hang on, hang on, hold up

He wasn't really expecting them to be so excited by the prospect of getting thrown across the room, but in hindsight he really should have. They were, after all, Aeris progeny. Violence and chaos were sort of the modus operandi. So when Cosmas emerged from beneath Henbane's dark, fluffy frame, he scooped the littlest of his children with his paw and held them to his chest. He'd already gotten used to moving with one leg wrapped around a squirming rugrat. The sunlight glinting on the fresh snow was nearly blinding after all these weeks spent mostly sequestered in the crypt, and he already wished he'd picked a different time of day for this outing. Too late now, if he backed out these little monsters would harass him endlessly until he kept to his word.

With a careful flex of the corded muscles in his neck, Henbane went flying over the snowbank and disappeared into the snow on the other side. He knew she'd survived by the immediate litany of curses, and he couldn't help grinning even as he rolled his eyes at their mother's influence shining through. He lifted Cosmas by the scruff with his teeth, and the pale child was promptly tossed in the same direction as their sister. If he hadn't been able to see Karaka, it wouldn't have mattered- she was already underfoot and demanding her turn as a furry missile. Time for an airstrike. In one smooth motion the celestial giant gripped the back of her neck with his incisors and hoisted her upwards, using the momentum to carry her up and over the edge of the snowbank. And off she sailed, disappearing into the powder with a shriek of delight. Then there was one. His son looked so much like him that it was unsettling at times, though the spines that were already protruding from his tiny shoulders reminded the old healer of his own sire. Just like his golden sister, Deion quickly scruffed his son and tossed him headlong into the wide open space just beyond the mouth of the cave.

He could hear them squabbling and squeaking amongst each other, navigating the unfamiliar terrain with gusto. With little concern for their safety, he pushed through the snowbank. Using his bulk to tamp newer layers down beneath his paws, and his shoulders to shove the rest aside, he made a path for his brood to move freely between the safety of the crypt and the mysteries of the outside world. "You'll all learn to move in the snow soon," he assured them, watching the little ones flounder for their first few moments on the strange substrate. "it is a good idea to play with each other here, so you learn how to put your feet down without falling." he added, though it was abundantly clear none of the kids were in the mood to listen.

As they all rounded on him for more air time, Deion rolled his eyes rather dramatically. "I don't know, my loves. I'm awfully tired already.." the tone he used was overdramatic, teasing the children. With exaggerated slowness, he started to collapse onto his flank as though perishing from exhaustion. It was hard not to enjoy being a dad, after waiting so long.