"You will," said a voice from behind, "Maybe someday, you'll be a better hunter than even he was."

James stepped forward and stared at the grave for a moment, before looking away, "Why don't you come inside, Abraxas? Even if you can't catch anything, at least fruit don't move when you pick them. I grabbed a bunch on the way here. Some peaches, mangos, and apples."

He turned and fluttered up to the top floor of the tree house, waiting for the cub to either jump or climb after him. If she needed assistance, he would provide, of course, but he still felt like a stranger here, like trying to be a parent to these children just wasn't allowed.

Shaking his head, he lowered his head and dropped his net of fruit onto the ground, pulling it away from the center of the room so that he wouldn't be in the way. The fruits were meticulously separated into piles, a pile of apples, peaches, and mangos. He took an apple for himself before laying down, fluffing up his wings in case snuggles were needed or wanted.

At least he could provide that. Comfort.

James smiled gently, his lip scarred from a snake biting him in the face, "Comet wasn't always the hunter she is today. She struggled so hard, but with practice and determination, she learned. She had help from Ari, but now you have help from her. I'm certain that she'd be delighted to teach you her skills."

He took a bite out of a peach and watched Abraxas eat, lifting a wing to drape over the half-feline and drag her closer, a bit possessive despite his best efforts. He'd become especially cuddly over the past while.

"We met here, in Eridanus," he said softly, eyes sad, "When we were children, we'd play tag through the trees. But... we grew up too fast, you see. We moved to Orion and brought you with us. You were only a stone then, little one. He loved you more than anything, you know. You didn't even have life yet, but he insisted that you were going to be great."

He went quiet and looked away, heart hurting. He missed Aristotle, the lion cub he'd met in Eridanus. Not the one that had gaslighted him, intentionally or no. The one that had driven him away, in the end, and doomed himself.

"I was born in Cetus," he said, "A gloomy place, filled with mud and gloom. But I met friends, there. Dragon and Khloros. An alligator and a horse like me, but without the wings. The mud sticks to your fur, though, and is difficult to clean. I avoid it, if I can."

James nodded gently at the hybrid's question, "You were the world to him. To us. Sometimes we fought and I felt like I couldn't leave even though he told me to. But what kind of a person would I have been to leave him to raise you? He was still a child. Sometimes I feel like I am, too. We grew up too fast, and if I am to give you one small piece of advice, Abraxas... there is no rush to grow up. Sure, you supposedly mature at 4 cycles of age, but it up to you to decide when you feel like an adult."

He sighed and took another bite of apple, laughing at her description of Cetus, nodding in agreement. It definitely was icky.

"I've been all over!", he said, "There's a cave with a volcano in it, but the rest of it is a vast ocean with sandy beaches. Underneath it all is a vast forge, with lava and rock, and sweltering hot. Weapons are made there, you see, by a person called the Blacksmith."

He was so happy to share his stories. It was a literal dream come true, ever since those nights sitting next to the large stone, speaking to it gently about his day.

"I've made a house in a place called Pegasus," he said, "It is a vast cave, the biggest I've ever seen! Plains and meadows sprawl across it, with massive forests and mountains, and a smaller cave with a beautiful space inside. A pond with a white serpent in it."

James nodded gently and leaned down to nuzzle Abraxas gently, before leaning down a bit more to preen her little baby feathers. They were just so soft and cute! He couldn't resist.

"I would love to take you!", he said, bumping his head against hers gently, "You'd have to ride on my back if you don't want to walk that far, it's an awful long way."

He listened to the story of Mary and snickered. She reminded him of Comet already, making off on her own to explore.

"It should be big enough," he said, "We'll mostly be inside sleeping, anyway, since most of our time spent is outside doing something or another. We're either inside out of the rain or inside to sleep, right? It's plenty big enough for us all to cuddle up inside, and I think that's what counts."

He fluffed up his wings and shook himself out, turning into a snuggly marshmallow perfect for snuggle times. He chomped down a few more apples before pressing up against her.

"You know, I chrysalized not long ago," he mumbled, "It was scary- there were a lot of snakes, you see. It was why I was gone for so long. I'm very sorry."

He wished he could hide the new scars, the bites all over. He already had enough as there was.

James smiled gently and pressed his nose to her head, "Of course, my dear. You can all decorate the house when we arrive. It'll make the place a lot more comfortable, that's for sure."

He theorized that the moving things could be done relatively easy with the amount of gembounds being able to carry things. He himself could make multiple trips in a short amount of time, and Comet and Sun could carry some things, the children able to bring smaller items with them.

"I have plenty of pelts in the house in Pegasus," he said, "They're very warm too, it's like a massive pile of them."

James nuzzled against Abraxas, huffing softly, "I won't leave that easily, darling. I have my family here to protect, I can't stay asleep forever."

He appreciated the hug, eyes closing as he reveled in it.

"Hey, why don't we start painting things now?", James said, "We just have to look around for different things to grind up and color. Stones, fruit, and feathers could work."