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Minders are a peculiar species... Unlike other Sentinels they seem to like to crowd together. Part of it is an act of convenience. Gathering together is the best and most efficient way to guard the next generation after all. But still, being surrounded by nothing but needy hatchlings, rowdy fledglings and other Minders takes a special sort of Sentinel.

The Deep Woods has one particularly large enclave where most eggs, hatchlings and fledglings from the area end up. There are subgroups within the enclave and some of them have found a niche in providing part time minding for combatant parents, male only minding, or type specific minding – Wildtype only and guaranteed to be free from aberrants!

For the parents who don't have a preference for the one minding their offspring there's a central nest where new arrivals can be dropped off. The nest is usually watched by a Minder or two, and for the Minders this is usually a good place to take a break from the demanding chicks and gossip a bit.

Specific details: Ty and Liam are in or near the central drop-off area when Amberglow arrives to deliver her new hatchlings for a night's care while she prepares for a short journey to collect ingredients.

(Scara, play as long as you can, but try to write Liam out when you have to leave for your vacation.)

Ty eyed the medium sized landing that had been built ages ago to serve as a main drop off area for parents in the Deep Woods area who needed a break from their children. Some needed breaks longer than others. He chuckled at his own thought, and went about picking up a little. There were too many little things that could be dangerous if hatchlings (or fledglings) tried to eat.

Dune watched what his Sentinel was doing, and copied his actions, nudging small twigs and molted feathers off the edge of the landing, watching them fall from branch to branch, over leaves, until they were out of sight. He glanced up and saw a mother coming in with a basket in her claws and bounced up and down, scurring over and tugging at Typhoon's primary feathers.

"What is it, Dune...Oh, a mother! How lovely! Hello there!" The Mist Minder called, waving a friendly wing at the incoming Sentinel. Typhoon knew the Wildtype from sight, but her name escaped him.

The Mist’s cheerful welcome was an immediate boost to Amber’s mood. After making her landing, she shook out her feathers and straightened with a smile on her face. “And hello to you!” she said. Beaming down at the young ones in her basket, the Wildtype female spoke to reassure them once more. “He doesn’t look so scary to me. You wouldn’t mind staying with him, right?”

A thought occurred to her, and she looked up at the Minder. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not intruding while you’re off-duty, am I?”

Moments later, the flare of a Sentinel’s wings caught her attention. She turned her head and saw a second Minder alighting on the platform. She returned his greeting nod, feeling much better about this whole thing. After all, the more eyes there were to watch her babies, the safer they would be!

"Yep, that's me. You're Typhoon, aren't you?" Liam waddled towards the basket, too, watching the adorable fluffs. "Aww, lookatem!" he cooed. Looking up at the Wildtype female, he nodded in appreciation for her hard work. "What are their names?"

"Aye, that's my name." Typhoon said to Liam, glancing at the other Minder and then beaming as the little boys squeaked, reaching down and preening the tops of their heads.

"Hello Ashton and DustWing," he whispered, his eartufts twitching at the regret in her voice at having to leave the third egg in their clutch to the Minders.

"Oh dearie, you're so strong to keep two of your eggs, let alone three! It's tough work raising a hatchling, and I--we--would know. I doubt it would be very hard at all to find out where little Brook is, we Minders are quite the braggarts about our charges." Typhoon said, smiling playfully. The grey Minder then blinked his nictitating membranes and fluffed his wings, suddenly realizing he didn't know the young mother's name.

"Pardon me for my rudeness in not asking earlier, miss, but what is your name?" The Mist Sentinel asked.

Typhoon’s praise of her strength was lifting Amberglow from her melancholy. Her eartufts rose again as he continued, “I doubt it would be very hard at all to find out where little Brook is, we Minders are quite the braggarts about our charges."

When he asked for her pardon and her name, the Wildtype felt good enough to smile again. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m guilty of the same! I am Amberglow, but please, call me Amber.” She directed the request to both Minders, whom she felt were more than trustworthy.

The second Minder’s sudden departure had come as a surprise, but she was fast enough to call out, “Thank you, Liam!” to him as he flew away.

"I'll only be out for the night," she told him, a small grin slipping across her face. "Hopefully that means they won't have time to give you any trouble."

She preened both hatchlings again, still having second thoughts about leaving them in the care of strangers.

"Typhoon, I was wondering... Besides seeing Brook, will Ashton and DustWing be put with others of their age while they're here? It's a good idea to socialize them, right?"

"Oh, of course!" Amber wasn't that knowledgeable about raising young, but she was quick to agree with the Minder. After all, it was his Task to care for them, so he had to be right!

The Wildtype mother's mind shifted, for a moment, back to her own Task. The night was getting older, and she'd need all the time she could get. She felt sure she could trust this fellow, and made up her mind to let go of her hatchlings, just for a while. Just a while, and then she'd have them back at home safe and sound.

"I should be off," she said, lifting a wing to check her flight feathers. "May I leave the basket with you?"