Hazel had really thrown him in the deep end this time. He was the last person who should be given a pup… but here he was. He couldn't say no to Hazel, and he understood the connection Spider has to her past. If this was what she wanted… he would give it a go. For her. He would just have to hope they didn't mess the kid up too much.

He was tempted to ask Halo and Mort for advice, but they seemed so frazzled with six under paw that it seemed unfair to bother them about their one. So, instead, he bundled Spider up warmly and placed them on his back. Trotting out of the tree house, his red Panda companion seated behind them, helping to keep Spider steady if the tiny thing needed it. He kept his gait smooth, as he moved them out into the woods. "So… Spider." He said, as if he has any idea where he was going with this line of thought. "What do kids, uh… do these days?"


"Speech"

Araneae was having the best. day. ever! they’d had the best night’s sleep of their life in the treehouse – it was an actual treehouse, how cool was that?! – and now Bas had let them sit astride his huuuuuge shoulders and was giving them a piggyback ride into the woods! aaand this crazy red bear thing was with them! Araneae keeps sneaking little glances at it over their shoulder, squinting with intrigue - but everytime it looks their way, they whip back around and try to look inconspicuous. hanging on with tiny forepaws, Araneae gives a delighted squeal and throws their head back at a particularly rough patch of earth, laughing as they bounce. their eyes close in bliss against a cool breeze buffeting their face, tongue lolling out the side of their mouth. Bas had been quiet for some of the walk, but he speaks now, and the low timbre of his voice reverberates through their body. “welllll,” they begin, “i love hunting – i mean, i haven’t really done much of it yet, but when i do, i just know i’m gonna love it! oh, oh, and i love playing the Frog Stomping Game, and the Leaf Game...do you know how to play Stone Swap, Bas?” “speech”

As Basilisk felt them moving around and laughing, he started to feel like maybe he was doing okay. Some of the stress started to fall away beneath the sound of a child's laughter. Huh, and what was this feeling inside of his chest? It was a little like trepidation in a cocktail of something that felt a little like pride and affection. Or maybe he just needed to pass gas.

“Oh, yeah? I’m one of the best hunters in the pack” He boosted. Mostly because his grandfather had insisted he learn to replenish what he was using. He went through multiple growth spurts as a kid and spent at least a solid year feeling like he was about to starve. Despite cramming food in his mouth every spare minute.

“I don’t actually know any of those games… but why don’t you show me?” He suggested, feeling a little at a loss at all the strange names. If frog stomping was exactly what it sounded like, they were going to have some trouble. They were scarce to nonexistent in the Armada during Autumn and winter.

"Speech"

Araneae shot up on Bas’ shoulders, grinning down at him with sharp puppy teeth. ”really?! can you teach me??” they give a happy little bounce, heedless in their excitement of Bas’ potential discomfort. ”i wanna be the best hunter in the entire world.” and then they’ll catch dinner for Hazel and Sirius and Bas every single day, and they’ll all be super duper impressed! a marvellous plan, if they said so themselves. ”you’ve never played Shifting Stones?” they yelp at Bas’ confession, eyes wide with incredulity. ”let me down, i’ll teach you!” should Bas allow, they scrabble off his broad shoulders and go racing into the woods, returning with three near identical stones. then they scoop up a pawful of mud and mark the underside of one, before flipping it over to hide the mark. ”first, you gotta shift ‘em around,” they begin, planting their forepaws down on the stones. they shuffle each in different directions, quickly changing positions. “then, you gotta guess which one is the marked one!” they step back and gave expectantly at Bas, a hint of self-consciousness in their face. would Bas think the game stupid? “speech”

”I can certainly teach you” He agreed, it was a bsic survival skill that everyone should have the right to learn. That way, if somehow Spider ever ended up on their own again, they could fend for themselves. Huh, why did the thought of Spider being alone fill him with anxiety? He was getting a new blend of emotions with this kid, and he wasn’t really sure what to do about them. So he did what he did best, and moved on. “Your grandmother Halo has all the best snacks, if you ever get hungry, just knock on her door” He had a feeling even busy Halo would spare a second to feed a hungry tummy. She’s certainly done so all his life. Was it weird to tell Spider that Halo was their grandmother? He certainly wasn’t going to go sticking any labels on himself or Hazel. He didn’t know what they were, and it felt presumptuous to call them parents of any kind. They were like… big, older flatmates. But Halo was everybody’s Auntie or Grandmother. She was the sweet woman who fed you any time you visited.

When Spider asked to be let down, he settled himself belly first on the ground, and his red panda helped the very tiny creature off his back. He watched as they vanished into the woods, feeling a tightening in his chest again. That was going to get very old, very fast.

He squinted at the stones as Spider moved them around, wondering what they were - ah, so he had to guess, did he? He hadn’t tracked the marked stone, so he guessed at random. “The far left one?” He suggested, pointing a paw at that stone.

"Speech"

Araneae beams, thrilled Bas seems to be taking the game seriously. rarely had they had a proper playmate, often just having to make do with the occasional passing rogue. in fact, many of these games they’d made up themself. waggling their brows teasingly, Araneae reaches for the far left stone and flips it over – gasping as the mark reveals itself to the open air. “you got it!” they trill, fixing Bas with a look of great admiration. “are you sure you’ve never played before?” lost in their surprise, they’d forgotten it was a game of chance. “now you get to keep that one, and whoever has the most stones at the end wins!” sliding the stone across to Bas, Araneae pads away and returns with another identical stone, marking this one much as they had the first. sitting back with a satisfied nod, they blink expectantly at Bas, positively brimming with the excitement of the game. "your turn to shuffle them!” “speech”

“Huzzah!” Basilisk said, raising a paw in triumph as Spider turned over the stone, revealing the marked one beneath. He was surprised he had gotten it right, with a one in three chance at success. “No, never” He promised, settling his paws back on the ground and grinning. Surprised at how invested he felt in the child's game.

He accepted the stone as it was offered to him, and then looked at the new stone Spider set with the other two thoughtfully. “Alright” He agreed, reaching forward and pulling the stones closer to them. He then carefully shuffled them around, and lined them back up once more. “Alright Spider… pick a stone! If you pick it right, I’ll get you a treat” He promised, to up the stakes. And because Bas was always very interested in food as a child, and simply assumed that Spider would be the same.


"Speech"

Araneae scrunches up their nose teasingly, eyeing Bas over the stones. "then it must just be beginner's luck," they announce, poking out a long pink tongue. they watch closely as Bas shuffles, trying desperately to keep their eyes fixed on the marked stone. unfortunately, their efforts quickly prove fruitless, and the winning stone is soon lost amidst its identical counterparts. still, they are not deterred, and begin pacing up and down the line of stones with a furrowed brow, staring so hard its as though they can see through stone. Bas' promise of a treat only motivates them further, eyes alight with excitement. "oooh, i want a treat!!" after several more moments of dedicated study, Araneae finally shoots out a paw and taps the middle stone. "this one?" they prod, one eye scrunched shut in anxious anticipation. “speech”

“It must be” Basilisk agreed. Basilisk, the competitive kid growing up who threw hands if anyone thought he was less than perfect at something. He felt no need to prove himself in front of the kid. Their? kid. Instead, he found himself grinning as Spider paced up and down, and realising he was rooting for the kid.

“This one?” Bas asked, tapping the middle stone. ”are you sure” He teased. “Too late now!” He added, as he wiped the stone around, revealing the underside. Much to his dismay, the stone was unmarked. “Ohhh, no. Do you want to try again?”


"Speech"

Araneae giggles, half-amused and half-exasperated. "yes, i'm sure," they sing back, bouncing eagerly on the balls of their feet. but when the stone is flipped over, Araneae furrows their brow in disappointment. in truth, they'd wanted desperately to impress Bas - especially after he'd done so well in that first round. and, well...might as well be honest here, they'd really really wanted that treat. shaking off their frustration, the child sets their jaw and narrows their eyes, resolving to try even harder to get it right. "again, again!" they demand, bouncing with impatient energy. twin pools of pale pink peek up at Bas, blinking wide puppy eyes. "please shuffle them again, Bas!" “speech”

“Again it is!” Bas agreed, flipping the stone back over and ensuring they were all lined up. “Especially since you asked so nicely” He grinned over at the pup, and started to shuffle the stones around again. Second time the charm, right? He let the stones fall still, and looked expectantly over at the pup. “Alright then kid, pick a stone… any stone, pick a stone…” he said, his paws waving over and wiggling above the stones as he waited for Spider to take their pick.

He thought over his current food stashes as he did so, wondering what treat the kid might like. He had some honey cured meat cut up into little balls, perhaps that would be something Spider might find tasty?


"Speech"