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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 8:54 pm
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Flawed had been spending a little more time than normal within the cave, mostly because Echo had been spending more time within the cave, and that was okay with him. He still wasn't used to being around so many others, even if he had been there for a bit of time by then. He still sometimes expected to be sent on his way, so to take these moments to just be curled up close to the doe that had welcomed him in so easily, was a soothing balm on his easily frayed nerves.
At the moment, he had just barely woken up from a bit of a nap, and was gently nuzzling at the doe he was curled up to, not ready to move from this warm, cozy spot at this point in time. Nope, here was good.
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:33 pm
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:57 pm
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 10:03 pm
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 10:10 pm
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Cave Yell was quick to reward Flawed's movement by leaning in to nuzzle, and help get his fringe of mane back to rights. "Suffice it to say that Lazy here has been sleeping and eating much more regularly as of late," Cave Yell pointed out. It wasn't that Echo was eating noticeably more, or sleeping noticeably more, but rather that she did both so sporadically usually that the regularity in her schedule was implying something more.
"Which means either she knows something she hasn't told us yet, or she's mentally gearing up for some little consequences."
'Cho sighed, shaking her head and moving to paw at an ear with a hoof until the water that had landed just-so to make it feel plugged finally came loose. "I do wish you'd stop talking about me like I wasn't here, you know," she said, to which he immediately responded.
"If you'd just converse with us, I wouldn't-." He was quickly cut off. "If you'd let me, I'd say that I know no such things. Not for certain. And I didn't want anyone to feel startled or obligated, so I figured I wouldn't make a fuss about it, unlike somebuck-y."
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 10:19 pm
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Flawed let Cave Yell smooth his mane back down, even as it made him sort of half paw at the ground with his hoof in shyness, but it was a good sort of shy really. These little things, did little wonders for his heart and all.
Though listening to the other buck his head swiveled back and forth between him, and the doe, and back again, their words rolling around in his head and trying to crash together to make some semblance of sense. It took a moment longer before he was spluttering a little.
"You're pregnant?" the words a surprised gasp, but he was stepping closer to her, and he nuzzled lightly at the ear she'd been fussing at, licking it lightly. "Or you think you are, anyhow?" a soft, hopeful note from him. "Not obligation... but desire to stay and do...whatever I can. If you'll let me, anyhow. I mean... you don't have to let me, or want me to...and I can go, really..."
After all, he hadn't stayed around long after everything the first time he'd been involved in something like this, it hadn't been wanted, so he was already mentally gearing up to be sent on his way, and his head dropped a little, as he exhaled some. "I'll be on my way, so I'm not taking up soon to be valuable room in here." oh how disappointed he sounded, he'd been happy here, and the idea of seeing how the little ones he and Echo would have together, was an exciting prospect but... well he wasn't really needed, was he?
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 10:30 pm
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"Hold up there, bucko." That was two voices, and two bodies, coming to block his way. "Last I checked, there wasn't a famine," Cave Yell started.
"No, things certainly seem to be blossoming in full around here," Cave Yell responded.
"I want you around." "You want him? How selfish, sister." "Fine. Do you want to say it, or shall I?" "It was your mistake, it's your job to correct it."
"We want you here." She leaned in to nose under the skittish buck's jaw. "More than you'd believe."
"Whether there's foals or not," Cave Yell added. "And speaking of foals, I'm taking you both out to speak to a stag about foaling."
A startled huff from Echo. "Wouldn't that usually be our prerogative?" she demanded. He retorted immediately.
"Do you think he would have even asked before spiriting off, had he found out before you told him? I'd be the one trekking through the MotherFather's own blessed swamp looking for him because you wanted to play it cool instead of assuring him that if anything happened that you'd be delighted to share in it with him."
A huff. "It happens when it happens. Thinking about it in advance makes the whole process so much more... ugh. I don't have to justify this to you." She leaned in a little more firmly against him. "I like you. I'm... you couldn't do much of anything to change that, and you will always be welcome here."
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 10:52 pm
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:22 pm
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"I trust you now that you said that– but you never really indicated that you'd say something before you left. And you've been plenty useful here– your worth isn't offset by some sort of food debt here, not when it grows like crazy everywhere." There were many benefits to living above this little brackish paradise that they did– the soil itself was fertile from the dragons' activity, the water was constantly teeming, and the parasites were very quickly converted from those who ate to those who were eaten when one had a dragon to shadow them.
He didn't respond to Flawed's thanks, not quite certain how to go about responding to such fervent, undeserved praise. He'd think on it, and respond to that later, when he had something that addressed the root of it, as well as rewarding the kind intent.
He started moving at Flawed's behest, turning his head slightly so he could watch him in the corner of one eye as he moved forward. "Don't you worry a hair on your pretty little head about helping out– it comes naturally. I mean, it's a first of sorts for her, too."
"And just what do you mean by that?" she retorted, her voice soaring back up in pitch.
Cavi chuckled. She was too easy to rile up when she was like this! "Only that this is the first time you've let someone other than that agoraphobic bird-buck get at you often enough for there to be ostensible results, and therefore the first time you'll have had a chance to have the sire acting as a father instead of just me."
The doe huffed. "It's not my fault you scare them all off– and I've never asked him." Not that she was especially certain that Anger would be the staying sort. It ached to think of, but no number of clutches would ever change that.
"Oh, so I'm the one who scares them?" the buck responded, starting to tread the water at the cliffside entrance.
She didn't respond. Cave Yell got the message much more loudly and clearly than if she'd snapped at him.
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Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:39 pm
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 12:49 am
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Cave Yell smiled, and turned about to nudge at Flawed's haunch once they came up to land. "Hey, it's all right. It's not something that comes up too often in general company– kin generally get concerned when people start talking about exit strategies, and tend to read context into it that wasn't intended.
"Truth is, we've been tiptoeing around some things with you, because you've pretty obviously got some stresses and fears that we didn't want to step on– we like you, we want you staying with us to be as enjoyable for you as possible– but we can work on you with those, and get you armed and hopefully also comfortable with some new knowledge."
'Cho nodded her assent. Something to help distract from what may or may not be happening... that sounded like a good idea. "You'll have to forgive us if we go over some really, painfully obvious things, or other things you've picked up already, in the interest of thoroughness." He worked his way up one of the twisting paths at the cliffs, leading away from the caves and orchards and on the one path that led out of this clifftop haven and to the rest of the swamp.
"I asked him to wait at the clearing a little south of here, so we shouldn't be far now..." maybe, if the stag heard them, he'd even come to meet him! Supposing he hadn't done something tricky like shadow him all the way to the den and back.
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 8:05 am
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Fish Bones had not shadowed the buck, but he cautiously approach when he heard them talking. Coming close enough to be seen, but not so close as to intrude on the conversation, which sounded rather personal in nature.
He smiled kindly at the trio, nodding in greeting. A rather unique situation, he'd never been asked by a non-parent to do a blessing. Much less brought all this way to meet the parents. He did not mind one bit though, in fact it warmed his heart when kin did such things for those they care about.
"Good morning. Your brother has requested my services, if you'd like them?" a bit odd perhaps, but regardless of Cave Yell's wants, if either parent rejected the offer Fish Bones would respect that. And even if neither did, he wanted it understood the choice is theirs to make.
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:37 am
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"It makes sense when you put it that way." well it did. "I'm sure you've both realized by now I'm not....used to being welcomed and accepted places. I'm usually on my own..." so there were a great many social faux pas he could and would commit in the end.
"It sounds like...once all is said and done, we should maybe all talk or something yeah?" well it did seem like the best for things to continue and smoothly in the end.
Flawed gave a soft chuckle at Echo's words. "It's okay, it might not be a bad idea, because what might be really obvious to the two of you, might not be to me, or the other way around." well it was a possibility.
As they came into the clearing he paused then, standing beside Echo, and he listened to the stag talking, before he nuzzled lightly at her neck a moment before speaking in soft tones. "We would yes. Cave Yell went out of his way to track you down, I would hate for you to have come all this way for nothing." he looked to her again, waiting for her ascent.
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 1:22 pm
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Echo shifted, looking thoroughly uncomfortable. "I mean– if I wouldn't allow it, I wouldn't have left the cave. Besides, isn't one parent's consent enough to go with and start this process?" From everything she'd heard, at least, it was. Ugh, she hated this feeling of anxiety that was welling up in the back of her belly, too far to help or reach or swallow.
Cave Yell didn't say anything, merely watched her pace, feeling clearly uncomfortable by how uncharacteristically she was acting. This was supposed to help! This wasn't bad, or scary– not like the one time her left foreleg's knee had come out of place and they'd had to wait for somekin who knew how to relocate it finally arrived to help.
With the feeling of anxiety only growing, and the dread coming fast alongside, she started to fidget. "I'm gonna go for a walk. You do this thing." Her exit was far less of a walk, and much more of a canter.
"This... this here's part of why I wanted your help and your blessing for them," Cave Yell admitted to the pale green legendary.
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