty sick of girls. I mean, I love 'em, even the twins—don't tell them I said that, okay?—but they're so..." Once more, he wasn't sure of the word, so Caracal just flapped a paw about in the air before looking at his dad's face, wondering if he knew what he meant.

Would he bring up the accident? Or had he forgotten all about it. Caracal had been so young at the time; a brief flare of shame butterflied within Reyes' stomach as he walked, thinking of how stupid the entire moment was. He'd apologized so many times to Towhee by now but never once to the boy, and even now Reyes wasn't sure how to broach the subject.

Thankfully Caracal was attentive to the subtle tension between them, breaking the ice in his own way. Prattling off praise for his sisters but otherwise displaying the typical only-boy-among-girls response; Reyes knew what that felt like.

Your secret is safe with me, he answered with a bright tone.

Y'know I have a lot of siblings too. Mostly sisters... which he had few memories of, though what he could recall was how close he had felt to Nieve and how protective he had been over all of them, at one time. So I get it. They can be a lot. The twins probably enjoyed one-another's company more by virtue of their sameness, Reyes thought to himself.

Careful not to bring up Caracal's mother, Reyes thought quickly of other things to talk about, and his own came to mind. We're the rare men of the family, kid. We're gonna have to stick together — and you can totally come over whenever they're too much for you. Hell, I used to go adventurin' without my moms all the time.

Which had led Reyes down some dark paths, but, he wouldn't be covering that stuff today, if ever.

Of course Reyes understood. Caracal gave a tight little laugh when he agreed to keep his son's secret, then empathized by talking of his own sisters. Before Caracal could consider asking questions about his aunts, Reyes made sure to tell him he could come to him anytime. The boy's tail wiggled in appreciation.

As for adventures, he pondered for a moment before admitting, "I don't really like leaving home much. I don't mind coming here," he added hastily, lest Reyes get the wrong idea, "but I like it there. I wish..." But whatever he wished, he let it trail off into nothing, realizing it was probably best left unsaid at the moment.

Suddenly whipping his head around, Caracal asked, "So what's this place called? Do you like it here? What's your favorite spot? Maybe you can show me, the next time I come here," with an escort.

It surprised him when Caracal mentioned being a home-body. He seemed far too rambunctious to be satisfied with the caldera alone, but, what did Reyes know. He had a lot to learn about his son and this stark difference between them was one such aspect. It meant Caracal would be a lot more safe than Reyes had ever been, which was a blessing he had not considered. Less likely to run off like his wayward siblings (or himself) and get in to a mess of trouble.

I don't mind coming here, hastened the boy, but I like it there. Well, it wasn't really Reyes' place to try and change his son's mind, but that potential just jumped higher on his mental list of priorities. Caracal's tone tapered off after that, leaving them with a moment of disquiet that Reyes tried to break by clearing his throat -- but then the boy was speaking again.

Ah, the pack is Brecheliant — I guess you know that already, ah — but the land, with all the qualities of a bog and stuff, is a fen. He didn't know what the difference was.

I do like it here. It feels more... freeing, to me. But Reyes couldn't say what he really felt, or meant. That he was appreciated here and trusted innately, even potentially cared for, by the wolves here. It felt less like an exclusive club than the caldera. He didn't know what else to say as a response to Caracal's next question since it was so quick, but he smiled.

Next time I'll show you.

He nodded silently to confirm his knowledge of the pack's name, then listened astutely as Reyes described the territory itself. Caracal had never in his life heard the term "fen," which was apparently like a bog. He wasn't sure he know what a bog was either, though he didn't say anything. His lips pursed when his dad spoke of feeling freer here, then promised to show him next time, without actually naming a place.

Caracal considered prodding him for a better answer, though there was probably a reason he didn't give one willingly. Maybe he would need some time to come up with one. After all, if someone had asked him about his favorite spot in the Redhawks' domain, he might need some time to consider his answer.

"I'm glad you're happy here," Caracal said, unaware that he was inferring more than what Reyes had actually said, "and it's really not that far." He paused in his tracks to lift a foreleg to shield his eyes against the sun's glare on the lake. The caldera was right there, easily visible in the middle distance. He set his foot down and resumed walking.

As they straddled the pack's outer boundary line, something suddenly occurred to him and he stopped again, whipping to shoot Reyes a stricken look, then glancing behind them. His gaze came back to rest on his dad's face as he realized out loud, "I trespassed earlier, didn't I?"

They walked together for a bit, until Caracal's candid comment caused a slight hitch in Reyes' step. The deeper implication - that he hadn't been happy in the Caldera - wasn't true, he had been very happy while he had lived there; but there was a strong difference after everything had unfolded.

I trespassed earlier, didn't I? Caracal realized, earning a brief grin from Reyes which became an embellished frown.

Yeah you fuckin' did, but the smile came back almost immediately. So I guess you should be happy I found you first instead of someone else. Although the fen didn't have anyone who was all that vicious — unlike the Caldera, with its white warrior (Azon), angst-ridden prodigy (Fennec) or the far more brutal HBIC (Towhee, duh).

Reyes sighed. The humor ebbed from him as he pondered over something. You know I didn't mean it. Any of this, I mean. If I could make it work I'd be over there with you. It isn't really my call. And there goes the inadvertent shade-throwing of one divorced parent against another.

Caracal didn't bat an eyelash at his father's swearing, though he did offer a sheepish grin. He was lucky, he hadn't been thinking at all. He was actually kind of ashamed of himself. Towhee had taught him better than that. He wasn't much of a guardian apprentice, was he? Truthfully, Caracal wasn't really sure it suited him anyway. He liked to look out for others, very much, but the rest of it...

Reyes broke into his thoughts with a remark that made the boy roll to a stop. He'd felt a little hesitant to directly dredge up and dwell on this stuff, though now that Reyes had touched on it, Caracal didn't want to miss the opportunity to talk about it. He didn't take it as his dad throwing shade on his mom, though his words evoked a slightly scrunched expression.

"Mom said she actually wanted you to live at the caldera with us. But you refused," Caracal replied, peering closely at his dad. "How come?" Was it because she'd wanted him to be monitored all the time? As a child, Caracal didn't see the big deal, though his expression was open as he regarded Reyes.

He was going to let that train of thought go. Reyes would rather get ahead of things and move on quickly, back to spending time with his son, but that didn't happen. The response from his son brought him some measure of surprise and, unsurprisingly, a sudden anger. She said what?

Reyes had heard Caracal properly. It stung to think that Towhee was already trying to turn the kids against him - or more against him, depending on what else she'd done to spoil their image of him.

He sighs. No, I didn't refuse, there was something indeterminate simmering beneath his words. It was hard to block out his anger towards Towhee while trying to discuss such a raw, painful moment in his own life; but he would try for Caracal's sake.

Her offer was, I could come back under certain.. conditions. I didn't agree with the conditions. It wasn't a flat-out refusal. I wouldn't do that - you and your sisters are too important to me. He watched Caracal, wondering what he would make of it all. At the same time, the boy was too young to handle the specifics and Reyes wasn't about to lay it all out for him. The issues he had with Towhee were between the two adults. When I came up with a shared space for you guys to visit, she got pissed at me and I had to convince her to let me see you at all.

Reyes shook his head, as if to rid himself of the memory of that fight.

What matters is that we're still a family, no matter what your mother and I are going through.

"She said—" Caracal tried to answer when Reyes cut him off with a sigh. The boy remained mum as he explained his side of the story. It pretty much matched up with what Towhee had told them. It sounded to him like he had refused, albeit for reasons, though Caracal hardly wanted to argue with his dad.

"She told us she wanted you close by so she could keep an eye on you, on us," he said a little slowly when Reyes finished, "Is that the condition you didn't like? How come?" He really couldn't wrap his young mind around it. Someone was nearly always with him or watching him from afar. Caracal didn't see the big deal but wanted to understand, if the guileless look on his face was anything to go by.

But no matter how hard he tried, he didn't really get it. He could tell that it wasn't something Reyes wanted to continue talking about any longer, so he dropped it. They spent the remainder of the visit chit-chatting, until they both agreed Caracal should probably get back before he got them both into trouble.