Driftwood Surge tangled between your little flaws

Most days he didn’t like being woken up. It was only okay when his parents roused him from his slumber (although he usually protested), but he despised it when one of his littermates poked and prodded him awake. It usually meant that they wanted him to play with them, which he didn’t want any part of. Some days he was more adventurous and would join in their roughhousing, but most of the time the boy kept to himself. Observing from afar. Judging.

Today, however, he was coaxed into the world of the living by a gentle song. His ears twitched and unfolded from his dusty cranium as he shuffled toward the mouth of the den, his navy pools narrowing as he tried to figure out what was making such a peculiar sound. He was still adjusting to the different shapes outside and was slowly learning the names that accompanied them, but this sound didn’t have a name yet. He glanced around him nervously before pushing himself into a wobbly stand and marching toward the mouth of the den. It was uncharacteristically bold of him, but curiosity drove him forward. He was hungry for answers…

He only made it two steps outside the den before he plopped down against the soft ground, a cool breeze greeting the dusty Stark. The boy glanced around nervously as he tried to pinpoint where the sound was coming from, but it sounded as though it was coming from everywhere…

Time had gone a little slow lately but she had done as she was instructed. Patrolled the borders five times as much as she had before if only because of the kids. Them being born hadn't stopped her, either. It only made it more pertinent that she make sure none of them ventured too close to the borders themselves. Kids could be adventurous, that she knew, but there was a part of her that felt that Lachesis' kids likely weren't going to be as bold and reckless as most.

On any given day, Anastasia usually comes by to drop of some type of food, be it something small or something a little bigger, but she never pestered either of the parents to see the kids. Anastasia was always open to babysit and help out when called upon but she didn't make it a habit of imposing upon their bonding times. So when she came by that morning to drop off a couple dead mice, she noticed Legolas hanging out just at the mouth of the den. His gaze seemingly transfixed into the canopy above them, Anastasia followed suit and looked at it too. Eventually feeling the calm demeanor of the morning was being soothed by the sultry sing-song voices of the birds above.

The advisor didn't want to get too close to the boy but she also knew that she shouldn't be afraid of getting close to children that were, in all facets of the word, her nieces and nephews. Sure, a grumpy part of her would have argued that in a parallel universe these might have been her kids buuuuut that voice was small, useless and didn't have a say in her real world affairs. So instead she dropped the mice at her feet and whined, hoping to grab his attention. What is it? she asked, already knowing the answering but wanting to know his unique thoughts.

His head flopped from side to side as he tried to figure out what was making the strange noises and where it was coming from … it was all so loud! It sounded like there was more than one … but more than one of what?! What was so many?! His frown grew more prominent as a low grumble managed to escape his small, pudgy body. He didn’t know if he liked this outside world … all the strange noises … it was so much quieter in the den. Safer. He trembled as he thought of retreating back into the warmth of the den, his tail curling tight against his body as he pressed his plump stomach to the cool ground.

It wasn’t … awful, but it wasn’t the same. There was no sense of security. No protection. He felt exposed and vulnerable … maybe even a little frightened. He blinked as he continued to search for the origin of the strange noises; his body still pressed to the dew-kissed grass. He didn’t understand why his siblings (or his parents) liked the outside so much. It was all bright and noisy… too many smells and way too many things to look at. It made his head hurt.

His head spun around at a new sound, his small body tightening as he tried to will himself to disappear … but his denim blues fell on a familiar shape. Pale like his father but different; softer. Suddenly his expression (and body) relaxed as a small yip! escaped him. His tail began to thump, quietly, along the ground as his head tipped to the side at her question. Did she not know either?! The frown returned. How was he supposed to know if she didn’t?! Wasssssit? He hummed, his voice much quieter than his older siblings; smooth, like fresh cream.

The past several months had been taunting and emotionally paralyzing. Anastasia regretted not approaching Lachesis sooner about wanting to start her own family. However, swiftly came the quick tap on her noggin that reminded her that she didn't really have the other half that helped with that. A mate, or even a male in general, that fit into that whole scenario. It was hard to judge with Lilya's round belly what Anastasia felt towards them. Obviously, there was more love in her heart for them that she knew how to express properly but there was also that green cloak of clouds hovering dangerously above her head. The cloud that often told Anastasia that she should be the one to be a mother this year and that she deserved to have kids more than anyone else did.

Of course, that seemed to pass as the days went on and Lilya's belly had gotten rounder and rounder until suddenly there were three children to fawn over. In an instant there was no hatred but only love and it was here and now that she focused. Anastasia would have her time next year, somehow, but she was content to live in the lives of her nieces and nephews for now. While she had assumed he would be frightened by her sudden appearance, he seems only excited that she had arrived with that thump of his tail.

Expression turns amazingly soft, like cotton, as her eyes wide with curious wonder and her body relaxed and inviting. He seems confused, perhaps, but she knows exactly what it is he asks of. Buuuuur-duh. Birrr-d. Birds. She replies, remembering vaguely what it was like to teach Karpos and Adsila that were they were so young. When things had seemingly been a lot simpler than this ( at least, she only remembers the simple parts ) . A delightful set back to being a teacher for Shade's little ones and having Lachesis as her partner in crime for a time.

The soft cloud spoke strange noises, earning a perplexed expression from the ivory youth. His head flopped from side to side as the peculiar sounds tumbled off her tongue. Buuuuur-duh. He blinked, his little brows pinching together. The sounds that the cloud made weren’t the same that filled the sky; how could they be related? It didn't make any sense. Did she even know what the sky-sounds were? What if… what if no one knew? His expression dead-panned. What if they were bad?! He shrivelled against the ground, his little triangles folding against the back of his crown as he attempt to disappear into the soft ground. He could still return to the den… it was within reach… all he had to do was shuffle back… but he was frozen; rooted to the ground. Fear paralyzed him as a low whine tumbled from the back of his throat. Maybe the cloud could help him… unless she was one of the sky-noises… oh no—she couldn’t be one of them, could she?! His whine increased. Buh-buuuh-ad? Everything was bad beyond the den. Leaving the den had been a mistake but little Legolas was too frightened to return.

One would think that after being by XIX in his youth back in the day would've prepared her for him having a scaredy-cat kiddo. It wasn't her first thought to believe that someone with what looked to be a firm head on his shoulders would pass down his uncertainty as a young boy. Alas, Anastasia supposed that it wasn't really a genetic trait but simply a child born into a rather large world of unusually big things. As soon as the whine tumbled from the boys lips, Anastasia pushed her body to the ground and shook her head, motherly expression crossing her features in an instant to try and soothe his fear. No no, she murmured quietly, her head tilted to the right a little, little birds are nice. They sing and soothe. If Anastasia could hum or sing, she would have, alas she was left to make for a quiet howl. Surely Legolas had heard mother and father howl. We sing. Just as they had sung their tunes.

His expression softened as the blue-eyed cloud gave a gentle shake of her head to assure him that the birds weren’t bad. Instead she referred to them as nice, which was a good, and he liked those. B-beee-rd, he repeated as a small smile worked its way onto his delicate features. His nose lifted once more to the sky as he tried to locate these birds. He knew what they sounded like, and that they were nice, but he did not know what they looked like. How was he supposed to know what they were if he didn’t know what they looked like?

We sing. He hummed thoughtfully to himself, his ears cupped forward as he returned his attention to Anastasia. S-s-sing? But wolves didn’t make the same chirp sounds as the birds. They made awoooo! sounds when they sang.

The more he listened to the strange songs overhead the more he began to find himself at peace. It had been irritating at first, when he had not understood the sounds, but he was growing to enjoy them. Maybe one day he would sing with the birds too… once he knew his songs better. He would have to practice more... but by himself. He didn't like being the center of attention and would much rather practice in solitude than have an audience surrounding him.

There was no denying how whole she felt whilst in the presence of a child. It had been years since she had been around any this young (Karpos and Adsila, as far as she can remember) and it made for a very sweet nostalgic moment. Mhm, there ya go. Legolas didn't have to be afraid of these birds. They were small and simply musical creatures that went about their business just as the wolves did. They likely would never be brave enough to come anywhere close to a wolf as it was clear who was higher on the food chain. The bigger birds, birds of prey, would be the ones to look out for within the next few months. Our singing may not sound alike but it is beautiful nonetheless. Blue eyes cast down to the lanky little child who seemed to have such a wide variety questioning expressions. Perhaps it was the uncertainty of the world around him or simply too much to process but there was no denying that this was Lachesis' child. While she hadn't been there for the early parts of her friend's life, she was sure that this little boy was going to walk her through it.

He beamed beneath her praise, his little tail wagging softly behind him as he glanced over at her cloud-like body. Birds were good. Birds were good. He nodded once more, this time to himself as he stared at the leafy canopy overhead. He still didn’t know what they looked like… how could he get one of the birds to come out so he could see them? A frown tugged at his pale features, his little brows furrowing together as his forepaws stamped against the ground. B-beeerb see? He blinked, his expression contorting even more, S-see berb? Would she understand? Could she make the birds come out and show themselves?

The cloud explained that their songs were different but still beautiful and he agreed. Little Legolas was still partial to the sound of his own species but the bird songs weren’t so bad… They reminded him of the lullabies his mother used to sing to him when he couldn’t sleep. They kind of reminded him of the cloud; soft and delicate. But she also reminded him of his mother, as she had a soothing, calming demeanour. It made it impossible to be sad around her.

For Ana, it was like she had jumped back into the past when she had helped to raise Karpos and Adsila. Teaching them things here and there, trying to ease their fears and show them their confidence. Adsila hadn't exactly connected like Karpos had with her, but she could still remember aiding them in their growth. Always for a second, she had to really think on his words before nodding her head, muzzle turning up into the canopy as she tried to think of the safest and most effective way for him to see the birds for real. The best option she had was to make some noise to scare them but then they wouldn't make the noises anymore. If we sing, they will come out. Anastasia was about to express that if we sing, their songs stop but realized that that made it seem like they would never sing again. A point that Ana wanted to stay away from because they wouldn't permanently stop but it likely wouldn't be apparent to little Legolas. It would be better if he knew that they could sing and see the birds. No matter what, if they sung the birds might fly away for good but it was only temporary.