[BRB] All those tiny teeth [Serpent Eater Fam]

[Beejoux]

It'd been a somewhat chaotic few weeks. Merry hadn't been expecting her clutch with Consume to be quite so big, but wound up being the biggest thus far. Six babies. It's been easy when they'd been in their sacs, but once they'd emerged, needy and helpless, whatever calm had settled over their den was gone.

Thankfully they were now past that very early stage of barely open eyes and wobbly legs. The babes had grown quick and strong and were big enough now they didn't need that constant care an protection.

Merry enjoyed this time. Sure, they foals got up to trouble around this age, but this was also when personalities started to shine through, and she loved to watch her children blossom into their own kin.

She was watching two now, a wide-mawed doe tugging almost relentlessly at the ear of a dark pelted buck. He yelped a protest, kicking at her with pointing hooves, but after letting go she merely readjusted and went for his tail instead. Merry chuckled to herself.

[Prolixity]

Consume had expected chaos, certainly. Perhaps, though, he hadn't expected quite this much chaos. But he'd adjusted, and the initial nerves had worn off as the routine of caring for the foals settled into place and as the little ones had grown out of the wobbly stage. They were steadier now, getting used to themselves, the differences in their personalities starting to assert themselves. He'd been around foals previously, but living with one's own was a very different experience, and he liked to watch them discovering the world. He ducked into the entrance of the den, carrying a branch heavy with fruit, and paused to watch the activity within.

A rather petite and dark-furred doe had been watching as her sister chewed her brother's ear and inching slowly closer to the pair. Once she got close enough, she darted her head forward to snap small teeth closed onto her sister's tail.

A little female with flame-colored fur sneezed herself awake abruptly, rolling half onto her back and flailing her hooves in the air. Once she regained her equilibrium, she picked herself up and shook her head sharply, large ears flopping. Then she spotted Consume at the mouth of the den, chirped a wordless note, and trotted over to investigate what he'd brought.

[Beejoux]

Brightly glowing eyes had lifted to the entrance to their den as a figure appeared there, and she smiled warmly up at the buck, that smile brightening as she noticed the fruit he had found, the feathered end of her tail flicking eagerly. The doe did love her fruit.

A sudden yip drew her attention back to the playing foals, and Merry takes softly as Crag Maw turned snappy teeth of her sister instead. "Don't bite if you don't want to be bitten," she chided softly, watching the pair keenly to be sure they didn't get out of hand.

The distraction gave Whisper of Magic a chance to creep away, slinking over to settle on the other side of his mother, small chin resting on her back. He took had noticed Consime's return, and was watching his father with ears perked.

[Prolixity]

Consume chuckled softly as he was noticed and moved slowly down the incline into the den, setting the branch and its burden of fruit down before Merry. "I've brought a treat," he said, and turned to nuzzle lightly at Leaping Fire's side as she darted in to grab greedily at the fruit her father had returned with.

Cascade of Light was far too busy snapping back at her sister to take much notice of the fruit. She growled at Crag Maw, half playful, half aggressive, and bared sharp little teeth. Her brother had escaped, but she was still feeling like a bit of a fight, and their mother's watchful gaze didn't diminish that motivation.

[Beejoux]

Merry takes softly at the bright little filly, her tail sweeping around to drag graceless babe in against her side before she could beat a nasty retreat with the fruit. "No need for that behavior. There's plentybfor everyone, and room for manners." Of course, even as she said it she was smiling, barely able to keep the humor from her voice.

Whisper, reassured by his mother and father's presence, moved from where he'd laid against Merry's side, wobbling over to greet his father with a soft chirrup, slinky tail swaying in happy arcs at his ankles.

Crag was oblivious to her father s return, more focused on her sister and that growl and those barred teeth. She growled back, hunkering down briefly before lunging at the other filly to snap at her shoulder.

[Prolixity]

"I have manners," Leaping Fire protested, and stretched her neck out to grab at a piece of fruit again, focused. Just one this time, however.

Consume chuckled and folded himself down to settle beside them, making room against his side to welcome Whisper, if his son wanted to curl up with them. "Hello there," he said. "Have you had a good morning?"

Cascade hissed at the bite, but shoved her shoulder roughly against her sister's nose, trying to push her back as she snapped back at Crag's ear -- not too hard, mindful of her parents' presence, but combative.

[Beejoux]

"Do you?" Merry wondered aloud with a chuckle, watching her daughter stretch to reach the fruit, undeterred. "Can we see them?" Even as she chidded though she was dipping her head to nuzzle into her daughter's hair, humming softly. Wonderfully comfortable with Consume now against her side and all their babies around them. She glanced at the two that were still somehow sleeping, smiling to herself.

Whisper of Magic waited for Consume to settle, then moved to curl into the space provided for him, yawning widely. "Yes, no," he frowned, watching his sisters wrestling. "Crag bit me."

Cargo heard the accusation, even as Cascade snapped down on her own ear. "Hey! It wasn't hard," she huffed, pulling against her sister's hold on her despite the sharp teeth stinging in her ear. She was a stubborn thing.

[Prolixity]

Leaping Fire hesitated, eyed her mother, visibly thought about it, then blurted out rapid-fire, "PleasecanIhavesomefruit?" That counted as manners ... right?

Consume nudged his son's cheek gently, smiling. "That happens sometimes, does it?" he asked with a soft chuckle. He had no memories of his own childhood, only a fuzzy grey blankness; but sometimes, watching or talking to his children, something rang a faint chime within him: yes, that's right -- But it was never more than a thread.

Cascade held on, emitting soft rrrr sounds. As far as she was concerned, Crag had started the whole thing, but Cascade was stubborn too.

[Beejoux]

"Yes, that counts," Merry relented, chuckling. She nudged one of the bigger fruits closer to Leaper for her to snap at. The babes certainly had their father's big appetite. It made her look up and over to him, nuzzling gently at Cascade and comforting him. The sight warmed her heart.

Cascade hrumphed softly, but he'd tilted his head into that nuzzle, and settled more fully against his father. The young buck looked about ready for a nap. Had probably been aiming for one before his sister had gone after him.

Crag echoed that soft growl, too stubborn to relent, even if her own tugging was compounding the pain in her ear. "I didn't hurt him. Let go!"

[Prolixity]

Leaper's ears flicked up happily, and she stretched out to grab at the fruit, bracing it with a forehoof and tearing greedily into the sweet flesh. She had successfully demonstrated manners and the fruit was hers! Maybe not all the fruit, but she might concede that even she couldn't eat all that herself, and anyway, maybe her siblings might want some.

Consume chuckled softly and draped his tail over Whisper. "No more biting for now. Unless it's biting fruit." He stayed where he was, his side rising and falling gently with his breathing, warm and comfortable.

"You bit him," Cascade pointed out, although she had to let go to do so. "So I bit you." This seemed fair to her.