It would be a solid three or four hours before Aure would even stir slightly awake, and it was to the fleeting scent of food and the slight scuffle of a wing and talons. Bleary little red eyes blinked some time later, finding the solitude of Giggle's den. Picking his head up brought a little scraping sensation to the top of his head, and he recoiled. Twisting his neck, he realized that it was simply some plants and low-hanging fungi. Nothing to be concerned about. With a yawn that cracked his jaw, the baby stumbled lazily to his feet.

As the world swam into focus, the little wyvern noticed a large figure in the den, perhaps also sleeping, with some dead cave rats at their side. Not wanting to wake Mother up, he carefully ambled around her. Approaching the half-eaten corpse closest to him, he began to shake with excitement, blunt little talons scraping across the stone. Nearly hopping toward the food, Aure clicked his beak. Leaning down low and turning his head to the side slightly, he sheared off a little scrap of meat. Once it was firmly grasped in his mouth, he threw his head back and swallowed it.

Whether or not Mother woke up, he'd continue to eat until he was about to explode.

@Giggle

Giggle heard Aure eating; she hadn't been asleep, merely resting, one eye open. A nod to Eythan when he'd delivered the meal--but she had to remain quiet so as not to wake the hatchling. When she heard the tear and gulp that signified mealtime, she slowly rolled over onto her side, turning her head upside-down to watch.

There she lay, not interrupting, allowing Aure to stuff his face.

Some part of her felt a mother's love toward Aure--strongly so--warm and protective. Yet, somehow, it didn't feel like her child--not in the way that Skeena and the others did. Was it merely because she hadn't had time alone with him, yet?

She wondered, distantly, if it was something more. Perhaps she'd considered this Azazel's child so strongly--and still did--that her responsibilities came before her feelings. That she considered Aure Azazel's child, and her own duty to raise and assist, and eventually to serve in a sense, rather than a child to mother.

Perhaps it was for the best; she valued honor, and a queen raising a prince by doting on him and binding them ever-closer was only a puppeteer.

...But damn, he was cute.

Look at those little feathers! And those bright eyes. And that glinting gem-brow-... that was, too, somehow adorable.

The hyena warmed, a little, contentedly watching, before at last offering a few soft words laced with humor.

"Hungry, I see."

________________

ROLL THE BONES

@Auré

Aure heard the slight shift of Mother as she rolled onto her back to watch him eat, not yet speaking. Even though he was aware that she was watching, he continued to cleave off bits of meat. Only when he got down to bone on the particular spot that he was working on did he whirl around clumsily. Big, round ears flicking forward, he gave an excited chirp. "Food!"

Then, trying to remember the manners that Tanny had taught him, Aure looked down pensively, brow furrowing. Perking up with a bright memory, he pitter-pattered over to Giggle, nuzzling her chin eagerly. "Thank you!" Of course, he assumed Mother had brought the meal for him. It wouldn't matter if he knew that she didn't. There'd still be the delighted thank-you for saving food for him.

@Giggle

Giggle grunted, flopping more fully onto her side before rolling upright, her voice amiable.

"I didn't bring it, but yes--food is good." She paced over to Aure, moving to groom the hybrid baby's head, for a moment. Who'd been the first to feed Aure? Eythan? No--Vinea had, back on the hatching-day. Giggle felt a faint pang of regret--she'd not thought to give the child his first meal. It would have held meaning.

She sat back on her haunches, gazing down warmly.

"Your father helped find my first meal, when I was new, like you are now," she told Aure. She wasn't certain how much he'd understand, but it didn't matter. "It's important to get plenty of it."

She lowered herself to lay by the cub-hatching, sphynxlike, on her chest. Her gaze was content.

Somewhere in the distance, Omen's cry echoed on the air, and Giggle felt her questioning, warm, absent mind. The bird was half-distracted somewhere, hunting for her own food perhaps, and wondering what it was that Giggle was feeling love for.

The hyena sent back an image of Aure, freshly-slicked with the gore of his meal, with amusement--before leaning forward to try and clean him more thoroughly.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

@Auré

In the weeks following his emergence, Aure had picked up a bit of words and general concepts, especially with the help of his siblings and Mother. It was simply a matter of being a little too shy to form sentences longer than two or three words. He wasn't too fluent in the actual practice of speech, only understanding it. Even if Mother did not bring the food, he was grateful nonetheless and gave her a happy little nuzzle on the cheek as she rolled.

He fell quiet at the gentle grooming, relishing the warmth and feeling of cleanliness it had provided. "Father?" He peeped softly, rather unfamiliar with the word. It sounded like sister, brother, mother --- was it, perhaps, a member of a family? Like a boy mother? His head turned abruptly toward the lilting, haunting cry, a surprised chirp slipping from his beak, questioning. "Omen?"

Aure didn't complain when Mother leaned down to groom him more thoroughly, even leaning into the sensation and shuffling ever-closer.

@Giggle

"Father--yes. Azazel, the Bone King." Giggle licked the young one's feathers for a moment, cleaning them of blood, but paused in some surprise at the mention of Omen. Had the little one read her mind, or had she spoken of the bird before..? It was impressive, either way, to have picked it up and already associated the name with the bird's cry. "Yes," she agreed, the surprise audible in her tone. "That's Omen. What else can you say?" This last bit was kindly--encouraging; Giggle was hoping that Aure would take the prompt and possibly rattle off some other knowledge.

If he did, they could reinforce what Aure had already learned, and perhaps carefully add to it. Giggle leaned a little closer, snuggling into the child--both to provide warmth, and simply to be closer. She was feeling more affectionate, now, and for a moment her thoughts were with Azazel.

I don't know if you're looking down at us--or up, or whatever--but maybe everything'll work out all right. I wish you could be here. He's adorable, isn't he..?

________________

ROLL THE BONES

@Auré

Aure wasn't quite sure what exactly a "King" was, but he sure knew what a bone was. "King," he relished, enjoying the clicking sound hard k's provided. As soon as Mother stopped licking at him, the little one grew a little indignant and began to preen at his own chest, somehow meaning to make some point. Rather unsuccessfully, he might add. Anyways, his big 'ol ears moved forward again, asking what other things he could say. Taking it a little literally, he took in a huge gasp (far bigger than could be expected from someone so little) and began to rattle off words he knew:

"Giggle," he started, with a smile at Mother, "Vinea, Skeena, Eythan, word, bone, wing, eat, food, father, mother, sister, brother, Omen, bird, feather, watch, look, jump, fly, say, talk, yell, scream, hunt, beak, teeth---" --- a breath to think --- "walk, baby, gem, stone, rock, scratch, rat, claw, you, me, I, do, who, what, where, when, why, how, yes, no."

Already rather exhausted by his efforts, he sagged visibly and shuffled as close to Mother as possible. "Tanny telled me no eat Omen." Broken grammar and tenses, but rather accurate, nonetheless.

@Giggle

One of her thoughts was certainly Who the hell is Tanny? but for a moment she let that slide. Instead she listened to the long list, ears pricking up, attentively. When the little one finished, she spoke warmly once more.

"Good, that's very good! Words are important. Communication! It's always important to be clear about how you feel. To be... honest! For example, do you want me to groom you more?" A brief grin; she could certainly tell the little one's intent clearly enough. "In that case you can just ask for it, and say, 'please.' That's the polite way to ask for something. You already know how to say thank you; that's very good!" All of this was offered slowly, gently; she didn't want to flood Aure with too much at once. Instead she was holding a conversation, easygoing, but simplified for his childlike mind.

Back to this "Tanny," then. She'd thought it'd meant Eythan--perhaps it still did--but the baby could say "Eythan" clearly. Who, then, was it?

"And yes, thank you for not eating Omen. Omen is my friend. Do you know what a friend is? --Tanny, is that what you call Eythan?"

________________

ROLL THE BONES

@Auré

Aure was quick to perk up his ears far more than imaginable, chirping eagerly, "yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Already vibrating with excitement, the little wyvern shuffled backward so that Mother could reach him more easily. As an afterthought, he added, "please!" Grinning and clicking his beak, he wiggled his little feather-tail. Waiting for even a single lick, he plonked back down onto his haunches, sitting in a manner similar to a tyrannosaurus.

"Omen is friend! No hunt, no eat." Then, trying to think of other things to attach to the word, he questioned quietly, "family is friend?" When Mother asked who Tanny was, the little wyvern turned toward the direction of the den's opening. Wings fluttering, Aure turned back toward her and nodded vigorously. "Eythan is Tanny! Fun… uh, name!" Well, he really meant nickname, but such was the limit of his vocabulary.

@Giggle

Giggle obligingly went back to grooming the hybrid, tongue rasping almost catlike over his head. She was affectionate, friendly, as she pulled feather filaments up and cleaned them, then settled them back down.

At length, she spoke again, though she paused often to continue her grooming.

"Don't forget to say thank you," she reminded him, voice hoarse but tone gentle. It wasn't something she'd normally care too much about, but the last thing she wanted to do was raise a King with no humility. Giggle would raise no bully! No tyrant! No; he must be respectful, as Azazel had been, as any good king should be. He must listen to his people, and decide firmly but fairly.

She turned her mind to the little one's question, pondering for a moment the subtle and some not-so-subtle differences between "friends" and "family." She had considered Azazel family; Kerberos a son, and Bones too. Yet none of them had magical or gemstone relationship to her.

"Friends are those you like, and maybe trust. They're close to you! Not--as in nearby, but close, you hold them close to your heart and care for them. You look out for one another, a little. Family's like that, but--more. Family are the ones who gave you life, or a piece of their gemstone to bring you to life! The ones who raise you from being a child, or the ones you raise from childhood. The ones you care for above all else, you trust completely, you'd fight for! We are together, even when we're apart--family is always with you, here."

Giggle gently pushed a paw up to touch the front of Aure's chest, knowing that perhaps she was going a little too metaphorical for the young one--but it was a lesson, perhaps, that he would remember and only later understand.

If he understood it later, that was enough to make it worthwhile. She did try her best to clarify it, regardless.

"In your thoughts, and in your heart--in your feelings. You and I--we're family; and--... 'Tanny,' too. Vinea, and Skeena, and Serek though you've not met him; Azazel, even though he's gone, and Bones, and Kerberos. You'll meet them, someday." She leaned down to nuzzle the chick-bird affectionately, nose brushing through his muddy brown feathers, before grooming him further.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

@Auré