Northstar Vale Apprendre à Aimer

A fox kit was no wolf pup, but it was a child all the same. Viskani could not help but love him. Since Tousaint had handed the quivering vulpes over to her, she had kept busy. Unspeaking, unwilling to pause. It would make you wonder of the nightmares that would result when she had her children in the spring.

Once again she returned to her den, now carrying a kestrel. She had promised to only feed the kit her scraps, but this certainly was not a meal intended for herself.

Faust was timid, but growing comfortable in Viskani's environment. He still bit, still had to be kept tied in Muskrat's vines - yet if all went well such things would be no more.

Settling down she began to pluck feathers from the bird just as she had for her sons, for she feared Faust would choke just as she had feared for them. The kit watched from the corner of the rocky den - hungry, impatient.

It would take time for him to get used to smelling a fox in the Vale without worrying about their stashed food- and likely longer still for him to get to a point where it’s musky scent stopped making him grimace. Was this a part of Muskrat’s plan? Possibly. 

He amused himself with the notion of gifting Muskrat some sort of wildcat- perhaps a bobcat or lynx kitten- something with so foul a scent that they’d have no choice but to turn it into a doormat. 

He was curious about Faust, though. He wondered if the tethered creature might ever come to trust them, even speak their language. Part of him wanted the fox to become useful- so if Muskrat had intended to give them a foil, her plan might backfire.

Viskani certainly seemed taken with the creature. He tracked her back to her den, where she seemed to be keeping the fox sequestered. Allo? He said, poking his head just within the mouth of the den, to see if she was accepting company.

Her eyes flicked up to meet the boys as he spoke. "Yes, Tousaint?" She responded, raising an eyebrow. She lacked some of the usual gentle nature she reserved for him - for now it went to Faust and Faust alone.

Spitting out the last of the feathers she glanced to the kit, smiling. It did not lack warmth in the least, completely genuine. It made her usual gentle smile appear cruel in comparison. "Viens ici mon petit renard.. c'est l'heure de manger." Her words were nearly a coo, spoken with the sing-song accent of the French-speaking wolves of Canadian regions.

Faust did not understand, she knew very well he would not. But he came nonetheless - eager to feast.

Motherhood came naturally to Viskani - it always had. She found it near impossible to turn away something so canine, to not treat it with love.

Her response seemed to indicate little patience; was she so preoccupied with the kit that she would not also attend to her packmates? He pulled back lightly, allowing the shadow to slip off the end of his muzzle and to the ground again. He opened his mouth to form some excuse, when he heard her beckon.

Viens ici- 

Appeased, he lowered his head and stepped into the den.

mon petit renard. 

He froze. She spoke to the fox- in French nonetheless- in a manner that one might use when speaking to a child. She did not seem to expect for her packmates to learn her mother tongue, but the fox kit seemed to be an exception. It proved one point, that was for certain- that the fox kit was hers.

He didn’t come any closer, lest she be truly protective and ward him off. He uttered a guilty laugh. Apologies; I t’ought you be talkin’ to me. He said. I can go, if you be busy- and then he spotted the kestrel feathers on the den’s floor, and the plucked carcass. 

These weren’t scraps. This was a meal.

He decided to overlook it. 

If you be not usin’ de feat’ers…I would take some. 

Unless, of course, they were to become toys for her favourite new fixation.

Mild pp of @Mnemosynes, gimme a smack if you don't want it

She shook her head. "Nonsense, I always have time for you, Tousaint. Sit" She responded, though her gaze did not leave the kit. She watched as he greedily scarfed down the kestrel, attentive in her efforts. She would not risk an accident with a bone either, but those could not so easily be removed. She had to be watchful.

"If you wish to take the feathers feel free, but leave one for Faust hm?" She insisted, her gaze now reaching Tousaint's. "It gives him something to do, gives me time to breathe."

Poor Mnemosynes had been given more than enough work since Viskani returned with Faust. The kit became increasingly messy as it's comfort grew, and as the sole Brin it was his job to clean up after it. But wolf pup's were just as messy - much more destructive, too. Viskani believed that to be the truth, at least.

None of the other's had been mother's, who were they to question her?

His crocodilian eyes warmed as he smiled, flattered that she welcomed him. Perhaps the fox kit was a good thing; she seemed happy enough, and he recognized the look of a proud mother when he saw one. 

A good eater, He said, impressed. If he was fed warm meat like this, surely he would warm up to his current living situation. The creature supped, having no idea just how lucky he’d been to have been delivered to them, rather than being kept as a slave. 

Yes, of course, He said. I only want a few, P’tit Faust can ‘ave as many as ‘e wants, yes ‘e can!. He said, and without realizing it he’d begun to speak in babyspeech toward the end of his sentence. He chuckled. Ugh. ‘E is too cute, Viskani, ‘e turn me into a fool.

She couldn't help but laugh at Tousaint's words. She could understand, for the dear had a similar affect on her - clearly. "Isn't he?" She agreed. "I haven't had a young one like this since my last litter, I'm afraid I may be weak to it." It only made her wish for the spring to come sooner.

"He behaves so well too. Much easier to correct than a puppy." Of course, a puppy had much less on the line. It could be true the Faust was simply past the biting stage, of course.

She did worry, of course. Her sons had yet to meet the kit, and she feared that they may not take well to him. She would not tolerate cruelty towards Faust.

Dat be not weakness; you be a natural mot'er. He reassured her with a faint laugh. He couldn't look at the fox kit as fondly as he had looked at younger siblings. Tousaint, having no children of his own, did not understand what Viskani might feel- but he could see that she was in her happy place here, as a mother. 

He regarded the fox kit, trying to imagine what pups might be like at that stage. Given the fact that Faust remained on the end of a tether, he was prohibited from wandering, which seemed to be the vice of most wolf children. Foxes be clever, He commented. Per'aps 'e knows you spared 'im a life of sorrow. He suggested. After all, the kit had been tied up, kicked about, dragged...He'd likely thought he walked to his grave when he'd been led to their borders.

She nodded along to Tousaint's words, a gentle smile on her face. "I only hope he'll remain grateful as he get's older - it would be a shame to see him go."

The practical half of her brain thought of the benefits of having a fox around, the way it may drive off some of the less pleasant creatures. But the emotional half had simply bonded to the creature.

"But I'm rambling - was there something you wished to speak about?"

If the fox kit left, it might prove something to Muskrat. He found himself becoming nearly obsessed with making sure that tensions between the packs did not escalate; and if their fox kit gift ran off, it might cause their neighbours to raise an eyebrow. 

But they wouldn’t know, if they couldn’t find out. He came up with a plan that could very well save their skin someday- and put that task on his to-do list. 

Hmm? He mused, roused from his plotting. Now, he couldn’t remember if he had come with a purpose- but then he recalled the pack meeting and chuckled. Ah, yes, He said. I t’ought it be curious, de o’ter day, dat you choose democracy over appointing your own Iris. He stated demurely, I t’ought we ‘ad reached an agreement, when it came to de debt you owed me, He said, almost apologetically. I should ‘ave made myself more clear, per’aps. Neverdeless: as it stands, de debt be not paid… He reminded her, calmly. 

After all- he had asked that he be promoted in front of the pack, and she had instead left his fate to their packmates who were practically strangers still. If this debt meant nothing to her…Then he felt certain that he meant very little, too.

His words were met with a glare, Viskani's demeanor growing cold once again. "Tousaint, mind your manners and remember where you stand here." Her words were calm, but stern. "If you cannot see the intention in such a decision then we have nothing to discuss."

Crossing her paws she looked to Faust, smiling softly. "Goodnight, Tousaint." She dismissed him rather nonchalantly.

Often she thought highly of the boy, enjoyed her conversations with him. She had nearly forgotten the nature of their relationship - the caution she had told herself to exercise on their first meeting.

Tousaint would make a good Iris, yes, but not unless he learned his place.

Her cold glare was met with a level gaze. Through her hostility, he saw a woman whose favour was easily lost, ire easily stoked. A woman who, it seemed, did not value the work put in by those who had toiled the hardest. If she would not even deign the conversation worthy of her time- would she even listen to her Iris when she had one?

He picked himself up and willingly swept toward the den’s entrance. He turned around, so he could speak into the darkness. 

If you will be dis dismissive of your packmates when dey come to ‘ave a word wid you, den you do not deserve an Iris. 

He left her with those words to consider.

-Tousaint out-