[B] Family Favors (Flame Strike x Smoldering Ember x Sun-Cursed)

[HuniPi]

Flame Strike hadn't been back to the mangroves his half-sibling called home in quite some time. Not since the incident with that other buck, Weirdward or whatever his name was. He wasn't exactly the sentimental sort, but even he knew Smoldering Ember and Sun-Cursed would want time to themselves. He did hear about his half-brother having a clutch of his own and while he was happy for him, Flame Strike also felt jealous. Oh he sent his congratulations, albeit conveyed by their mother, but he'd maintained his distance.

But then he met a doe, and well, she was why he had to force himself to process through his feelings. He wouldn't have been able to come to terms with his own upcoming fatherhood otherwise. And he wouldn't have been able to bring himself back here. He timed his arrival to be in the early afternoon so he would have privacy in this conversation he was planning on having with Ember.

[doomsayer]

It had been some time since Smoldering Ember had seen Flame Strike. Last he had heard of the latter, he personally saved him from bleeding out after his confrontation with Wayward Son. Though Ember had wanted to express his appreciation personally, his life had been very, very busy as of late--what with caring for his and Sun-Cursed's new clutch and Sun-Cursed's recent ascension as one of the chosen of the MotherFather. His has been a very blessed--albeit a very engaged--life. For all these reasons, he was happy to see his older half brother visit.

He checked to make sure that Sun-Cursed's sleeping form was cool and comfortable in the shade of their den before he stepped out to meet the other buck. He almost tripped over himself seeing the buck again--there was something different with him. There was definitely something about the latter's markings that seemed different, but it was also how the latter carried himself. Diminished was the haughty arrogance and quiet judgment that used to always reside in his brother's eyes. Today, there was something else--something more... humble?

"It's good to see you brother! It's been a long time! Come, sit with me by the shade and we can have something to eat." Ember gestured to a tree stump that he and some of his neighbors dragged beside his den from the woods to serve as an outer lounging space. The area was well shaded by the intertwined mangrove branches, the ground was cool due to its proximity to the cool water of the tributaries, and a variety of nuts and berries filled a small hollow in the center of the stump for everyone to get from.

[HuniPi]

Flame Strike gave the other buck a wry smile as he tried to beat down the awkwardness that was starting to bubble up in the back of his skull. The old, one-sided need of his to be better, to be more than his siblings, was trying to rear its ugly head. He had to remind himself that that wasn't him, not anymore. Still, he couldn't help but acknowledge the jealousy he felt for the life Smoldering Ember had been able to create for himself. The beautiful, safe den, the community outside of family that came together to help him during the crisis. Though he could do without the whole having your beloved whisked away and held captive, the need to fight to (almost) death. There were definitely some trials and tribulations Flame Strike was more than happy to experience through someone else.

The older kimeti moved to take the proffered seat, getting himself settled and maybe stalling to psyche himself up some more. "Good to see you're more than recovered. Life has been treating you well, it seems." His gaze drifted towards the entrance to the den, and he could make out the faint glow of Ember's den-mate from within.

[doomsayer]

Smoldering Ember could not help but follow his brother's gaze in the direction of his humble den, where the love of his life rested soundly. He could not help but smile and feel an extraordinary warmth and lightness fill his very being whenever he thought of Sun-Cursed. Her choosing to stay with him, even after all that they've been through, reminds him that life's fire is best shared with those who have taken refuge in and do not fear its warmth.

He shifted his sight back to his half-brother, "I am very blessed. I would even go so far as to say that I'm the happiest buck in all of the swamp." He held eye contact with Flame Strike, put on a serious expression, and made certain his tone was sincere when he said, "But I wouldn't have this life if you didn't step in for me after that fight. I never got to thank you for that and there's no time like the present to do it. Thank you for being there to help when I needed you brother. You're the reason I'm still alive today, and I owe you a debt of gratitude."

The brothers shared a quiet moment of acknowledgment between them, which was almost immediately broken by the sound of six foals accompanied by a veritable menagerie of familiars--some sharing Ember's markings--passing by to tell Ember that they were going to a nearby hill to play with the other younglings.

[HuniPi]

Flame Strike didn't even attempt to claim the act of saving the other buck was nothing. He wasn't going to undercut Ember's gratitude and sincerity with faux-humble bravado and instead he nodded in acceptance. The comfortable, almost pleasant silence of acknowledgement was long enough for Flame Strike. It being broken specifically by his brother's children was actually the perfect segue for him to come clean about his visit. "How did you manage it? Finding a Legendary kin to bless you for your clutch, I mean."

He hoped it wasn't too rude a question, but if he accidentally offended or it was too personal an ask then he could just as easily use the sun setting as an excuse to be on his way.

----

Sun-Cursed was in and out of sleep. Her children's excitement would rouse her for a brief moment, then she would drift back off into sleep. But then there was this nagging... need gnawing away at her slumber and she couldn't stay unconscious for much longer, no matter how much she wanted to.

Grumpy from having all these interruptions, she stayed in bed out of protest. She could pretend she was still asleep until her children tired themselves out or whoever it was that needed a blessing was far enough away that they became another ascended kin's responsibility.

[doomsayer]

Flecks of gold glinted faintly as they caught what miniscule light there was in the underground cavern underneath the swamp. In the shadows of these tunnels, a master and his familiar prepared for their next action.

"You will keep to the high branches and do what you do best, Unseen Passage. You will be my eyes. I need you to watch her and come back to me with her patterns. Make sure her mate does not spot you. Do not make contact with any of them under any circumstances. Only watch"

"You have my instructions. Now go."

The familiar hooted with acknowledgment at its master's orders before it melded with the darkness of the walls.


----


Smoldering Ember's smile turned from pleasant to mischievous as he heard his half-brother's question. He then had formed an idea of why the latter was visiting out of the blue and his demeanor seems to have changed. Perhaps new additions to their line might be incoming--their mother would be quite excited to hear it if it were true!

Happy to converse with his brother in the fading sun of early evening, Ember responded, ""I just did what mother said in her stories. I traveled to a place that I did not usually go to--took myself out of my place of comfort to better prepare myself to change if that was what the Legendary would advise. They don't respond to being actually called for, even if one knew to be in a place within close proximity enough to call for them. The ascended are supposed to know when a kin is seeking them out. It is the will of the MotherFather that will eventually lead one to you, and if your desire is true and strong enough, the Legendary will come to you."

Ember suddenly wondered if that is actually all there was to it. He had not thought of asking Sun-Cursed about how it actually worked from the perspective of an ascended kin themselves. Though he was aboslutely proud and in awe of her ascension, he had until now hesitated to as her regarding specifics of the changes she had undergone or the powers she now possessed, or about the duties and obligations that may have been foisted on her. But now he realizes that if it's happening to her and if he can help her with her state in any way, he would want to know. So he made a point to talk to her about those things when she awoke this evening.

[HuniPi]

Despite being in the comfort of her bed and having the more intelligent familiars accompany the children outside, Sun-Cursed couldn't bring herself back to slumber land. She shifted into her sugar glider form, burying her smaller self into the bedding and hoping this would make it easier.

It had the opposite effect. Whoever that kin was that needed her blessing, they were still nearby. And in this form, the nagging tug of her responsibility was even more pronounced. With an irritated chuff, she finally sat up and stretched. It seemed she could not escape her duties, no matter how much she tried to put it off. Slowly she started to move towards to the den's entrance, gradually becoming aware of the conversation Ember was having with his brother. It wasn't that she was doing it on purpose, mind you. They just weren't keeping their voices down and the den just so happens to also have a rather good acoustic set up to it. She felt the tiniest bit guilty when she actually started paying attention to what they were talking about.

O-oh, it seemed it was Flame Strike who was in need of a blessing. And given that this was the kin who saved Ember from Wayward, how could she pass up the chance of repaying him? She went into a scamper, but rather than making a beeline for the two bucks' legs, she opted to climb up a nearby mangrove tree. She didn't want to interrupt the brothers, not while they were having this little heart to heart. She'll find an opening in their conversation and then she'll leap down to give Flame Strike a blessing!

As she reached one of the upper branches and tried to hide among the thick clusters of leaves, her tiny halo illuminated a shape lurking within. She froze at the sight of an owl. Had it not been for her glow, she would have scampered right past it. Her heart began to race in her chest because the last time she saw an owl, it had tried to grab at her with its talons. She backed away, eyes fixed on the owl's gaze before shooting down and towards Ember. Tiny paws gripped at kimeti fur as she scaled up her mate's legs and onto the top of his head. She clung to him, taking comfort in his solid size to still the trembling of her form.

It would be later, much later, when she would recognize the golden markings and realize whom it belonged to.

-------------------

Flame Strike took his brother's words to heart. While it sounded a little worrying that there was no guarantee his plea would be heard, he wasn't going to let something so mundane as uncertainty stop him from trying. As he was about to segue to another subject, a sugar glider suddenly ran up Smoldering Ember and pretty much perched on him.

"Your den's going to get too crowded one of these days if you and Sun-Cursed keep taking in pets," he teased.