Daily routine. It was something he was trying to get back to. However he had two little handfuls now and he was reminded of the days Viper and her brother had first left the den. Copper and Alex were not much different in ways of children. Fenix had found himself loving adjusting to being a father, like it was exactly what he needed. His fur was slowly growing back. Evident by when Copper would make less snide comments about their father’s appearance while he recovered from his recent mental breakdown. Which in turn had resulted in these two. Copper had run off that afternoon. Leaving Fenix with his daughter as he scowered the banks for herbs.

"Do you have any interests Alexa? Perhaps herbs, fishing, or fighting?" he admitted getting to know them was the most important thing. Copper was hot headed, mean mouthed, but Fenix hoped with time they would both see kindness was the better route. How could he blame them, now knowing who Ruby had been, a serial kidnapper. It left a bad taste in his mouth, but he couldn’t say he regretted sleeping with her now. He loved his son and daughter.

She had breathed a sigh of relief as Copper ran off without her. Alexa felt like she had had quite enough of him that morning and was about to have a nap when her father headed to the creek. She felt like she wanted to follow him. What was he doing? Was he going to look for plants?

She didn't know what to make of him. He was a lot more gentle than Mama had been, even than Req. Req was hardly nurturing. Fenix though... He wasn't like anyone she had known yet, and the pool to pick from was small to begin with. She didn't know if she liked him, she didn't know if she could trust him. She wondered what he was like when he was mad.

She had her nose in a milkweed when she jumped at his question. Her autonomic response was to pull her head out of anything she was investigating and tuck her head, ears, and tail into a ball as tightly as possible.
Oh, but it wasn't Mama snapping at her. It took her a moment to comprehend his question and as she thought she gently and slowly uncoiled.
"I like... I like flowers..." She spoke quietly, not knowing if her voice would bother him. She glanced around to see if her brother was going to come out of the shadows and tease her about liking flowers.


Speech/Thoughts

Anxiety clutched him for a moment when he saw the pup in a milkweed plant. Though he gently watched her reaction to his question. Fenix felt all his mental training come back to him, the long conversations hed had with Bellamy. Best not to think of her right now though. Fenix smiled and crouched so he was at her level. He kept a respectful distance, not wanting to impose on her space. These kids had been through a lot. Hed teach them to be strong and to like themselves the best he could.

"I like flowers too." Fenix said then nodded to the milkweed. "This is a milkweed plant, its best you dont touch them though. You could get hurt of any of their sticky juices get on you. Its important to look but not touch so you dont get sick." as he spoke, a monarch butterfly landed in the bundle of flowers. "The only creatures to prey on the flowers are those butterflies theyre immune to its toxins." Fenix scooted closer watching the butterfly move away. "If you want I can teach you what flowers and plants are good! They can heal wounds, and some are even capable of healing illness. That way you can collect your favorites." His tone was gentle but it had more happiness in it then he'd felt in a long time.

She tilted her head as he crouched down to her level and even admitted he liked flowers too! her little white tail wagged back and forth with glee!

Alexa followed his nod and pricked her ears at the name of the milkweed.
"Milkweed! Don't get sick." She mimicked and then gasped as the butterfly landed ever so softly on the blooms. She was just about to try and shoo it away as hr father mentioned that it was immune.
"Oooh..." She said, her mismatched eyes bright with wonder. As he scooted closer she spun her head at him suddenly wary again but he was very non-threatening and she laid her startled fur back down as he started to tell her about him teaching her about flowers!
"Really? They can heal owies? How? What's your favorite?" She asked suddenly eager.



Speech/Thoughts

Fenix smiled at the pup. The wonders of being young everything was new and he wanted to let her know she was safe. Her excitement on plants had him hooked. If it was one thing to get Fenix talking it was about plants. "Some can heal ouchies, others can help keep you from getting sick, or to help you get better. We can find all sorts here at home and when youre older theres SOOO many out in the world." he stepped a bit away before standing. What was it that hed been looking for again? She asked about his favorite. He shut his eyes thinking about it.

"My favorite flower is called a Lavender. It grows in little purple bulbs upwards. When you soak the petals in hot water they can calm bad feelings in you to help relax. Its called tea. If you want we can look for some and I'll make you some tea." Fenix tail wagged. It was an easy to look for herb. Happening to be his favorite. Quiet beautiful in his opinion too. There had to be a patch from when he planted some a while ago.

Out in the world? There was even more useful plants out there? She shrank a little as he moved to step back but as he lifted himself up she uncoiled and easily followed him.

"How do you know so much?" She asked in her little voice trotting beside him as they were looking for the lavender. She wanted to try this tea. Maybe it was yummy! Maybe it was icky but good for you. She wove under his belly between his legs, constantly moving from one side to the other. Then taking a moment to balance on a rock by the creek and taking a other moment to weave herself through the reeds.


Speech/Thoughts

Denki save him now was all he could think as the pup began to grow more comfortable. Evident by her playful gestures that Fenix could only smile warmly at. As she wove through his legs and out he tried his hardest, no harsh movements. Considering he was still pretty thin that wasn’t too hard. But, this was definitely the activities he needed. Hell, he was out searching for herbs! "I know so much because someone taught me or I figured it out myself. Of course there’s no such thing as knowing everything. The world’s funny that way." Fenix kept a close eye on her while also searching the banks. He finally spotted a small carved out box near a tree. Behold a few lavender were growing and thriving.

"See here I planted these myself, they come from little things called seeds and if you take care of them they can grow. Lavender, completely safe and smells nice." he approached a plant and gently pushed his nose against it. Letting the scent wash over his nose as he lay down on his stomach. "Want me to show you how to collect it, I’ll let you keep a bundle. They will wither and disappear though if you don’t preserve them." that was life. It was scary, but also good.

Alexa ooh'd as she wove through the reeds and hopped over a stone while her father answered her question. He knew from someone else teaching him and figuring it out on his own. She wondered who could teach her about all the things... Oh! of course! Him! Wait he didn't know everything? She thought grown-ups were supposed to know everything!

She watched him introduce her to a plant called lavender! It was purple! Just like them both! He pushed his nose into it to smell it and lay down in front of it. She tilted her head at him as he talked about teaching her to collect it but needed to preserve the plants.

"Yeah! But how preserve?" She asked, inching closer to the plant herself. She finally got within sniff range she pushed her nose far into the leaves of the strong smelling plant. Oh!! She smelled this before! Mama dragged her out of it by the scruff and dropped her bad. Telling her she needed to find something else to do.

She shrank at the memory and scuttled backward suddenly, eyes wide and looking up as if waiting for someone to grab her. Oh... right. Mama's not here.

"She didn't like it when I smelled flowers..." She whispered, glancing at Fenix, wondering if he was going to pick her up and throw her somewhere.


Speech/Thoughts

You got the man around flowers and he likely could be a lost cause. His tail did little wags as his paws caressed over the petals. Fenix tried to stop moving so much though when he was watching the pup interact with the lavender. She asked how to preserve the plant and he tried to think of how to put it in simple terms she would understand. He was about to explain while he did so, but she suddenly jumped back. Fenix didn’t even need to know exactly who the pup was talking about to understand. A sad expression crossed his face, but he then smiled. Turning he pulled gently on a plant. Shaking the lavender gingerly so the roots would come with it. He laid the plant down and gestured towards the pup to come closer.

He gingerly pressed on the petals, letting the aroma permeate a little better. "Well luckily I’m Fenix, and I won’t do anything to hurt you. I’m sorry you had to learn it so young, some wolves, even if related by blood, can be rather nasty don’t you think?" Fenix then gently rolled on the petals, "if anything I do scares you just tell me. This is how you can preserve the plant. Gently crush it like this, then you find a sunny spot and let it dry in the sun. Pretty and purple just like you." he spoke softly laying his head down near the plant as he took in a deep breath, hoping Alexa would do the same.

Alexa pulled herself closer, he didn't scold, he didn't rebuke, he didn't even make a move toward her. She breathed the scent of the calming herb deeply as he crushed the petals. The aroma instantly melted into her muscles and the tenseness in her back began to relax.

He talked about how he wouldn't hurt her... her mismatched eyes looked up at him wondering if he was going to keep that promise. She nodded, agreeing with him that some wolves could be nasty. She could just tell him when something was scary? Even if it was him that was scaring her? Really? She never would have tried that with her mom.

She listened intently as he described how to preserve the lavender when he laid down his head and compared the flower to her. She swept her little white tail back and forth as she lay next to the plant, a cautious smile played over her lips as she dared to close her eyes and pull in the smell. She opened them again just to be sure he hadn't moved or things hadn't changed, then closed them again, pulling in the soothing strong aroma and letting it wash over her little two-toned body.

She opened her eyes again to look at him carefully, a new softness finally reflected back to him, "You too...Pretty and Purple like you too."



Speech/Thoughts

Fenix kept his gentle smile on his face. Just watching the girl made him happy he realized. This was his daughter and he would do everything in his ability to make sure she survived and lived a fulfilling life. With his hope, full of friends and even one day a family of her own. It would take time he knew, for her to trust him fully but it was like the world was telling him to get off his butt and work. She then commented, that it was purple and pretty like him too. He wouldn’t say he was purple she had gotten that color from her mother.

"Well thank you little princess. Now would you like to help me pick up a few more lavender and take them back to the den. I can make you a tasty drink out of it, helps with some of those bad feelings of fear you have." he whispered gently placing a paw in front of her. He wanted to be gentle as he could for the time being. Throughout this though he’d forgotten about his sadness and that was enough for him.

She blinked at him as he called her princess. She didn't understand what it meant but she liked the way he said it. He offered to show her how to make it into a tea! A glimmer of delight grew in her eyes as she looked up from where he placed his paw close to her.

"Yes yes! A tea! How do we make a tea?" She was bounding with energy suddenly. As if she had forgotten all trepidation in her puppy exuberance and thirst for knowledge. Did someone already show her how to make a tea? She couldn't remember. But he daddy was going to show her!


Speech/Thoughts