He would try and level himself, try and focus on his breath and relax a bit. He would try and calm himself, push back the madness that slithered over the contours of his mind. Acidic eyes would snap open suddenly before pushing himself from his den. He had placed Colten and Ammy in a den near his own so they could be near him but have their distance if they so desired. But today he was going to see how they were doing. Massive paws would carry him as quickly as possible as across the plains towards the den they had set aside for the children. "Amarant?" He would question, voice a soft rumble as he approached. He had been trying to give the children space to mourn, trying to give them some time to sort things out while still being there for them if they needed him. Thus far they had not needed him. Maybe it was time to try phase two. Distraction. HER WORDS HERE HIS WORDS HERE

The boy had kept himself fed, relaxed, healthy, if there was anything wrong it was that he hadn't slept right in what felt like ages. Kylar had placed him and his brother in the same den together, Amarant always making sure that he laid to thee other side and stayed awake almost all night making sure that Colten didn't inch his way over. Well really, as much as he truly wanted to sleep, he couldn't. It was either a nightmare or a soothing happy memory of his mother. He wasn't so cold to completely disown Colten, but when they two entered the den at night it was silent. Even if his brother spoke a simple hello, there would be nothing returned. Pale Emeralds showed through tiny slits, tired but still alive. He would hear Kylar rumble softly, asking him to come and he wouldn't hesitate. He was doing much better than Colten, though he was probably a main cause of his health. Amarant just wasn't ready. He would exit, looking up to his grandfather obviously much taller but he would soon be reaching full height and looking not too far up. He would let a tiny smile hit his lips in response, though he wasn't completely okay still. He was glad to be here and be with Kylar. Though others might think he was brainwashed and demented for wanting such things after the man just popped in and decided to steal them from someone who knew them much better. He wouldn't speak a word, and if he did he wasn't quite sure what to call the man. Grandpa didn't sound right, either did pop or pa. What the heck was he suppose to call a man anyway? He never had a grandmother either so it wasn't just simple enough to go by that. Anyway, he was eager to go wherever Kylar had planned, he would be thrilled no matter who the man was to him. Walk "Talk" Think

Kylar would only have to wait a moment before he would hear a rustle and the black and white speckled boy would slowly trudge out of the den looking a big bedraggled. Immediately Kylar's head would tip and he would frown as he eyed the smaller male. He didn't speak and for a moment Kylar would stand and study the boy before sighing and jerking his head in a motion for Amarant to follow him. The massive male would turn, walking slowly so that the boy would not have to rush and could relax. "I thought maybe? We could go fishing. Have you ever been?" He asked easily, trying to ease the boy out of his shell and get him to chat a bit. He would sigh, leading the boy along for another moment before he would attempt it again. "How are you settling in? You look... Tired?" He was struggling for words, trying to dredge them up after months of living in almost complete silence. He didn't speak much, not since Maia's death especially. And now here he was. Looking at her eyes in the body of this child. He had to try. HER WORDS HERE HIS WORDS HERE

"Mm-mm." Amarant would disagree. He didn't really have anyone to show him too much. He learned to hunt little things, like hare or birds. But Maia had grown sick and he was too young to notice such things like a lack of teaching. And there was never a father around to show him that kind of stuff. Ky continued to speak though, almost showing an interest and if anything Amarant thought him considerate. He cared of his well being, he noticed that he wasn't getting too much sleep. But really, who would admitt to something like that? "No I'm fine. I like it here." Paws would continue to pad after his grandfather, no hesitation. It was odd how much he trusted the man he never met until now. Walk "Talk" Think

Brow would raise as Amarant would disagree with him, no he had never fished? Kylar wasn't surprised, it was a skill most wolves lacked it seemed but one his mother had insisted on teaching him. It was a stupid and sometimes useless skill but damn when the salmon were running it was fun. "Well. It a warmer day today. I thought we might see what we could catch." Kylar would offer, massive shoulders shrugging as he lead Ammy towards the river that rain through the outer edge of the plains. Amarant would speak again, saying that he liked it here and slowly Kylar would smile. He liked it here? Maybe they had a chance? "I'm glad. I'm sorry for the? circumstances that brought us together but I am glad you are here none the less. If you ever need anything Amarant. Please. Just ask." He would say, attempting to smile down at Amarant though he wasn't sure if it would come across right. He sucked at supportive. But he would try. They hit the river only a moment later, slow moving and lazy as it arched it's way through the plains. Yes it was warm but who knew if there would be fish. This river in particular had both salt and fresh water, arching from the sea and bending around. It really was nice here... HER WORDS HERE HIS WORDS HERE

"Alright." He seemed pretty happy, or content if anything. Even as Kylar spoke of the "circumstances" Amar wouldn't shed a tear or even look sad. But his gaze my have turned empty and he didn't speak a word to the comfort Kylar tried so hard to give. Soon they would reach the river, and by then Amarant was more excited that the sorrow had gone away. He would come to the bank, look into his reflection for a little, and then place his paw just in the center. A closed grin to his face as he looked up at his grandfather. He seemed a little too old to be giggling at some rippling water, but maybe he wasn't ready to grow out of it. Maybe he wanted to stay young forever; remember those days with Maia. Walk "Talk" Think

The boy would not reply to Kylar's words, not to his comfort but he seemed at ease so Kylar would not press the matter. As they came to halt beside the creek Amarant would stare at it in wonder and begin? Giggling? Kylar would regard the boy, blinking in something akin to shock before he would smile and chuckle softly. "Come this way?" Kylar would say, jerking his head as a motion for Ammy to follow as Kylar moved up stream towards a series of small rapids where the water ran over some big rocks. "So? The key to fishing is to find somewhere shallow to stand that has a calm pool of deep water nearby. The fish like to hang out there and relax after swimming!" He would say as he stepped into the water. Okay. It was kinda cold? He hopped onto a large rock from there and just downstream from that rock was a calm spot, sheltered by multiple rocks that lay beside the rock he was on. He would hop a few more rocks down to one where his paws were under water, leaving the rock he had been on that was above the water for Amarant to join him on. There were some fish down there still. Maybe the water wasn't that cold? He would grin at the boy, motioning for him to look down at the fish. Maybe they would be in luck after all... HER WORDS HERE HIS WORDS HERE

The boy would follow after Ky, hopping onto the rocks and waiting as his grandfather motioned to. but instead of just watching the fish, he would rays partially on the large rock with his hind legs in the water. His front paws were curled around the rock, water flowing around and in between his toes. The chilly water wouldn't bother him much though. Regardless if Kylar were to tell him he couldn't lay there to fish, he would eye a couple down below and then gently move his left paw into the pool slowly, scaring the few fish away. He acted much like a cat in some way. He sis want to learn to fish, but just the fish themselves interested him. His nose remained pointing down at the water, but now he was listening to whatever Kylar may have been saying. Walk "Talk" Think

The male would stand, waiting a moment for Amarant to follow only to turn and find that the boy had already hopped onto the rock beside him and plunked himself down. Kylar would watch with amusement as the boy lowered a paw into the water, disturbing the area of calm and chasing a few fish away. Head tipped as he remained silent and simple regarded the situation. Okay so maybe no fishing. The brute would lower his haunches slowly, butt sinking into the water so that he would sit on his rock with the water flowering around his hips. Verdant gaze would fixate on his grandson for a time before looking down at the fish. "This river is very special. In the fall every year hundreds of thousands of fish move upstream here to have babies, they are fun to catch. You can just stand in the water with your mouth open and sometimes they jump right in…" He remembered teaching Vixe how to fish during a salmon run… Gaze would travel back down to his grandson and he would smile softly. Would Vixe have ever had children? Would he have found a mate and settled down? Where was Amarants father? "How has your brother been?" Kylar would ask lifting a paw of his own and dropping it down in the water to stir up the fish. They didn't exactly flee, still seeming to want to be in the still water but not around him. WORDS HERE

Pale optics motioned to Kylar as he took seat, head not lifting to looking up at him. But Amarant would still think they were going fishing, he didn't get the vibe that Kylar had given it a break. Obviously the boy didn't know a darn thing about fishing. He barely knew anything about hunting; maybe caught a bird one or twice. But his grandfather would continue to fill the boy with knowledge, speaking of why so many fish came here in the autumn. So Amarant would push himself up, eyeing the water until he came to a halt and then looking to Ky to give him a grin. A word of his brother made him drop his eyes back to the water, a moment of silence showing that Amarant didn't want to speak of him. But only a single word would come out after the time. "Fine." He kept his eyes to the water as the fish only backed away from Kylar's touch. The ripples on the water blurring his vision of them. He didn't want this subject to last on too much longer, so after another moment, even if Kylar spoke something else of his brother, he would turn it around. "Are we ganna fish or not?" Walk "Talk" Think