[PRP] Treasured Friends (Flawed/Keeper/Glitters/Tongue)

[Lirilei]

Flawed and his adopted father had been speaking a lot on their journey back to the cave he lived in with Cave Yell, Echo, and their little tribe, talking about everything they'd missed in one anothers lives over the years.

One of the things that Flawed hadn't gotten around to mentioning yet, was his older children. Oh sure, he had told Keeper about the twins, and all, and how happy he was with them, but somehow the brood he'd had with Wooded Plateau hadn't come up in conversation yet.

Which was about to bite him on the rump really, as he heard a sarcastic, biting tone directed at him.

"Well, well. Look who the lynx dragged back to our neck of the swamp." a derisive snort was given as he looked Flawed over, obviously unhappy to see the older buck.


[imgright]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgright]"Honestly, you're such a jerk." Glitters in the Dark huffed lightly at her brother, before walking up to the now stock still Flawed, and gently twined her head around his neck. "Hello dad, ignore Hold, he's cranky as ever." her brothers response, the almost choking noise he made at her words amused her. "Cranky? I'm not cranky just surprised to see him here is all."


Flawed returned the hello from the daughter he hadn't seen in awhile, and looked to Keeper with an almost sheepish expression that clearly said 'I can explain, I promise.'

[Lirilei]

They bonded quickly, returning to the days of old when speech came easily between them. Flawed had been his daughter's friend, and, later, the only other survivor of their tribe. They were not bound by blood; even so, they were family.

He spoke with an alacrity he'd not felt in years. Flawed was no longer a foal, but a buck grown, but save that it was as if no time had passed between them at all.

And then a stranger spoke, cutting them mid-conversation.

Keeper had once been something of a priest. He turned with practiced patience toward the ireful buck, ready with a kind word that might disarm and perhaps reroute the buck's displeasure—and stopped short.

He saw a stranger's eyes in a familiar face. The irises were blue rather than gold, and the fur was lighter, but the strong brows and planes of the cheeks were the same. It was the face Flawed might have worn if not for his scars—and if not for the buck's scowl.

Had Flawed been reunited with another of his kin? A nephew, or—

"Hello dad."

Oh.

The doe's resemblance was even greater, with the blue points and the shimmering band of gold upon her leg. She spoke with an ease he thought rang true with Flawed when the buck was with the twins.

"I hope we haven't come at an inopportune time," he said, voice soft. "I am Keeper, a friend of your... your father." The look he gave Flawed was wry.

[Lirilei]

"It's always a bad time when he's here." Hold scoffed a little, an angry flick of his tail given at those words, a roll of his eyes. Every bit of a bratty teen in behavior. He was sharp tongued with everyone, not just his father and this stranger.

Glitters wound around to face Keeper, a smile on her face. "Forgive my brother. Hold Your Tongue is like that with everyone, even on his good days, rare though they might be." her voice was light and kind, the exact opposite of her sharp tongued sibling. "I swear if you don't stop, I'll tell Speak. Or one of the others!" she stomped a hoof slightly.

A huff from the buck, but he remained silent. Truth be told, he got along with all of his siblings, despite how he acted. They were family after all, but Flawed, he was in and out of their lives, never a permanent fixture in their lives, so he was less attached in any way to the older buck.

Flawed took a breath and looked to Keeper. "Well, since she already introduced her brother, this is Glitters In The Dark. They're two of my six with a nice doe named Wooded Plateau, which how is your mother?" Before Hold could speak, Glitters cut him off. "Mom's just fine really dad. Just as she always is when you visit, and when you don't."

"I'm glad to hear. Kids, this is Keeper, he is... well as he said a friend of mine." "Mate?" "W-what!? N-no!" he stammered in shock at his son, and shook his head. "No, no. K-Keeper took me in when I was small and alone. I was friends with his daughter, and he was like a father to me." Hold had the grace to look embarrassed about his comment, and even apologized to the bucks then.

"You never mentioned him before." a curious note from Glitters. "It's a v-very long story, one I'll be h-happy to explain some ti-time. But basically, a misunderstanding caused each of us to believe the other no l-l-longer cared for the others company, and I ran away despite injuries I had." "Your scars?" "That's right."

So far, so good, really. He took a deep breath.

"I met their mom some time ago. S-she's a lovely doe." but like most things in the swamp, their relationship was not meant to be a long lived one, save as friends, who happened to have kids together, and it worked for the pair just fine.

[Lirilei]

The two behaved with an intimacy he'd not seen in some time. He had avoided close-knit families when he first began traveling, the memory of his decimated tribe brought too near for comfort whenever he was reminded of what he'd lost. Though his feelings changed over time, he had never fully dropped the habit.

So he never realized, until now, how much he'd missed this.

He schooled his features, trying not to look too much a fool by beaming out of nowhere. He was not ashamed of the feeling, but he did not think it could be readily explained, either. He returned their greetings with what he hoped was composed grace; still, he thought Flawed at least would notice. Restraining despair, he could do; restraining elation—well, he hadn't had as much practice.

He could not help a spill of laughter at the mention of mates, however. How long ago had it been, when the children of the tribe had asked who a mate was? "It is someone you love very much, and want to spend time with—" The foals had made proclamations of love towards their parents without waiting for the rest.

He pressed against Flawed reassuringly when the buck took a deep breath.

"She must be lovely indeed, to have raised such fine children," he said, looking fondly at the pair. "How long have you known her?"

[Lirilei]

Hold was giving Keeper a side eyed look, unsure of what to make of the acha, really. Was this really the buck his father, considered to be his father? It seemed it. How strange. And they'd gone years without talking, and now it was like they'd never stopped? It was giving him food for thought.

Glitters was watching the two of them, a smile as Keeper reassured Flawed. They all knew he wasn't the most outspoken of bucks, but he did seem to be getting better at it. Less stuttering and being unsure of himself was a strange but nice thing from him!

At the question Flawed thought long and hard. "During the hot time this year, it will be two years since I met her, and the kids were all born." a smile given as he looked to Glitters. "Everyone else, are they are?" he was surprised when his surly son spoke instead. "No. They're not far at all. You two should come back with us, they'll want to meet Keeper I'm sure, and will either never believe us, or forgive us if we don't bring you along."

Flawed shifted weight between his hooves, trying not to look surprised at the surprisingly kind offer from Hold, Glitter chiming in. "He's right you know! The others would be so disappointed not to see you when you're so close, and they'd want to meet Keeper. Come on!"

Flawed looked to Keeper then, a tilt of his head given. "I-is that something you want to do? M-meet my other kids?" well maybe he didn't want to...it really was best to ask.