& After his patrol with Kel, Uriel had taken to gathering things. Soft things, fluffy things... He wasn't sure what drove him, but lately he wanted to find all sorts of warm and gentle things. He wanted to surround Fred with them, to bundle her up in it. His tail was curled through the handle of a basket, woven by one of the bonded creatures that had actual hands, as he returned to his... Den? Nest? Home.... Personal space, with Fred. The last the stallion had seen earlier, the matriarch of the herd had been in there and...
Now that Uriel dwelled on it, he was embarrassed at himself for how he'd acted. He'd puffed his feathers all up, wings on display to make him look bigger, and he'd made displeased owl noises. He was sure if Valda saw, she'd mock him for it from a high perch. He sighed, then paused, glancing at the entryway to their little private grotto. He didn't see Fred's mother... Slowly, Uriel stepped in, glancing around. No, she wasn't there. "I'm back, Fred. I brought some more soft things. Don't know why I keep looking for them, but... Well..." He set the basket down, claws clicking slightly on the ground as he watched, hoping she liked them.
Waking from her impromtu nap, Fred yawn big before giving the big male a soft smile, "You're fine love. I am sorry I was snappy with you this morn. I've a lot on me mind. I didn't expect Maxine to ambush me with mam over it."
Nodding her head for him to come join her in the nest, Fred waited till he was settled to lean against him with a soft little nicker, "How was Kel?"
The winged stallion let out a sound, the two pairs of wings rustling quietly. When he'd settled in the nest, he nuzzled her, then smiled lightly. "It went well, nothing out of the ordinary today. Everybody's doing their usual things, kelpies included. I think Aiden's started calling to someone or something, though, but I can't tell who or what." It... Honestly, it did slightly concern him. Who could the kelpie be calling to their swamp? What was his motivation? Was he starting to do like his sisters and lure somebody long enough to have progeny with? But the sisters had the benefit of flight, so they could very easily leave long enough to find and flirt with someone and then return before having more little kelpies and kelpie-mixes.
Instead of dwelling, though, Uriel rested his chin on top of Fred's head. "What about you? How did the talk with your mother go?"
Fred hummed fanitly in amusement, "Ah, Aiden's a good lad, he's likely just lonely. All of us partnered up, save fer his sisters and he's young! No older than wee Brig and Rowan! Both of whom have found their life partners, might I add."
There was a hint of sadness in her words as, for a moment, she thought of Aod. They had never found the young kitsune, only a puddle of blood with the tracks of wolves and a shifter. The whole herd still mourned for the lad, but they knew he was dead.
Blinking when his words drew her from her melancholy thoughts, Fred cleared her throat,"Aye, we had a nice talk. Confirmed a few things I been thinking."
That had Uriel humm a bit. "I suppose... I just worry about who or what he might call to us, that's all." If it was something dangerous, he was prepared to fight it. If not, well... He wouldn't have to fight anything, then. But he was also aware that not all of the kelpies were so keen on being near the 'land dwellers' as Aiden and his sisters.
Family trait, he supposed, given they all had traits from more land-based Soquili. The sisters had wings, for spirits' sake!
The stallion's head tilted slightly, cheek rubbing at the hair between her ears. "Oh? What kind of things?" He resisted the urge to nibble at her horn, even with the memory of doing that to his non-flying mother's tail as well as that of his uncle's and cousins' tails. He'd done it exactly once to his half-sister's ankle wings and had gotten a swift lesson to not, so clearly the rest of his family was very tolerant of his nibbling.
"I've faith that you and tha other laochraidh will keep us safe if it comes ta a fight." Fred gave him a loving look as she tilted her head to nuzzle before taking a deep breath, "Well, things like the herd growing fer one."
That got a little amused chuff from Uriel. "Yes, with the way Brig and Rowan are with their loves..." Which caused a pang thinking of Aod. That was part of why the patrols, in hopes of spotting the young fox. Maybe a miracle had happened and he wasn't dead. Uriel knew it was more likely that he was, but he still had a tiny bit of hope. "And Hari and Moina! Little paws are sure to be following them soon."
Somewhere, Sara sensed her son was being an oblivious idiot.
It took all her willpower not to laugh but Fred kept her tone light,"Oh? Looking forward ta there being little paws and hooves about?"
Something was up... He could sense it. "Maybe. I mean, Moina does deserve it after everything... Though where would the hooves come from? Unless Kel and Mickey are successful in their appeals to the spirits... Wait are your parents expecting more?"
"Well they will be in the family line aye but no mam is no expecting. Though I'm sure she'd love to have a few more. Never seen someone born with such a need to mam others." Fred chuckled getting into her little game, not that she thought it would last long, Uriel was smart even if he was a wee bit slow at hints.
"So then Mickey and Kel- No, Kel would have said something..." It had him wondering, as his wings spread to blanket Fred. He couldn't explain it, still, but he felt like the wings covering her kept her safe, hidden, warm. He gave in, gently nibbling at her horn. Then he stopped. "Is there a chance... There might be little claws...?"
Oh ho! So he was finally catching on was he? Still that nibbling had felt nice, so Fred just hummed again and gently nudged her horn at him. "Oh aye, there is a chance. Stong one of wings as well."
Uriel's tail curled around Fred, eyes starting to shine with delight. "Maybe... Multiple pairs of wings? To emphasise his question, he spread the wings out that weren't draped over Fred's back. If he was cottoning on right, this would explain why he was feeling so... So protective of Fred, why he was trying to make everything soft and warm for her.
"Oh aye," Fred chuckled giving him a tender look at his growing excitement. "Sets o' wings be coming from both sides of the family after all."
Nuzzling into Fred's mane, Uriel started making happy chirps and hoots and churrs. A part of him said he should be embarassed to make such sounds, not having made them since he was a foal, but he couldn't help it - He was excited! "Fred this is wonderful news! Everybody will be-" Then he stopped, eyes widening a moment. "Oh, but what will Mickey and Kel say? They've been begging the spirits for a while now, ever since Moina's kits were little..." A spike of guilt went through him. Then he thought of his cousin, Euphoria, and how he'd been seeking help from the spirits with his own mate since before Uriel had even been born. The chances of his family finding out, though, weren't... Strong chances... Though he supposed he could send Valda to take them word.
Her smile went a little sad as she nodded,"I thought about that too, but mam reminded me that they will cherish these little ones just as they did Moina's kits. The gods will bless them with young when it is time. Kel will likely try to claim the favorite uncle role."
That gave Uriel some consideration. "Yeah, he probably will. Though right now there's not much competition for that title on my side." So far as he knew, he had one sister. It'd been a while, though, since he'd seen either of his mothers - The one in the Flock in particular it had been quite a while. Okay, he'd deifnitely ask the owl to visit them and get updates.
"Just think, the two of you will have ta teach them how ta fly," Fred nuzzled him sweetly.
"I think Kel's methods might be a bit more unique to him, though they're still good to know... Just in case." Who knew what could happen in one's lifetime? Uriel himself had been learning to fly closed-eyed just in case, because he didn't know if something or someone was going to go for his face.
