((Set before the challenge))

Recluse was still getting used to the idea of Eraithus taking the kids, she trusted him with them of course, trusted him with their lives but she couldn't stop the anxiety that bubbled up in her chest as she watched him take their kids off that evening, she was making sure she got to spend alone time with each other their children and today was Imp's day and she knew she had to swallow down that desire to rush out after his siblings and drag them all back to the den. Instead Recluse took a deep breath, trying to reign in her racing heart before she would look down at her little boy, and give him a soft smile. They were stood at the mouth of the den the family shared having just wished Eraithus and the others off for whatever it was they'd get up to today. "It's just you and me today, what did you want to do?" "Speech"

Ma was sad.

He could tell. While very happy that they were all getting one-on-one time with Ma and Pa, Imp still felt bad for her. Someone precious to her died, and nobody was really talking about it. They all seemed to avoid the name Kali and tiptoed around Recluse. Even as a child, he could tell something was wrong.

"I get to pick?!" He burst out, bouncing to all fours with a wag of his tail. The sadness didn't seem to leave Recluse's eyes even if she looked at him lovingly. Imp thought for a moment before deciding. Maybe it would make Mama happy... "can I see Kali?" But make it his idea.

The little guy puffed his chest out as if flustered. "I met, like, Ichor and Macabre. Widow and Ghoul too" And yet "I never got to meet Kali" He hung his head, frowning "c-can I see where she is? So I can go and talk to her sometimes?" That's what a family did, right? Talk to each other? Even if they were gone?

Imp looked hesitantly up at Recluse, wondering if his offer was too much for his mother. It was part curiosity and innocence, and a desire to make her happy.

"he speaks"

Recluse probably would have hated herself if she knew her children had picked up on the ever-present grief, in truth she probably should have known, she'd learned early on that children were much more observant than most gave them credit for but well, Recluse certainly thought herself a good enough actress to protect her children. Her smile broke into something a little more bright, more genuinely happy as her son responded to her question, his excitement helped to buoy her heart- If only for a few moments before his words crashed down on her. For a moment, all of it, every single carefully maintained protection fell and the pain and grief washed over her expression. She screwed her eyes closed, fighting to keep her breathing from hitching into a panic, Imp's words helped to keep her grounded and Recluse forced herself to look at him. She took a gentle step towards the boy, settling herself down on the ground in front of him. It was only natural he'd be curious, it was only natural his older siblings would have talked about Kali even if not to him specifically. He couldn't know, couldn't understand. Recluse shook her head sadly at her little boy. "We can't talk to her Immy." She spoke gently, her voice wavering though she managed to keep herself composed for now. "Kali she- She's gone very far away, somewhere so far away she can't come back." Recuse fished out a paw to try and bring her son closer, to hold him to her stomach if he would let her. "I'm sorry if you've been worried about me- It was unexpected and I've missed her a lot, the way I'd miss you or any of your littermates if you went away." Her grief was not their's to bear or to manage, she had to hold herself responsible for her own emotions, her children deserved that much. "Speech"

Maybe he was a bit too clever for anyone's liking. He puffed out almost defiantly before deflating. "I'm sorry, Mama!" He almost wailed, his plan backfiring. Imp rushed at his mother, wrapping his tiny paws around her muzzle and face. He didn't want to upset her. He wanted to make her happy! "I know...! Kali is gone...! I thought... you'd wanna visit her. I wanted to visit her. Put something there. Even if we can't talk to her, like... can't she hear us?" He wiggled his bottom lip a bit.

"What if you and Papa went away? Would you be able to hear us if we talked to you?" Death was a natural thing, but the thought of an afterlife was new and scary to Imp. His voice almost rose before he forgot himself. He was a prince, damn it! He... He shouldn't cry like a little puppy! Even if he was one. "I don't want Kali to be alone" he added, a few watery tears protesting but clear as day in his eyes "I don't want Mama to feel alone either!"

Because he was here, right? He was here. She could talk to him!

"he speaks"

Recluse's heart was breaking all over again, she lay down to gently kiss at Imp as he rushed up to comfort her, she was just full of so much love for her children and despite the inherent sadness of the situation, there was something comforting in the way her son so clearly just wanted to help her. His questions though... They gave her pause, she wasn't sure how to answer that. "I don't know." She finally answered. "We can talk to her if you want but I can't know if she can hear us." "There was a winter, before you were born where those that went far away came back for a few months, but they didn't get to stay." She explained slowly, the long winter had left a scar on her mind even if it hadn't scared her physically. "But they didn't always know what had happened here while they were gone, I'm not sure if Kali would hear us. But we can try if you want." She lifted herself. She could take him to his sister's grave if he wanted. She smiled down at him, giving him another kiss. "I have you, your siblings and your father." She reassured him. "You can not be alone and still miss someone." It was a simple explanation, of course, one made easy for him to understand she hoped. "Speech"

The concept of actual ghosts was... scary and exciting to the boy. He listened with full attention to his mother, mouth open. "Ghosts are real?" He wiggled a bit, having hoped Kali could visit her mother after all. Recluse gently gave him a smooch, then again. The boy's face scrunched, fighting the urge to groan or admit he liked kisses from his family. In the end, he stuck his tongue out, tail wagging "yeah, yeah I wanna try! It'll make her happy, knowing someone was talking to her!" And maybe it'd help Recluse out too?

He followed diligently after her, hopping along on too-short legs. "What did Kali like to do?" There was no way of knowing now whether Imp could have gotten along or not, but he wanted to believe one not-full-blood sister would like him. Widow didn't seem to care about him at all "oh, I'll pick a flower... right? Girls like flowers?" He darted in front of Recluse suddenly, keeping in her sight still and approaching a marigold flower. He looked back at his mother with a questioning frown "does Mama like flowers?" he also asked.

"he speaks"