Is it Any Wonder? [Finished]

[Kari Muffin]

The little Doe shifted awkwardly, prepared for some sort of harsh comment about being clumsy. The shocked gasp made her blink with surprise. When her mother nudged her in the proper direction she didn't protest.

"I was running," she said as she hobbled forward. "And then I tripped over myself. I'm not really sure how, but I managed to tumble completely and I think I cut myself on a twig."

The cut hurt a little bit. Were the leaves already wearing off? Was the cut deeper than she thought it was? Would she need to have stitches? "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be running around during my lunch breaks but I just wanted to have a bit of fun...."

There was no point in lying about why she had been out. She was a child and didn't really care for all this "proper" nonsense that everyone seemed to be preaching.

[Lucca]

Shelby's ears planted themselves flat against the back of his head in worry, eyes getting a large, watery look that was sure to make some unfortunate Jack think he was cute someday. Or at least get someone to feel sorry for him. If that someone wasn't his darling mother, who had already seen that look too many times for it to get him out of trouble. He hopped along a bit behind his mom and sister, as instructed, feeling his horror at the situation grow when Fleur just explained it like that. He could only hope Mom was in a good mood.

Seena was quiet, listening to Fleur's story, and when they reached the infirmary she stopped and turned to face her child. "You're right," she snapped, eyes blazing. "You shouldn't have snuck out. There are dangers in this world you have no concept of, and you could have gotten seriously hurt, or lost, running off like that without telling anyone about it!"

Opening the door to the small room, she waited for them to enter, taking a deep breath and composing herself a bit better before continuing in a gentler, but still clipped, tone. "Considering your propensity to injure yourself by tripping, it may be time to try something else." The Doe's brain kicked into gear, already brainstorming possible solutions to the problem. If she was a Leveret they weren't trying to trade, it would be no problem to just hack off all her feathering, but as a young Doe, she was (much as Seena hated to admit it) going to need to look her best, and a lot of Jacks found Selkie features beautiful.

[Kari Muffin]

She flinched at the her mother's words. Was it bad that she wanted to be free to enjoy her childhood? She didn't want to listen to people ranting about how to be "proper" or how she was going to spend the rest of her life as someone's pretty property. Fleur didn't really like the idea of having to listen to it if she was going to have to live it.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she walked into the room, taking a seat where she was told to. Tears were starting to seep out of the corner of her eyes as she felt the pain starting up again. What if she managed to mess things up terribly? What if she was going to be walking around with a limp for the rest of her life?

She'd be damaged goods and no one would want her.

Her toes curled at the thought.

[Lucca]

There wasn't a lot Shelby could say, and even if he spoke up in his sister's defense, he knew Mom wouldn't really listen. She never did listen to him much. Not because he was a Leveret, but more because he was male, and there was something else wrong with him. He knew it. And because of that something, though he had no clue what it was, he was...a disappointment. They never really said it, but he could see it in his parents' eyes, hear it in the tones of their voices when they spoke to him. He tried to do everything they said and act like a girl and whatever else they wanted him to do. It just wasn't -fair-. And all the books Mom wanted him to read were so -boring-. He'd rather be outside playing.

As he entered the room behind the two Does, he looked around, and saw there weren't any other Leverets around. That meant it was up to him to re-bandage Fleur's leg...properly. The thought made his heart pound and his stomach quail, but he started searching for the right supplies while mother and daughter talked.

Seena's brain was in high gear, solutions presenting themselves and being weighed carefully. What could they do about Fleur and her clumsiness? Her ears, as least, they could start binding up, as many lop Does did anyway. It would add to her beauty and let her get around far easier. The feathering...she glanced at the girl's leg to see...and abruptly, just like that, all thoughts of stratagems and logistics were pushed away as she noticed the tears in her daughter's eyes.

Seena's expression softened and she moved towards the young Doe, and when she spoke again, her voice was softer. "Fleur...please don't cry, dear..." What was upsetting her so? Seena mentally went back over what she'd said, and frowned. Had she so quickly forgotten what it was like to be young? "I don't mean that you should never go outside the Warren to play, merely that you should use better judgement in determining the proper times to do so, and that you should always inform someone of where you are going. Do you understand?"

She moved closer and gently nuzzled her daughter. Her daughter that was trapped in their society just as surely as she had been, and that...that she understood. It made her angry that in the end, she was powerless to really do anything to change this situation. But at least she could make things easier for her daughter. It was a delicate balance between preparing Fleur for the life she'd have to lead and letting her still enjoy herself while she still had some freedom, or at least the seeming of it.

[Kari Muffin]

Freedom was something impossible for her. It didn't matter what she did, one day she was going to be property. So going out and having fun with her brother for the sake of having fun was something she wanted to continue to do. Even if she was clumsy, and she figured that she would be clumsy for the rest of her life at this rate.

It was hard for her not to cry. She sniffed rather pathetically as looked up at her mother. Her toes curled as her mother spoke. "I-I understand, Mommy, I'll remember to tell someone whenever I go out... if I ever go out again. I know it's important... but I just wanted to have fun with Shelby. You don't let us run around inside anymore, so we can only go outside to play. And I was sick of lessons on how to be a good Doe. I'm really sorry."

[Lucca]

Seena just sighed, her deep blue eyes sad, and nuzzled closer to her daughter. She understood all too well, and it broke her heart that it had to be that way, but she was powerless, and Fleur couldn't stay safe in Heike's Warren forever. They'd just have to be absolutely sure that she was traded away to the best Jack they could find. But that was still a distance in the future, and there was no reason to worry about it right this minute.

Her eyes flew open, and she looked fiercely at her daughter. "Now, Fleur, don't talk like that. You know it's not my intent to not let you play again. You and your brother are still children, and of course we want you to have time to just be that." She fished for a brush and began to comb out Fleur's fur while she thought. They weren't allowed to play inside anymore because of the disastrous havoc they'd wreaked on what few belongings Heike had managed to accumulate over the past couple of years, but perhaps there was another solution? Maybe they could add on to the Warren. Make a playroom. A place where children could run and play without fear of breaking anything and still safe withing the walls of the Warren. She'd have to bring it up to Heike later, but in the meantime...

"Now, dear, what we need to do is--oh, Shelby, thank you." She blinked in surprise and some small amount of...pride as her son brought over the bandages and ointment, along with a cloth he'd obviously just gotten wet. She moved to let him work, smiling reassuringly at her daughter. "I will return quite shortly, Fleur. Behave for your brother, if you would." She hopped quickly from the room, knowing precisely what she would need. She was going to solve this little problem, and she was going to do it now.

Shelby nodded to his mother, surprised to see something in her eyes...something almost like approval. Heart beating, not daring to say a word, he slowly began to peel off the leaves he'd put on as a temporary bandage earlier, wincing reflexively before even seeing the wound. His ears twitched as he listened to his mother's footsteps departing the infirmary.

[Kari Muffin]

It was impossible not to feel better. The little Doe sniffed as her mother nuzzled her. The comfort was appreciated. She was sure that no one was quite as lucky as her. Mother Does didn't associate with their children. Then again this warren was far smaller than most. At least... that's what she always gathered.

The problem was she was too young to know much of anything.

"Right, Mother," she said with a small nod. She was just being melodramatic. Was that the right word about making a big deal over nothing? She watched as her brother appeared with the proper tools to bandage her wound. "Okay... I promise I'll be good."

She sat quietly as she watched her mother exit. And she remained quiet when her brother started to peal off the bandages, though she did twitch at the feeling of the bandages being removed. She always hated that feeling.

[Lucca]

"Okay, Sis," Shelby said, and was encouraged by the fact that his voice sounded more confident than he really felt. "This may sting just a little, but I need to use a proper anisep...anis...uh, something to clean all the dirt out." Ducking to hide his slight blush at his failure in pronouncing that word, the Leveret didn't try saying anything more as he washed the wound, cleaning it well with clumsy paws not yet used to all the motions. When a few drops of blood got on his paw, he paled and nearly passed out...he was going to have to work on that...

He was just wrapping the foot carefully in clean bandages, every movement slow enough to be perfect, when the door to the infirmary opened again, and Shelby turned quickly to see Seena enter the room with what looked like a sewing basket in her mouth.

[Kari Muffin]

"Antiseptic?" Fleur asked. At least it sounded like what he was trying to say. Otherwise the little Doe was completely silent. She didn't have much to say. Her brother was doing well and he had bandaged her up in the first place.

As he finished she gave him a mumbled thank you.

At least he hadn't gotten in trouble compared to her right. When her mother reappeared her ears perked. What was she carrying with her? A sewing basket? What was she going to do with that? She wasn't particularly sure if she should say something. Maybe she should just keep her mouth shut so she doesn't get in trouble.

Her toes curled as she continued to watch her brother. This was boring. Was everything going to be boring when she grew up? She had a sinking feeling that all the "proper" does were pretty boring.

[Lucca]

Shelby mumbled something inaudible in response to the correction, nodding even as his cheeks burned. Great, so Fleur was better spoken than him...but as a Doe, she really kind of had to be to get a decent Jack. The kind who would actually care about more than just her pretty face.

Shelby ducked out of the way as their Mother walked up to the table Fleur was on, but he knew better than to try and run out. "All done, Sis," he mumbled as he passed by. He knew he'd get in plenty of trouble for this soon enough, but she wasn't going to yell. He could tell that already, and it made him feel slightly calmer.

Setting the basket down next to her little girl, Seena started to rummage in it with a paw, turning to look at her two children and admire the work Shelby had done. "Good job, Shelby," she said and the boy's face lit up. "Of course, someday you know you'll need to do as good a job as this and not expect anyone to thank you. But while you're here, I believe in giving credit where it is due."

She turned then to Fleur, a pair of scissors in her paws. "Fleur, I was thinking, dear...when you...trip...is it more your ears causing you trouble, or the fluff on your legs? I think we can solve this problem, both of them, and then you can play and run without worrying as much about it. Does that make sense?" She regarded the child with sparkling eyes.

Shelby frowned. He knew his Mom was right. Leverets were just expected to do their job, and if they did it well the Jacks said very little to them. If they did it wrong, they would be punished. It had been drilled into him, along with the importance of acting as feminine as possible.