Broken Antler Fen loverlane

for @Eljay @Maia @Roswell @Jasmine @Hymnal @Diantha @Sylvie, set whenever and welcome in any order! <3

the hunt had reignited something within teya.
her belly was full and she carried a large piece of elk meat. she'd been an absent aunt, not from brecheliant, but from taking part in the everyday watch over the growing children. seeing them had reminded the girl of ibis, and that had hurt her spirit.
no more.
she found where the children were gathered and lay down her offering, barking excitedly toward them to come and see what she'd brought.

Hymnal was a busy child. Her curiosity had only continued to grow, and she met every day with an excitement to know more about the world around her. 

Today was no different. The growing girl was already outside the den, playing with a little bug, when Teya approached. Hymnal immediately abandoned her game and trotted over to the woman with a panting grin. She was about to jump up and give her kisses but then she was met with the most amazing scent; it made her mouth water. Food? she asked. It smelled like the food her parents had started giving her, and everything in her told the child to dig in, but she wanted to make sure. 

So she stared up the pretty woman, eyes bright and tail wagging behind her as she waited for permission.

While Jasmine and Roswell found ways to bond with their new full time caretakers, Diantha actively resisted and avoided them whenever she could. They weren't her real parents, and they never would be. They had their own kids, and Diantha knew she would never really be one of them. How could she? Her mother was dead, her father was who-knows-where, and he was probably awesome. One day, he'd whisk her away from this hellish life and take her on fantastical adventures. Dia was sure of it.

Still, she had to eat.

The smell drew Diantha in, and she pushed past Hymnal. Move, she ordered, jaws clamping around a chunk of meat. With her paws, she held down the rest of the food, tearing free from the limb her portion of the meal.

With no intention to wait around, she growled lowly at Hymnal and found a spot to lay down and eat her meal. If others didn't show up, she'd gladly eat their portions, too. She may be small, but Diantha was willing to eat as much as she could stomach. If she did so, it would mean a longer time between now and the next time she had to socialize with Maia and Eljay's real kids.

in short order, a couple of the kids arrived. "hi," teya stumbled, waving her tail in a friendly way. "yes!" the raven exclaimed to hymnal, happy to have found a natural segue into an icebreaker. she was just about to give some more details when diantha swept in.
she was not kind, and teya looked after her with ears perked curiously. "what wrong?" she asked, following after the pup who had lain down a short distance away. 
the raven was ill-equipped to deal with the fractiousness of childhood, but she was willing all the same to be their ally.

A burning swelled in her chest. She couldn't identify the feeling but she knew right away she did not like it at all. She felt like she had done something wrong, only she had no idea what it was and everyone else did. 

She watched the other girl warily as she hovered over the food and tore off the piece she apparently wanted for herself. Hymnal's eyes widened in surprise when she heard the growl from Diantha. She had no intention of going anywhere near her, even without the warning. Instead, she just watched with confusion as the nice lady turned all of her attention to her denmate. That made the burning in her chest deepen, although she wasn't entirely sure why. 

With soft, quiet release of breath, she pulled a small chunk of meat off for herself and walked a few steps away to eat while she anxiously replayed the whole situation in her mind.

slapping a fade on this!

the girls did not seem to get along.
frowning, teya hovered more closely, watching between each of them until such a time as a parent came along to relieve her.
still it weighed upon her mind, long after she had left the den.