The Sun Says HELLO

@Katja

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Though it's only been a mere couple months since their birth, he still mourned the still-birthed siblings of the ones he was guarding this morning while @Ira could go stretch her legs for a bit. Their little bodies not drinking in the air to breathe life into them, now perhaps not even bones could be left with how small and fragile they were...

In all honesty he wasn't curious enough to check.

Even if they weren't his children, or Ira's (which somehow made it worse than it being his kids, it was the fact they were Ira's that hurt him far worse). Still he hadn't been able to come around to talk to her about it all. Nor was he certain if he could, forget wondering if Ira even wanted to talk about it.

Though he mourned them, Hieronymous wouldn't waste their newest litter's youngest years mourning. There was a fragile balance he could manage, and somehow, he made it work. Today he thought about them, while babysitting for the living remaining ones. Katja between his forearms while he gave her a little bath. Her siblings to the side to keep his peripherals trained on them all the while doing his fatherly duties.

“Hold still little one,” He'd be annoyed if it wasn't so damn cute.

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“Dad!”

The little iceling complained loudly, straining against his hold to try and get away from his tongue and the bath he was trying to give her. She didn't want to be cleaned by someone else; she knew how to clean herself, and wanted to do it on her own. Despite her early onset protests, her father had still picked her up and set about his self-appointed task.

“Dad, I can do it,” She said. Her normally quiet nature was overshadowed by two facts: fact one was that it was her dad; fact two was that she was a stubborn and independent girl, and liked to do things by herself. This led to her trying to escape his hold, not realizing that she was twisting one of her legs in the process.

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Most, if not all children fought against their parents' preening. Baths were never really fun, but it was necessary. They wriggled and protested just as Katja was right now. Assuring that she could already do it herself. “I know you can!” Purposely he put on a tone of pride for his daughter's individuality and abilities. “But let me enjoy being your dad a little while longer, okay?” He hoped it would help her choose to stay still as opposed to wrestling the girl.

She, like Rea, had taken his illness and Hieronymous was reminded as he saw her leg twist unnaturally. Pausing and moving out of her way to free the leg in question and for a moment... he was saddened by this reminder. Pulling back and giving the girl some more space, he placed his dappled chin on the paws she was resting on moments ago - wishing he could smell her like Ira could - and how she must have the same trouble. “How about you show me?” He smiled.

Perhaps she would do better with some guidance as opposed to him doing it for her.

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The tiny iceling huffed at him, pale green eyes squeezing closed as she fought to wriggle away from him, completely oblivious to the way her leg turned in a way that many would find painful. She tumbled forward when he released her, face meeting the dirt in the ungainly way that puppies often contended with. It was only when she stood to turn around and face him again that she found her leg momentarily unable to hold her chubby weight, turning to glare, confused, as it buckled beneath her.

Butt on the ground, Katja frowned mightily. Her father’s instruction passed her by in the moment as the girl tried to sort out what had just happened. Looking up at him, Katja looked just as confused as before. “Why’s my leg not working?”
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His heart sank seeing how Katja fell. He was normally a lot gentler than this with their pups and he cursed internally to himself for not taking more care with her. His smile was worrysome, but trying his best to be supportive and not coddle the strong little woman who did her best to stand on her own feet...

and his worry only grew when her own question answered his. He hissed at the sight, panic bubbling deep within him - something that was getting harder to hide behind a smile. @Ira would kill him if he was so careless with their most vulnerable ones - neigh, he'd jump off a cliff himself for such ignorance and pain to think that he hadn't done everything he could for them.

“We're going to see the medic.” He was stern, he'd give her no room to struggle this time and began a plan. They'd have to wait for Ira to be done her rounds before heading out, not wanting to leave the other siblings unwatched. “Katja... you have much to learn, more than your siblings. Right now is not the time... right now we need to get your leg looked over.” And the only one he could think of that was fit for the job, was @Quicksilver.

He'd have to carry his daughter to their mountains to make sure she didn't strain it further. Thankfully with the change of landscape, Shiroshika was closer than ever. “Once mom can watch your brothers and sisters, we will leave to get you seen.” And he was growing impatient for the first time... itchy to move.

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“Why?” She questioned him, that young stare demanding answers before she went to see the medic. Besides, it seemed to get better and better as time wore on; she had been testing it as she sat there, until she could firmly place her paw on the ground once more. That test successful, the green eyed girl stood — carefully — with her gaze now pointed down at her leg to watch it tremble for a moment before it went away.

Next, she took one step. Then another. Then a few more. “I'm fine. See?”

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Even with Katja so calm and collected, Hieronymous knew better than to listen. Normally one had to listen to their children and how they felt. Letting them learn through guided experience, but Katja was her sister and father. Cursed to feel nothing, and even with her so proudly standing. Showing her concerned father her leg as though nothing was wrong - he knew better.

“My dear. You and I, if we lost our leg we wouldn't know. Please listen to daddy okay? We're gonna get Quicksilver to look at it.” Stepping just a foot out of the den, he'd call @Ira to them. Beckoning his wife to come care for the other children as an emergency came up. He was certain she wouldn't mind - perhaps furious that he had let it happen at all.

Meanwhile, waiting for Ira to appear, he turned to his wounded youngest. “Can you explain to me what hunger feels like?” Gently he'd teach her, letting Katja figure it out through prompts such as these. She, Rea and their father wouldn't be able to explain such a simple feeling that all others would have no problem describing in great detail.

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She opened her mouth to protest, to insist that she would know if her leg was missing. It was her leg and she was not a dumb-dumb. But he said please, and he and Mother had taught them their manners. When someone said please, it was good to listen to them. At least right now, until she was older, they said. “Who's Quicksilver?” She asked after a small, short huff.

“It's when you have to eat,” She answered, as matter-of-fact as a puppy could be, even if she was wrong. She had no clue that hunger felt like something squeezing your stomach, that she could get headaches and feel weak when she did not eat. She answered with what she knew, without knowing that there was much more to it than that.

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“He is an old friend of your mother and I. He, like your mom and I, lead a pack. We are allies.” He tried to explain it as simply as he could for the young pup. Huffing or not, Hiero can only hope that one day Katja would understand. Just as he did after a few years why his parents did the same. But unlike them, he had experience under his belt with this curse of theirs.

He hoped to do better than his parents could have. Despite them doing everything they thought was right; which to an extent had worked. He was an adult now, married with children. Assisting in leading the pack his wife had made. If only mom and dad could see him now. Surely they would be filled with pride.

“But do you know when to eat? Your siblings cry when they are hungry, why don't you?” He approached it as softly as possible. Hoping Katja could come to a conclusion of her own. “Why do you follow their lead when it's time to eat and when to stop?” She, like he, couldn't feel the hunger pains demanding food to be satiated. The feeling of fullness pushing against their organs painfully when eating too much, it was a balance all three of them had to learn.

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“He leads with you and Mother?” For the little iceling had not heard of another pack just yet, though she would absorb the information all the same. If she was to rise to the challenge of the gods Mother had mentioned, then Katja would need to learn all that she could as quickly as she could.

She paused, frowning as her young mind processed that inner statement. If she was going to learn a lot... Did the mean she had to listen to Dad now?

“Because crying is dumb,” She would answer with slight indignance. She had never cried; not when she was born, and not since. Her siblings did, but Katja had never felt the need nor the desire. As for his second question, she thought about it for another moment before she threaded together a somewhat question-formed answer. “Well... You and Mother told' me to. And I'm s'posed to lissen?” She huffed then, her frown deeping. “I don' undersand.”

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“Note quite, but close.” He was failing to teach her the ways their world works, a small detail but one that made him chuckle. “I will show you in a moment.” But first, Ira had to come to watch the rest of her siblings so he can take Katja without being concerned for the rest.

Confusion settled in, it was a dark, opaque cloud that Hiero hoped to make sense of. A cloud that Katja would have to fight off herself, with his guidance if she would trust him enough to follow. “Crying, can also be the only way to communicate.” He'd gently nudge her into a different way of thinking. “Before you can talk, crying is the only way your mother and I can know you need something. Your siblings did that, you, did not.” He paused, letting that sink in. “We could never know what you needed, because you didn't know yourself;— and neither can I.”

Hopefully she would see he was speaking with experience. Not in a mocking or derisive way, but one that stemmed from concern. With an abundance of love and hope she could live a long and happy life despite of a major life changing drawback.

Ira had finally come to relieve him of his duties for watching the rest of the puppies. He explained to her briefly what occurred and what his plan was, offering her a kiss before taking Katja with him on a journey South. He'd carry her there, not wanting to strain her leg more than it possibly was - and instead he would strain himself by carrying a puppy who was certainly big enough by now to walk.

During their travel there, he would continue his lesson with Katja on what pain was, and why they were different.

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