Everything that was said, he picked up on quite clearly. That he was disruptive, headstrong, and he kept sneaking off after tests. that all they wanted was the best for him, and that they weren't blaming Ka'tija's parenting skills in the least. That he was a wild child, and that he needed to focus in order to graduate. That something needed to be done.

Close to tears, Trinket burrowed into his mane of hair the best he could as soon as he heard the door click open. The gentle hand of his mother touching the top of his head, then both hands cupping his cheeks as she knelt down, her clam, soothing voice only pushed him over the edge and he began to bawl. As embarassed as he was to be crying where someone could see him, he just couldn't help it. So sure was he that he was in trouble, or that his mother was in trouble, or that this meant he had to be taken away from her that he was inconsolable. So hard did he cry that he didn't even notice when his mother picked him up, cradled him as he cried into her bare shoulder, and was taken home to their tree. He didn't even notice that he'd fallen asleep in her arms, that she stayed with him through the night, singing to him.

The morning is when he finally came back down to earth.

Their hair tangled within the other's, damp with his tears, Ka'tija holding his small form close and Trinket himself curled up into a fetal position. Ka'tija had noticed him blinking awake, but not whispers of promises that everything was okay could soothe him completely. No combing of her fingers through his hair could comfort him entirely. Listening closely, he was assured that no, he was not going to be taken away. That he just needed to focus on his studies, and not running off to be like his mother.

"I know it doesn't seem like it, my precious Trinket..." Ka'tija started, sitting up and pulling her obviously upset son into her lap, "But I had to go to school as well. My mother raised me as she wished...but the world around us was going to leave us behind. It took me a while, too..." She admitted as she gently fussed with his hair, "Eventually you realize...you need to do things you might not want to do in order to achieve the things you do."

Taking a deep, shuddering breath Trinket slowly nodded. Understanding, but not yet ready to vocalize out of fear of breaking down again. Thankfully, Ka'tija understood perfectly. Forever thankful he'd been blessed with a mother such as her, he leaned up and gave her a kiss on her cheek as soon as she was done re-tying his hair up, and shimmied off her lap to let her get back to work. Wanting so badly for her to stay, he knew she had work to do, clients to see...

When she was gone, Trinket made his mind up. He had to shapen up. Shirking his studies was going to make school take longer, and it would halt his eventual dream to live in the wilds like his mother, and his grandmother.

Trinket was going to study everything he could. Even math. Graduate. And then do the only thing he wants to really do.

Return to where the wild things are.