Almost the Last to Know
Characters: Aikuen, William
Location: Camp
Camp
Its early morning. On the day that the group returns back to Moledeep. And it seems there are a few otters that are already up and about... Well. Kinda. Aik and Fira lean up against each other. Propped up. And both asleep. From last night when Aik said he wouldn't move unless she woke up first. Well. She never woke up. So he fell asleep as well. Still in the same spot. Though the Hardtack is long gone and ate. The little ones are not there. But given the time. They are still probably asleep in the tent.
It may be early but the otters aren't the only ones awake. Will is sitting by the firepit where the fire from last night had burned out. He strikes flit against his blade as he'd often seen Aik do rekindling the fire. As the fire starts to catch the rat adds a more wood to the pit slow so as not to smother the flames. Amy is still sleeping in their tent and Will has too been preoccupied with the fire to take much notice of anyone else who may be up. He may hear the others but they're family and no threat so less time is spent paying attention to them.
Aikuen continues to sleep on. Up until he hears some oh so familiar noise. And unlike his other half. He can wake to see what's going on. He creaks an eye open. Not moving anything else but that. And he smirks, "Im watching you... from great distance" he snorts with a yawn
"So?" the rat responds quietly. He knows that voice. he shifts a log a bit with his sword, the flames flicker and lap at it hungrily. "... Morning," Will says after a few moments not lifting his eye from the small fire.
Aikuen raises an eyebrow, "What bug bit you this morning?" he asks with his tone. Very much so down. And the otter doesn't respond to the morning. Not happy with Wills morning attitude.
William turn his head to look at the otters and gives a half shrug. "Sorry. Didn't get much sleep last night." He's does look a little tired and he isn't usually the one to start the fires due to not normally being up this early. "How are th otters today?" he asks giving his father a small smile to cheer the old otter up as he seems to dislike non-morning beasts today.
Aikuen's voice goes back to its bouncy self. Going to tilt his head, "Oh. Why? Rocky formations?" he hrms, "We're good. Though my back is killing me. Sleeping like this..." he half chuckles. Like he would do it again anyway, "She fell asleep like this. And there yah go..." more chuckling.
"Uh no. There aren't any rocks in our tent. I ... just didn't get much sleep," Will says shrugging again, "It's nothing." The otter can guess if he wants but Will's not saying. At Aik's mention of how he spent the night, Will chuckles, "Nice. But I'm sure you don't mind. If you did you'd have moved."
Aikuen hrms lightly at the rat. As the first thing that pops into mind. Is something he DOES NOT want to think about, "Amy was being a b-..." nicer words, "Um...She was annoying you? Gotcha Gotcha." he shakes his head and shrugs, "...I don't mind. I tried to get her up with some bread on a stick. But no luck there. So i eat it. All by myself. Not even Robin wanted any." he chuckles.
William frowns a little, "Not exactly. Ok she may have poked me a few times with her staff for snoring but she wasn't /that/ annoying." The rat's mood shifts back to a happier one as Aik is talking about his own wife now and not Will's. "Robin must not know the wonderfulness of hardtack then. Probably spoiled by Garnet's cooking like the rest of us."
Aikuen snorts at the rat, "Haha! You snore. Its okay. So do i. Fira has even poked me to stop... And she cant even hear! What the hell!" he makes and very surprised at her sleepy form. Before turning back to the rat, "They are. They all are. Even me wife puts her nose down at it... Except when she is pregnant. Cant get enough of the stuff then. Genuine Tazan otter there." he chuckles and ohs, "Which reminds me..."
William laughs, "Hey, I'm not as bad as you or Kentar are. You two could wake the dead with your snoring." He turns his head more to look more directly at the otter, "What does hardtack remind you of? Breakfast?" he asks grinning not catching on to what else Aik could mean.
Aikuen stuck out his tongue the side of his mouth. As he begins to think. He really looks dumb. Its when the rat points out brekkers that gets him out of that funk, "Huh?... OH!... Yes. Breakfast..." he moves a bit, trying not to knock over his wife. Who continues to sleep on his shoulder. The male otter looks behind him, "I... Where is it?... ah!" he chuckles pulling out a mixing bowl full of a thick doughy mixture, "...Raw hardtack bread..." he yanks a stick from the ground, "Hardtack on a stick... YO. Mind throwing some more dead leaves on the fire?... Lets get this thing a started." No fish it seems.
William nods taking pawful of dead leaves from a pile to add to the fire. He even adds a little more wood, just a few sticks that will catch quickly. "Hardtack for breakfast? We may as well have a large breakfast then. I don't think the others will want to share it all that much. In that case you and I shall have a hardtack feast." he jokes.
Using only one paw. The oldest otter takes a pawful of the raw mix. And shapes a small cake like thing at the end of the stick. Use of the knees, heavily, "Aye then! Though sometimes Kentar will eat it. If he is up to it... Oh the wonder of flour and water." he chuckles putting the cake over the new reinvigorated flame, "A feast for kings. You and I. And Fira..." he looks to her, "Hey...Want me to make you one?" no response, "Snooze you lose." more chuckling.
William nods, "Exactly! Pass th bowl over here would you?" he ask selecting a stick of his own.
Aikuen snorts and passes over... Pushes over the bowl with his foot, "Here yah go. Slap some on that stick of yours. Cook until the smell of flour feels the air. And BAM... Hardtack a'la stick." he laughs. Fira smacks her lips in her sleep. But other then that. No other life comes from her. Aik shakes his head, "...Huh. Well then. Willy-boyo... I think your the last to know..."
William does as the otter says scooping up some of the dough and wrapping it around the stick. "Last to know what?" the rat asks sticking his breakfast into the fire to bake. Being the last to know something isn't usually good in his opinion. He doesn't look happy at this news but he doesn't know what the news is yet so that could easily change.
Aikuen sits the stuck on a rock, still aimed at the fire. So he can use his paw more freely, "Well. I guess Amy, will be the last to know then..." more hrming, "Well anyway... I have some good news. And some good. But stranger news to tell you."
William's face brightens a little as he isn't really the last to be told and the news is good news anyway. But he's still warry, "Ok. What is it?"
Aikuen smiles at him and goes to kiss lightly on top of Fira's head, "Fira... And me... Have decided to have... Another one. Another little otter. Another child... You're going to be a big brother again!" he smiles big.
William's face lights up. Yes it is a little strange but it's very good news all the same. "Really? How are th twins taking th news or do they know yet?" he asks not sure when little dibbuns are usually told about these things.
Aikuen pulls at his chin, "They don't know. And we are not going to tell them. Until Fira is..." he makes the motion around her belly, "Until it really shows. Then we will tell them. Don't confuse them enough as it is. So. Don't mention anything to them..." he chuckles, "Now. For the strange good news..." he nods.
William nods, sounds like a good idea. He doesn't want to be the beast that has to explain babies to them anyway. "Amy'll be happy to hear we're getting a new little otter. I know you've been teaching her healing ... are you gonna teach her midwife stuff too or you taking care of that this time too? You an Mum are the only healer's we have ..." he doesn't know if that's something Amy could do or not with being blind but they only have the two otters for healers and Aik is getting on in seasons though the rat hates to think too long on that subject.
Aikuen goes back to baking his piece of bread, "I am not. That's something your gonna have to see, to do well. But. She will be assisting me with it... If it is me... We might be at Camp willow... or the abbey... or on the ship for that matter..." he hrms, "If its any of those. Ill let those infirmary beasts take care of it..." he nods.
William nods, "Ok. Makes sense. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of what things she can do and what she can't do. She can sew and sort of write a little bit now. Sometimes I forget she can't see."
Aikuen nods, "Sometimes i forget Fira cant hear. But it seems like it does... Its really creepy..." he chuckles, "Now... The next news. The reason why i thought this one up is because, of the first one... Having more kids..." he nods.
William chuckles, "Maybe she has you memorized?" he suggests borrowing from Amy in her way to know which color dress she had on though they were all nearly alike. "What's your other news?" he asks more seriously getting back on topic.
Aikuen chuckles, "That wouldn't be too hard. In my age. Doing new things is kinda... hard." he chuckles before going back to the topic at hand, "... Since we are going to have a new pup... I am starting in negotiations with Hallow. When we get back... Im going to try to be a trainer at the Camp..."
"So back to the idea of living at Camp Willow and teaching th other otters how t fight?" Will asks as this sounds some what familiar. "How's that going t work. You gonna pack up an leave home one day and then what?" It does seem odd but it doesn't seem that weird, unless there's more to it than that.
Aikuen shakes his head, "Well. No. That's not it. Not really." he sighs, "I plan to work for her. Then. When i die. My family will be taken care of... Depends on how much i can weasel out of Hallow, really... Now what i mean by taken care of... I...We... haven't decided yet... Might not be living there. Or they might..." he nods, "But no matter what. Im gonna ask for them to keep place open for them. Just in case."
"So whenever you die or if you got killed there's a chance Fira, the twins and the baby would go live at Camp Willow?" Will echoes. He's hoping that when Aik dies it will be from very old age and at home in his sleep and the twins will be grown already but he kinda doubts it.
Aikuen nods, but also tilts his head, "I will not be killed. Ill be a trainer. And that's it... I will not be a guard. Or a soldier again. Those days are behind me... But yes. Maybe. They might go live off at the Camp. If they do choose too... OR i might make Moledeep part of the Camp patrol..." he shrugs, "Really all depends on what Hallow says..."
You say, "I mean if something happened to you before you started working at th Camp. Trouble does sometimes like t follow us around."
Aikuen ohs, "Well. Then its really up to them, i guess. Being around other otters would help them grow. But only if they would be fully taken care of... The camp would be much safer the Moledeep. She knows that..." he sighs, "But she has also made it very clear. That if i die. She wont be able to do anything for a long time..."
William nods, "And even if you otter all left ahead of time to work and make the twins more ottery or whatever that would still be bad. Amy and I'd be stuck with a bunch of stoats (and a weasel)!"
Aikuen points out, "You do know im only like... 5 seasons younger then them... I just don't look it... But i sure do feel it." he chuckles, "Oh... You were?" he blinks a bit, "I know what you really do... I just thought you grew out of it." he shakes his head, "At the end of summer. I will be 25... Which. In itself... Is an amazing feat." he grunts, "So. No. That's it. That's all..." Fira slowly begins to wake at the smell of cooked bread. And she quickly snatches off a bit from Aiks stick. Aik smiles at her before saying, "...Darling. Want to go for a walk..." and talk. She nods slowly. Aik nods at Will, "See you later son..." He and she both leave into the woods.
William smiles at Fira as she wakes up, "Hi Mum, "He says waving a little at her. He nods at Aik, "Alroight. See ya." And now the rat is alone by the fire. Maybe he should go tell Amy there will be a new otter .... or maybe he'll just sit here for a while.
The stoat has just appeared only after Aik and Fira vanished into the woods. He grins, creeping up behind William before going to put both paws onto the rat's shoulders, yelling loudly. "BOO!" he says before jumping back and ducking out of the way of any attacks.
The stoat should jump fast or be cut. As Will was thinking and not paying attention to his surroundings. He draws his sword almost without thinking hesitating only a little as the thought that it may have been on the dibbuns crosses his mind. But he soon sees it was only Kentar. He points his blade at the stoat and scowls, "Were you trying to get yourself killed?" he asks not in the best of moods right now. Jumpy rat this morning.
Kentar hums a bit and chuckles. "Sorry, I couldn't resist." he smiles before siting down on log near will. "How are you today? Aside from jumpy." he chuckles.
William frowns some but puts his sword away. No point in killing the stoat over nothing. "It's been an ... odd morning." He glances around for his hardtack on a stick which had fell into the fire when he'd 'attacked' Kentar. "And I seem to have lost my breakfast because of you," he adds poking the stoat lightly with a stick. He scoops up a pawful of dough from the abandoned bowl and prepares another helping of hardtack on a stick for himself.
Kentar hums and oopses. "Heh...oops." he hums. "Sorry Will." he nods a bit. "I didn't mean to." he nods then chuckles. "Well. To make it up to you, when we get home, I'll make you a cake!" he smiles.
William smiles a little, "Eh it's actually my fault as much as yours. Shouldn't have thrown it in th fire." The rat grins at the mention of cake. "Thanks. Just heard th news. That we're getting a new otter an all that." he says turning the stick as the dough bakes.
Kentar hums and ohs, smiling. "Right! Yeah." he nods. "Aik told me and Robin there the other day." he chuckles with a smile. "Wonderful isn't it?" he chuckles.
William nods, "Yeah it is. But they don't want anyone t tell th twins yet. It would be too confusing for them til near t time. He also told me some other stuff. Hopefully th twins'll be old enough to say what they want by then would make it easier I'd think."
Kentar nods and chuckles a little bit. "Yeah." he hums slightly. "I'd hate to be the beast to explain to them where their brother or sister came from." he laughs a little bit, sitting back on the log.
Flicktail wandersinto camp from a day of fishing, his catch over his shoulder
Will nods, "Exactly. Best let Mum an Pa deal with that." The rat removes his breakfast from the fire as the fox wanders in. "Good Morning Flicky. Ooo fish. You just missed the otters too." He smirks and nudges the stoat beside him, "Well can't let good fish go to waste can we Kentar? Shame the otters aren't here isn't it?" Well the twins might be around somewhere but he's not counting them
Flicktail says, "ello Ere Willlum" rolling the L, "gotta get back to e abby soon....Fae is gonna tie me up"
"Uh are you talking about the handfasting or something else Flicktail?" Will asks puzzled and amused at the mental image the fox's words invoked as he'd seen what dibbuns did to the poor fox now and then and Fae could probably get away with more than they did.
Flicktail nods "aye that was it they said she will ties me up wi a knot" he flicks his tail.
William ahs and smile in understanding, "Well you wouldn't want t miss that. I don't think she'd really tie you up. It's just something beasts say something t do with weddings."
Flicktail scratcheshis head "well yeknow more them me WIllum...oi gotta go put ese fishes down.
William takes the fish and hangs the line on a low tree branch for safe keeping. He sticks his hardtack on a stick stick side down into the ground so it wont go anywhere and starts cleaning the fish. "Mmmm what a nice fish and hardtack breakfast and no otters to share it with, what a shame." He shakes his head smiling.
Kentar hums a bit and chuckles a little and watches Will clean the fish. "Nope. Maybe we'll have to save them some." he hums a bit then grins. "Only with the little otters and Fira, but none for Aik." He chuckles.
"I don't know. We might save him the bones," Will says impaling a fish on a fresh stick which he passes to the stoat. "There you are sir. Think Garnet and the others are up yet and would they like some fish?"
Kentar nods and smirks a little. "Sounds good to me." he hums and takes the fish stick, blinking as he hums. "What am I supposed to do with it?" he asks with a smirk. "OOoooh, you want me to cook it! Oh, okay.' he grins, hovering it over the fire. "Well. Garnet and Chris are up if you want to go to my tent and get them for fish." he nods. "Robin is still napping I know but I'm not sure about Ella or Venei.
"I'll go see if I can find the twins the then I'll see who's up and who's not. Fira may not get any fish since she's with Pa. Of course Amy wouldn't want to sleep though fish so I'll see if she's up yet too. Probably wont be for long with the fish cooking."
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