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(Strong Language Warning)

The following is a Roleplay/Collaborative Story between me and danny-anny
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Tired and alone, a kit wanders… somewhere… He's lost, having wandered from the overgrown amusement park where he awoke in search of sustenance. Unfortunately for him he has no idea how to get back or where to go from here. His arms cross in front of his inky black phylactery, gripping his arms tightly… He gets a sinking feeling he's in danger, but he's not sure why… Maybe it's just the fact he doesn't know his location… That's probably it, after all, nothing appears to be dangerous around him… Right?
Hetro stretched his wings out as he left a small cafe after hanging out with some friends. He was starting to get a habit of sorts now that he was better adjusted, and it was fun just having the time to be with those who liked him. With a pleased smile, he started making his way back home.
He took a more scenic route, so less folk were around, and as he walked along he saw a shape move near the trees. He slowed, squinting slightly as he tried to make out what it was. Finally, he saw it was a small kit, walking aimlessly, slightly hunched over. Immediately his instinct to help kicked in, and he hurriedly went closer. When he was near enough, he walked up to the kit so they could see him coming, holding a hand out tentatively.
“Hey, little guy,” he said with a gentle smile, “you look a little lost. You okay?”
The kit tensed up a bit as the tall folk approached him. He looked up as he spoke, taking in the stranger's gentle tone and expression, and slowly, the kit relaxed again, at least to an extent. After a few moments, he responded.

"I… I think so?" He didn't quite sound confident, but he wasn't confident he knew what definition of 'okay' was in question. "I might be lost though…" He added in agreement with that statement. He opens his mouth again, debating asking where he is, but decides that's probably pointless information to him and closes his mouth again to calculate his next words. His tail flicks back and forth and his ears lower a bit before he turns his wandering attention back to Hetro's face, having found a less pointless question to ask.

"Do you know who I am?"
Hetro’s smile turned a bit more to sympathy as he noticed the kit had a dark phylactery. A traveler, like himself. He looked behind the kit for a moment to see if anything was following him, then turned his attention back to the kit.
His question left Hetro a little speechless. Did he know this one? Usually there was the tiniest spark in his chest when he caught eyes with someone he’d known before, but here there was…
“No, sorry bud.” He kept his voice light. He knelt down a little to meet the kit at eye level. “Can you remember if you know anyone you can get help from? You know where you live?” He asked slowly.
The kit frowned a bit, diverting his eyes as he rubbed his hand up and down his sleeve. He thought for a moment about the question.

"...Sort of?" He finally replied, tilting his head a bit as he wrapped his arms tighter around himself. "I… I know I woke up in a place with lots of plants and… big things, I'm not sure what they were but Rika made one of them move by playing with the… wires? I think that's what they're called. That's where I've been living…" He paused, his tail wrapping itself around his ankles. "I only know Rika though and she said she can't keep helping me for free so she sent me to go find myself food, and now I don't know where I am… This is my first time leaving that place that I know of…" He looks back up at Hetro before his eyes dart another way. "I met someone else, but they asked a lot of questions and I don't know anything about them, just that they woke me up and started asking me questions and I didn't have answers so I ran away from them…" He nodded as he finished that statement, thinking that might be important information.. Maybe…
Hetro listened and nodded along, though much of what the kit said didn’t make full sense to him. From the sound of things, he hadn’t just woken up or anything, which relieved him a bit. He cleared his throat when the kit finished, glancing away as he thought for a moment.
“Right, uhh- well, you said you need to find some food?” He didn’t have any snacks on him, but he knew this kit was going to the Den whether he liked it or not. He didn’t seem to have anyone to be with from the sound of things. “I can take you somewhere safe, okay? You can get food and a lot more help there. It’s to that big tree over there.” He turned and pointed to the elder tree, smiling. “I live there, actually- a lot of people do.” He stood up and took a step back, inviting the kit to follow.
The kit looked over in the direction of the elder tree, staring in contemplation before turning his eyes back to Hetro, and then down to his hands, which he was now wringing in front of himself. He wasn't sure how he wanted to respond, and the metaphorical wheels turning in his head were also evident in his expression. Eventually, he nodded and looked back to Hetro's face. "Okay…" He took a hesitant step to follow, but it was probably better to go with the stranger than to be lost and by himself.
Hetro started walking, keeping close to the kit but also giving him a little space. He kept a close eye on the kid and tried seeing if he looked hurt or too skinny. But he seemed okay. “Don’t worry kid, everyone gets a little lost every now and then. Especially me, pfft!”
He let things stay quiet for a bit, thinking back on what the kit had told him thus far. He’d heard there were a couple of kits who lived in the Forgotten District, and that was over near where they were- it explained a few things, really. He shook his head a little, wondering why in the world folk allowed children to just live somewhere like that. It seemed to be begging for disaster at this point. But that wasn’t what mattered right now.
“You got a name, by the way? You can call me Hetro.” He grinned.
The kit trailed along beside him , walking in a subtle zigzag pattern as he repeatedly shifted between gravitating towards the adult and distancing himself from him.

"Hetro is a cool name." He said before falling quiet again, thinking hard. He combed his fingers up through his orange hair and then back down through his bangs and then continued by dragging his hands down his face, stopping in his tracks for a moment before crossing his arms in front of himself again and continuing on his path.

"I think so… But I don't know what it is, I can't remember…" His ears were pinned back as he said this. He dropped his focus to his feet as he continued. "Rika called me a few different names but I don't feel like they were very nice names." He shrugged at that comment, not really upset by the names, more just stating the facts.
Hetro’s smile inevitably dropped at seeing the kit look so conflicted and scared. He hadn’t met too many new travelers that were so young, let alone someone who knew next to nothing about themselves. He tried to shrug off the familiar feeling.
“Alright, that’s okay! You can always make your own. Did, uh, is this Rika someone who’s been with you since you woke up?” He wondered, trying to piece things together before they talked to anyone else. This Rika so far sounded either like a random kit or… something else, and he definitely didn’t want the latter.
"For the most part, yeah." He nodded as he spoke to further confirm that yes, Rika had been around him since he'd woken up. "She's cool, but she uses a lot of words that sound… wrong to use…" He added, shrugging again. He unknowingly walked closer to Hetro, eyes on the ground in front of him.

Hetro wasn’t sure what to make of that. He had read what was known about visitors, but from what he knew there wasn’t anything that said they spoke differently or in another language. Maybe Hetro was overthinking it- the kid was new, after all, he could be hearing terminology that was unfamiliar to him.
“Oh, alright,” he shrugged to play it off as not a big deal. “There’s always something new out in the world and not enough time to figure it all out.” He chuckled lightly, deciding to end it there for now and give the poor kid some quiet. There was still a ways to go before they even left Willow Valley, so there was a lot of time to have peaceful silence along the walk.
After a moment of silence, the kit glanced up at Hetro, staring for a moment before dropping his gaze once again. He followed along, glancing around as if to check for signs of danger, slowly stepping closer to the adult beside him. His tail swished in a jerky, twitchy sort of manner, occasionally brushing against Hetro's ankles. He glanced up at Hetro again, drumming his fingers against his own arms before uncrossing them. He reached up a hand tentatively towards Hetro's, but retracted it again and opted for shoving his hands into his pockets instead.

"So… Uh-" He paused, not really sure where he was going with that. "I like your wings, they're really cool." It was a true statement, but also a desperate cry to fill the void of silence.
Hetro had taken notice that the kit drew closer to him, which relieved him. He smiled at the question, opening one of his wings a bit to admire the white feathers.
“Oh, thanks! They’re hard to take care of, but they’re real pretty. Gets the ladies, y’know?” He gave a playful wink, laughing. “But really, I like ‘em. I used to be able to fly with them, actually, but not anymore.”
The kit tilted his head at that last part. "Why not? Did you break them?" He asked, further emphasizing his lack of knowledge of this world without intending to do so. "Will they get better so you can fly again?" He added. His attention was now more on Hetro, big blue eyes staring up in questioning curiosity. His tail slowed back to a less frantic sort of swish as his focus shifted.
"I'm too heavy." He flashed a grin, already knowing the excuse. It wasn't a lie but not the full truth, either. He didn't feel responsible enough to spill the whole 'you're something much more different than you used to be' spiel to a child. "I don't think I'll ever fly again, but who knows?" He gazed upwards wistfully. "The tree's tall enough to enjoy the view I used to get up there, so that's good enough for me."
The kit really just looked more confused at the response, but he didn't bother questioning the answer more. "Oh, okay…" was how he chose to reply, falling silent, trying to find something else to talk about. Unable to decide on a topic, he began humming to fill the silence.
The silence filled the air again, and Hetro couldn't help but realize that it was a bit too quiet. He tried to think of what to ask-- not like an interrogation, but something to help the kit feel less nervous about the situation.
"So, have you seen anything interesting lately?" He asked, perking an ear curiously. "I heard the Forgotten District has a lot of little neat places to explore."
The kit thought for a moment. "The big things when they're moving are pretty interesting… And I saw some neat looking plants, but Rika told me not to touch them because they'd hurt me, but they did look cool!" He pulled a hand from his pocket to scratch at the back of his head as he continued to think. "You're pretty interesting, does that count?" He shrugged. "I haven't really been too many places."
Hetro nodded along as the kit spoke, then raised his brows in surprise, letting out a flustered laugh. "What, me? Why?" He laughed again, shrugging. "I guess the same goes for you, kid- don't find too many random kits wandering around near Willow Valley, let's be real."
He crossed his arms, thinking out loud. "You don't have to be around too many places to find interesting things. You go to any place, big or small, you're gonna find something that catches your attention. It's what makes exploring so fun for me, personally." He tilted his head a bit. "Pretty neat stuff, though- you like learning about plants and stuff?"
The kit tilted his head from side to side with a bit of a shrug. "Kind of? I dunno." He reached across his body with his unpocketed hand to grab the arm on the opposite side, leaving the other hand in his pocket. "I like… knowing things?" He added, uncertainty in his words. "It's better than not knowing things… I like having answers I guess…" He shrugged again. "Do you?" He finally asked in return.
Hetro's tail swished in thought. "Uhh, I dunno? I don't go looking for answers much, unless it's something pretty important. I like to learn as I go through things." He blinked, bright green eyes glimmering with something nostalgic remembered. He spoke more fondly as he recalled something. "My brother, though, he likes reading just about anything to learn something new. He knows everything about anything." He chuckled warmly. "I think you'd find him a lot more interesting than me, really."
The kit mouthed something silently, thinking way harder than someone probably should be given the response he was given. "...Reading is the thing with the books and the words, right?" That sounded right. "I like the books and the words- I think so anyways." He looked down at the ground, putting his hand back in his pockets as he walked, intentionally stepping on fallen leaves and patches of grass for no particular reason other than they were there.

"Yeah! You got it." He gave a thumbs up. "I actually can't read too well myself, y'know." He glanced over sympathetically, trying to have something for the kit to relate to. If he didn't even remember what reading was, he definitely didn't remember how to read either. "It takes me forever to read huge pages like that, heh."
The trees above and around them started to cover more of the sky, boughs bending low and tunneling the path. Hetro stepped closer to the kit. "There's a huge library, those places where there's a lot of books for folks to borrow them. You could go there after you grab something to eat." He offered softly.
"Maybe!" He said a hint of excitement in his voice. "That sounds pretty cool." He jumped forward to crunch a couple of leaves under both his feet before continuing to walk relatively normally. "Do you think there's gonna be enough food that we can bring some back to Rika later?" He asked, finally looking back up to Hetro. "She said she didn't have very much food, which is why she made me go look for some for myself, so I was just thinking maybe we could bring something to her if we can find the place again?" He pulled his hands back out of his pockets again and wrung them together as he spoke. He sounded concerned.
Hetro quirked a brow, wondering for a quick moment why he was so interested in Rika, before deciding it was probably because she was the only kit he had talked to since being here. He smiled and shrugged. "Of course! She's also welcome to head over to the Den if she needs anything- they provide everything for free." He tilted his eyebrows sympathetically. "Uh... any reason why she didn't come with you?" He slowed in his walking for a second, wondering if he should go back and find Rika, too.
The kit paused as Hetro mentioned the Den by name, frozen in place like a deer in headlights, ears pinned back and tail curling around his legs. "Wait, the den?" He questioned, tensing up. "But that's where the scary kid wanted me to go! The one with all the questions!" He took a step back, nearly tripping on his tail as it hugged closer and closer to his ankles. "Rika said it's full of mean people who want you to get hit by the chancla! I don't know what a chancla is but I don't wanna be hit by it!" His breaths quickened as panic rose, staring up at Hetro with wide, fearful eyes.
Hetro's ears pinned back, and he raised his hands innocently, waving them and dismissing what he'd said. "Wait, hey, hey- calm down, it's okay!" He didn't move, letting the kid have all the space he wanted. Hetro tried folding his wings in some more to look smaller.
"Listen, no one's getting hit, okay? Those are just bad rumors spread by kits to scare others." He reassured softly. "You're safe with me, I promise. No one's gonna hurt ya." He grimaced, keeping close watch of the kit's actions, hoping he wouldn't run off. The poor thing barely knew what was even going on around him, Hetro didn't want him getting hurt wandering alone.
"Bu-bu-bu-but-..." He stumbled through that one word and fell silent… Rika wouldn't lie to him… right? But Hetro also wouldn't lie to him… Right? He stood frozen, unsure of what to do. Honestly he kind of just wanted to curl up in a corner but there was no corner to curl up in. All this open space and he felt trapped… After some deliberation, he decided the next best move was to sit down right where he was, tail wrapped around himself, hugging his knees. He let out a sort of "HHhhh" noise, trying to decide what to do about this dilemma. He truly didn't believe either would lie to him, but their information conflicted..
Hetro hesitated, reaching a hand out to step forward and comfort the kit but then pulling back, unsure. He tugged at his bangs in frustration, then just decided to take a step closer anyways.
"Look... I know there's a lot of confusing things right now. I know you're getting different questions and answers, but just take a minute. Take some time, you don't need to know everything right now. I promise you'll be okay where I'm taking you." He knelt down as he spoke, not too close but within arm's distance of the kit.
The kit looked at Hetro, tears welling in his eyes. He wasn't sure what to do or say in the moment, feeling completely overwhelmed… until his stomach growled, reminding him why he came out here in the first place; not starving. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself a bit before he responded.

"Y-you promise?" he squeaked out, not moving much from his position. Sure, he was scared, but Hetro was big and strong and would protect him from any chanclas, right…?
Hetro held his hand out. "Promise." He said firmly. He'd do anything to help this kit see that he could be safe here.
The kit sat for a moment, silent, staring at Hetro, first at his face, then at his outstretched hand. He took a breath through his teeth before reaching a hand out tentatively, as if making sure it was alright, before grabbing Hetro's hand. "O-okay…" he said, uncurling a bit. "I-I'm sorry…" he added. "I didn't- I- didn't mean to-..." He fumbled, trying and failing to find the words to explain himself, so he just repeated "I'm sorry" and fell quiet again.
"You're alright," Hetro reaffirmed, helping the kit get up. He held onto his hand as he stood up as well. "C'mon, we should be there in a couple minutes. If you don't wanna go inside, I can get the stuff for you, okay? But let's get there first and see what you wanna do." He spoke slowly and quietly.
The kit nodded in response, gripping Hetro's hand tightly. He wanted to say something, maybe apologize again, but he decided to keep his mouth shut instead. His tail twitched behind him, threatening to curl around and trip him, but never actually doing so. He kept his eyes facing the ground, stepping on leaves again to distract from the feeling of having done something wrong.
Hetro led the kit along, silently enjoying the crunching sounds of the leaves and twigs. Soon enough the path became more solid, not hidden in the foliage, the massive roots of the elder tree looming above as tunnels opened up to go inside. He looked down at the kit to see if he was alright with going inside, thinking of where he could have him sit and wait while he got him something to eat.
The kit looked up at Hetro with uncertainty and his grip on the teal folk's hand tightened slightly. He wasn't sure what he was in for once they entered the tree but he did have Hetro, and Hetro would keep him safe, he was sure of it, he promised and everything. He took a breath and stepped closer to the adult before glancing back at the opening in the tree. He was as ready as he'd ever be.
Hetro led the kit through the tree, going up and down wooden walkways, stairs, and bridges. They passed by colorful buildings and all sorts of folk, eventually all leading towards the center, a huge cylindrical building with rooms jutting out to make it even larger. Hetro brought them towards some tables and chairs that were set near the main entrance, overlooking a balcony that gave view to the buildings sprawling underneath.
"So! This is the Den!" He gestured towards the entirety of the complex with a sweeping arm, smiling. "How are you feeling? You can sit here and I'll get you something real nice to eat. You prefer anything?"
The kit looked up at the building. It was so tall and kind of intimidating. He looked up at Hetro, concerned. What if Hetro went in and then got lost and couldn't get back out? Or worse, the chancla got him! …Hetro said it was just a rumor but the kit still wasn't totally sure what to believe. He shuddered, his fur fluffing out, and then tried to focus on the questions he was just asked instead of the towering building in front of him. He wasn't sure how to answer the first question, he was feeling a lot of things and he wasn't sure how to convey that, so he skipped that question to consider the second one. Did he prefer anything? He wasn't sure… There was an answer somewhere deep in the back of his mind, but trying to find it was like trying to ride a sled uphill. Could it be done? Maybe with some help, but for now, it seemed like an impossible task, so he settled on just shaking his head.

"No, I… I don't think I prefer anything." He said quietly, still clinging to Hetro's hand for the time being, not sure if he was ready to let go yet. "Are- Are you sure you won't get lost?" He asked, staring at the large complex again. "That place is really big…"
"I know my way around, no worries. It's a straight shot to the dining area, anyway, so it's not that much to get to it." He pointed in the air as if he were mapping out where they were going to be walking. "C'mon, I'm getting a little hungry, too, hehe!" He led the kit inside, saying hi to those that went past, heading towards the dining area and seating them down at a table when they were there.
"I'll be right back with something for you, okay?" He finally let go of the kit's hand, resting it on the table.
The kit looked up at Hetro and reluctantly nodded. "Okay…" He said as he drummed his paws nervously on the table, hunching over as if being close to the table would hide him from any potential danger. He glanced around the room, looking at the other folks nearby but making sure not to look for too long at each one. His tail twitched behind him and he kicked his feet a little beneath the table.
Hetro turned and went off to get some lunch, looking back every now and then to see how the kit was. He still looked very nervous, Hetro thought, his brows furrowing worriedly. As he waited in a line he considered getting a Den Mother to help attend the lost kit. He wasn't sending him to the Promethean Society for now, that was sure. Maybe he'd get someone later, he decided as he picked out two sandwiches and some juice to go alongside them. He put the extras in a paper bag and the meal for the kit on a tray. Then he got himself some water.
He came back to the table with a bright smile. "Here you are!" He greeted, setting the things down. "The bag's for your friend." He sat down in front of the kit, drinking his water in relief.
The kit watched as Hetro set everything down. He stared at the tray for a moment before looking back to Hetro. "...Thank you." He said softly with a small smile to accompany it. He then sniffed the sandwich a little before taking a bite. He has no idea what was on this sandwich, but it was good, so he took another bite.
Hetro was relieved to see the kit was smiling for once. He grinned back. "No problem, kid." he said, sitting back in his seat. Hetro rested his chin on a hand, taking the moment to just relax. He traced a claw along the lines in the wood, the murmurs of background chatter grounding him a bit. “How you liking it?” He asked after a while, smiling.
The kit looked up from his nearly finished sandwich and nodded his head, finishing what was in his mouth before speaking. "It's really good, thank you!" He gave a small smile before taking a sip of his juice. He paused for a moment, then tilted his head. "Are you gonna eat?" He questioned, realizing Hetro said he was also hungry but never seemed to bring anything back for himself… He might not remember much but he DID remember that, especially because it wasn't that long ago that it was said. So he looked at the adult with concern.
The question caught him off guard , and Hetro perked up, chuckling lightly with surprise. "Uh- you know, I kinda forgot to get something for myself!" He decided not to fight against the kit's worries, getting up with another laugh. "I'll be back," he said, giving a little finger gun as he walked off. Hetro grimaced a bit to himself when he was turned away, realizing he was very much not hungry, and he really should've used another excuse to get inside faster earlier.
Well, it was whatever now, he shrugged to himself as he picked a fresh fruit, tossing it in his hand as he went back to the table. He already took a bite by the time he sat back down, holding it out to the kit as if he had to prove he was in fact eating now.
The kit smiled at him, none the wiser at his not actually being hungry and just glad that Hetro would also not starve today. Not starving is good! He finished off his sandwich and took another drink of his juice before looking at Hetro and asking a question. "So… What now?"
"We go back to your friend, yeah?" He quirked a brow. Hetro was curious to meet this Rika and see what was up with her. In the meantime he'd be able to get a little more info on what to do with these kits wandering around Old World places. "Whenever you're ready to head out, you let me know, 'k?"
The kit's ears perked up and he nodded excitedly. "Yeah! I'm ready!" He said, grabbing the paper bag off the table and hopping out of his seat. He bounced on his toes, looking at Hetro, raring to go.
Hetro felt his chest light up like sunshine. He matched the kit's energy instantly, hopping out of his seat, instinctively taking the kit's free hand and skipping out of the dining room and back outside.
"So the Den wasn't too bad, hm?" He said slyly as they walked along, smirking at the kid.
The kit thought for a moment, walking beside the adult. "I guess not..?" was his answer. He hadn't really seen much of the place or met many folks in there but it wasn't as scary as he thought it would be, he had to admit that. "I expected more… mean… Rika said everyone was mean in there… Maybe she was… Uh- What's the word for 'making a bigger deal out of something than it really is'?? I KNOW there's a word for it, it's on the tip of my tongue!" He poked his tongue out of his mouth to emphasize the last point.
Hetro quirked a brow in amusement. “Uhh…. overexaggeration?” He offered.
"Yeah! Something like that! That sounds right. Maybe she was overexaggerationing about the den." He nodded to exaggerate that he was sure that was definitely the word he wanted and that he was probably definitely using it correctly.
Hetro simply followed along as if he'd said everything perfectly, nodding sagely. "Yeah. I mean, it's what kids do, I guess- I'm sure I used to make a huuuuge deal out of things when I was little." He chuckled, shrugging. "Cause I still kinda do nowadays! But you grow out of it, y'know?" He looked down at Thyme kindly. "Things we don't really know about are what we tend to make seem bigger or scarier than they actually are."
The kit nodded, more bobbing his head than actually shaking it up and down. "Sometimes things just seem really scary even though they're not… Like that thing!" He pointed down to the ground near his feet as best as he could with a paper bag in his hand. "I got scared by it when I first noticed it but it's not even scary, it's just just light not hitting the ground." He stared down at his feet as he walked, or more at the shadow by his feet. "I don't think I'm supposed to have that, but everyone else seems to have one, so I guess I am supposed to." He shrugged, looking back up at Hetro.
Hetro frowned, confused, seeing nothing at first, but as the kit spoke it clicked in his head. “Ooohhh… your shadow? Yeah, everybody’s got one! Everything, too,” he emphasized, gesturing to the shadows the lights outside and the lamps around them cast on buildings and objects. “I guess they can make things scarier than they seem as well. Never thought about that.”
"Yeah, but it's okay because it's just a shadow and they can't hurt you!" He said while jumping on a crunchy leaf in front of him. "...You know the way to the place, right?" He questioned, looking up at Hetro as he walked beside him. "Because I still have no idea how to get back…" He added, his voice squeaking a bit, hoping Hetro did know the way to the place.
"I would've asked earlier if I didn't know the way!" He flashed a cheeky grin, then let it soften as he thought of something. "... Listen, you wouldn't mind staying at the Den instead of over there, right? It's just not safe for a kid to be living alone in a place like that." Maybe he should have approached the idea earlier when they were sitting down, Hetro thought to himself regrettably. Well, he was asking now, no turning back.
"Well, I wouldn't be living alone, I'd have Rika and she's strong and cool and brave and stuff." He said, not quite answering the question. "I don't think she'd let anything happen to me. He added, still looking up at Hetro.
He gave a small sigh, not with disappointment, just a bit of amusement. "Yeah, I mean more like..." He brushed his bangs and pushed them to one side, taking a minute to think of how to say things. "Well, uh... it's more of- you're still learning a lot of things, right, and that includes taking care of yourself, like eating, sleeping, keeping clean, learning about the world, all that stuff. And, like, you can't do that even if you're with another kid, 'cause you're still kids, y'know?" He shrugged. "It's just better, safer, if you're in a place where you can rely on adults to help you through stuff. It's... yeah... does that make sense?"
The kit's focus shifted, looking practically nowhere for a minute as he thought. Was he a kid? He guessed that made sense, because he was smaller than Hetro and Hetro knew more about stuff than him so… Yeah that checked out. "I guess that makes sense… But I can still go hang out with Rika, right?" He said. Looking back up at Hetro towards the end. "I don't mind living with you there if I can still go hang out with her and stuff"
Hetro chuckled sympathetically. "Oh, heh, you wouldn't be living with me. You'd be with other kids your age! And Rika could come along, too- I think it'd be better for her, actually." He said, thinking.
"I guess you could go back to explore and look around, but living there? Nah. I mean, it's... many call it an Old World place. So, it's old... and... not for living in." He shrugged a little meekly.
"B-but what if I don't wanna live with kids my age?- I- I don't even know what age that would be!" He clung tighter to Hetro's hand, as if clinging tighter would solve the issue. His tail instinctively wrapped around his ankle, nearly tripping him but not quite managing to do so. His ears were pinned back as tears threatened to fall from his wide eyes.
Hetro stopped walking, holding the kit steady by the hand he held them with. He crouched down a bit, placing his other hand on the kit's shoulder. "Hey, you're alright, okay? Take a breath, kid." He gently soothed, leading him off the main road so they could take a break for a minute.
He inhaled softly when they were out of the way. "Listen... there's a lot of things you don't know, and... I've been there." It took a second for him to keep going, hesitating on what he should even let out. He decided to continue. "I, uh... came here knowing nothing about this place, this... community. And it was real scary. But! That was fine, because that's what a community is for in the first place- you have people to be there with you and for you when you're lost." He smiled, genuine and warm, trying to send every message of 'you can be safe here' to this kid.
"So, you're not gonna know everything off the bat, but that can't stop you from reaching out and finding what you can learn, and who to learn it from. From safe and trusting people, of course." He added the last bit with more seriousness. "The Den is safe and trusting, I can promise you that. You'll be okay there. You won't know anybody, but that's also fine. Just give it time."
He'd been firmly holding onto the kit as he'd spoken, then faltered, moving back a bit and loosening his hold, pinning back his ears in realization.
Tears were no longer threatening, they were coming, trailing down the kit's face. He had a look of devastation in his eyes, a look that gave off the energy that this kit's entire world was falling apart… and there wasn't much of a 'his' in this world to begin with. "B-b-but why can't I learn and still live with you?" he squeaked out. "I don't wanna be all by myself in there! I don't- I-" He continued on, but it was incomprehensible. He had an iron grip on Hetro's hand now… Or as iron a grip as a kid can have at least… He probably wasn't intending to squeeze so tightly, he probably didn't even realize he was. His focus was entirely on Hetro's face, trying to understand what was happening.

Hetro watched helplessly, grimacing, then pulled the kit into a tight hug, embracing with not just his arms, but his big soft wings.
"I never said you had to do it alone, kid," he muttered, shutting his eyes softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I've still got you, buddy."
The kit was stone still in Hetro's embrace, still trying to understand the situation but was honestly more confused. He didn't know what to do, or say, or think, so he just stood still, staring blankly at nothing in particular as he attempted to process the whole situation. Was Hetro going to leave him or not? Did he do something wrong? Is that why he couldn't live with him? Did Hetro not like him anymore? No, that last one couldn't be right, people who don't like you don't give you a hug when you're scared- Wait there was a hug happening.

Finally, the kit reciprocated the hug, closing his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Hetro, one hand still gripping the paper bag in it tightly, the other lightly digging fingertips into the adult, clinging as if his life depended on it.
Hetro relaxed in relief when the kit finally hugged back, holding him closer when he did so. He felt like he was doing a thousand things wrong- he really should've talked to someone about this, said something, anything- but at the same time, what could be done? The poor kit was just about to dart off at the very idea of entering the Den. There were a hundred ways to approach the circumstance, and life had it so that he was the one to lead it this way. He'd try his best to make it end better, it was what this kit deserved.
He stayed silent, kneeling there, hugging the child, hoping the embrace could provide the comfort his words lacked.
"...Please d-don't leave me. I- I don't w-wanna be a-alone…" He whimpered softly, hugging a little tighter. He buried his face in Hetro's fur, at least as well as he could.
“You’re not alone, you’re not gonna be alone. You’ve got me and everyone else in this tree to help you, okay? You’re not gonna be alone ever again.” He rubbed the kit’s back comfortingly.
"B-but you s-said we weren't gonna live tog-gether-" He said. "I- I- I d-don't wanna l-live there if y-you're not gonna b-be there!" Clearly, this kid didn't quite get the memo about how the Den functioned.
“No, no…” He pulled away from the hug, keeping the kit close and brushing some of his fur away from his tear-stained face. “It’s more like- the Den’s got lots of different rooms to live in, and the grownups live in one area and the kits in another. But they’re allowed to see each other, still! And I can do that with you, kid.” He smiled gently. “So you and I can live there, not in the same room, but the whole place is for the two of us and everyone else living there, too. Does that… make sense?”
"Oh!..." He said, looking down. He honestly felt really bad… kind of dumb really. He really did just have a meltdown over nothing, didn't he? Why did he do that? He took a shaky breath, internally smacking himself in the forehead but resisting the urge to actually do that. "I-'I'm sorry… That m-makes more sense." He said, stuttering out the words a bit still but much calmer at least.
He gave the kit a little pat on the arm, shaking his head. "Nah, you don't have to apologize- I should be, really. I keep throwing new things at you and I'm not making any sense about it..." He trailed off chuckling dryly. "But, yeah. You don't have to worry about being left alone, not while you're here." He sat back a little more comfortably, sighing. "Are you okay? You're feeling alright? I could, uh, try to explain some more things while we're talking about this?"
He nodded. "I'm okay…!" He reassured with a sniff. He wiped his face with his free paw. "I-I'm okay." He repeated, perhaps more trying to convince himself than Hetro. The kit wasn't really sure what else to do or say. "I'm… I'm okay…"
Hetro patted the kit again. “Alright. Um. Well, I can keep taking you to your friend, then. There’s always better places to talk about the, uh, bigger things.” Hetro smiled, deciding that even if he didn’t think it best for the kit to go back to the District, it was better to have him return to something familiar as a palette cleanser of sorts. He slowly stood up again, holding his hand out and ready to keep going when the kit was.
The kit nodded and took hold of Hetro's hand. He took a breath before giving a solitary "Okay…" in response. He was okay, everything was going to be okay. His tail twitched frantically behind him, but otherwise, he seemed relatively calm, like he stuffed all his anxiety into the fluffy appendage.
Hetro gave him an encouraging smile, and led them all the way back to the Forgotten District. He glanced up at the sun, seeing it was past afternoon by now and that soon it’d be sunset. With a resigned sigh, he decided that he’d have to either convince the kit to come all the way back to the Den, or let him stay at the District. He’d have to see what worked best when they got through it all.
They finally arrived at the iron gate that opened up to the rest of the area, and with a half smile he looked down at the kit. “Right, so where do you live?” He asked, letting the kit’s hand go so he could lead the way.
The kit looked around the area. "Uhhh…" He gave a shrug. "Around?? Rika usually hangs out by the thing with the… animals??? The ones attached to the poles that go up and down when you turn it on and it plays music! …Or I think it's supposed to be music anyways…" He continued to look around before he got the idea of the general direction he needed to go and ran off in that direction, assuming Hetro would follow.

"RIIIKAAAA!?" He called out, looking around, ears perking when he heard a whirring noise accompanied by what was probably once a chipper tune, now slowed and distorted to what only a ghost clown could probably enjoy. He approached the offending machine: a large carousel covered in mossy overgrowth, horses in varying stages of deterioration either bobbing up and down slowly or attempting to do so despite the vegetation tangled in their gears. In the center of the contraption sat a bright orange kit with dark patches of fur and a phylactery as vibrant an orange as her fur, watching the machine move around as she held two wires in place.

The duller orange kit jumped onto the spinning contraption weaving through the horses to get to the center. "Rika! Hi!" He chimed when he just about reached her.

She turned to face to him, dropping the wires which caused the machine to slow to a halt. "Oh hey, lucky you, not dying or something. Welcome back! Guessing you found yourself something to not starve with?" She said, looking at him completely unfazed that he'd been gone probably all day.

"Yeah! I did! And I found some for you too!" He proudly presented the paper bag to the other kit who lifted a paw, not to take it but to push back towards the other kit.

"Keep it for yourself, dumbass. You don't survive out here by being nice and giving people stuff. Besides, I don't want to owe you anything and I can't pay you for that shit right now when I'm fully capable of finding stuff for myself, thanks." She turned back to the wires, trying to get the machine to turn back on again.

"B-but you gave me food first! So you wouldn't owe me, right?" He said, trying to convince her.

"Nah, you paid me back by dragging that tarp with the stuff on it for me, remember?" She replied, shutting down that notion without even looking up from the sparking wires in her paws.

"Oh… But can't it just be free?" He offered.

"Nothing is ever free, stupid!" she dropped the wires again, standing up on her hind legs to look him in the eyes. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she spoke. "Someone always pays for everything. Not even 'freeloading' is free, and that literally has free in the name. Don't forget that, and don't be the guy paying for things they can't afford to pay for." She then shoved him backwards, gently enough that he wouldn't fall and get hurt, but hard enough to prove a point and assert her dominance. Then she turned back to the carousel's wires again. The fluffier kit's ears flattened against his head as he watched her go back, not entirely sure what to do about the situation.
Hetro quietly followed the kit through the district, hands in his pockets and looking about as they walked along. He'd never really gone in here by himself before, only seeing it from a distance- the place sort of spooked him.
He looked up at the carousel, ears pinned back at the strangeness of it. His eyes finally landed on the kit in the middle, straightening a bit as he realized in relief that this was Rika, and she wasn't a visitor. He let out a sigh, smiling, walking over as the kit excitedly approached her.
As Rika scolded the kit, his smile fell, turning to a soft frown at the words she said. Then his brow furrowed when she shoved the kit. Alright, that was far enough. He cleared his throat, a little loudly, stepping up onto the carousel to be on the same level as the kits.
"Hey hey heeeey," he said, stepping forward and placing a hand on the boy's back, glancing down at Rika, "we don't have to be mean about someone giving us a little something to help, yeah? That's a whole meal he's giving you there. Trying to push it away isn't gonna help anyone."
Rika jumped at the sound of Hetro's voice. She turned back yet again to see him, back arched like a cat as she stared for a moment. She took a few steps away from him, pressing against the center pillar of the carousel, trapped.

"Who the fuck are you?!" She hissed before glaring at the kit beside him. "Did you bring a fucking adult with you?! Did you go to the- OH I SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE!" She glanced around as she spoke, eyes jumping between the folks in front of her and searching for a way out. The other kit winced as she spat metaphorical fire. "This guy tricked you, kid! They wanna drag you to the den and then you're gonna be the next easy target to pin shit on! GOOD LUCK BECAUSE I AM NOT GOING BACK THERE!" Rika then bolted for what looked to her like an opening.
Hetro fluffed up at the sudden aggression, holding his hands up innocently. “Woah, woah, wait- wait!!” He sprung forward instinctively, flaring his wings out and trying to block her escape. He reached for Rika’s scruff to try and hold her still, managing to just barely grab on as he stumbled to the floor with her in his grasp.
Rika let out a shriek as her scruff was grabbed, her feet slipping out from underneath her causing her to flip onto her back. She squirmed, trying to escape Hetro's grip.

"LET GO OF ME! I'LL FUCKING BITE YOU! DON'T TRY ME!" She screamed, kicking and fighting to try and escape. "I'M NOT GOING BACK!"

The other kit took a few steps back, hunching lower and lower to the ground as he did, ears pinned against his head.
Hetro struggled with Rika as he held her, and though every instinct in him screamed to just let her go run, his hold never loosened. He tried to speak softly to Rika, telling her to calm down, but eventually he just let her scream it all out. He hoped no one would hear this, it’d look really wrong.
“Kid, please. No one’s taking you anywhere, it’s just that lunch, see?” He pointed back towards where he thought the other kit was still standing. “That’s all we wanna give you!”
"I AIN'T TAKING SHIT! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" She screamed in retaliation, squirming but either growing tired or starting to give up her futile escape. "I DON'T WANT TO OWE YOU SHIT! YOU CAN'T GET ME THAT EASILY! YOU TAKE ONE SANDWICH AND SUDDENLY YOU'RE SOME OTHER BITCH'S MEAT SHIELD! NUH-UH! I AIN'T FUCKING DOING THAT SHIT!" She screeched seemingly getting a second wind as she tried yet again to squirm out of Hetro's grasp.
"Wait what?" The other kit squeaked out in confusion. "Meat shield?"

"YEAH, MEAT SHIELD- AND I AM NOT GONNA BE YOURS! FUCK THAT! I'D RATHER STARVE!"

The other kit looked on in confusion, letting out a small squeak noise but saying nothing else.
Hetro’s arm started to ache from how much Rika struggled, and he was using his left arm at that- he swore under his breath as his grip loosened and he quickly tried to use his other hand to grab Rika by the arm instead.
“No one’s using you, no one wants you to do anything you don’t want to! But eating is important, and I’m not letting a kit go hungry out here.” He said sternly, raising his voice.
Sweet freedom!... And then she was grabbed by the arm and she let out something between a groan and a scream. "I'll find myself food! I haven't starved yet! Let me GOOOO!" She pulled and struggled, trying to loosen his grip by pushing and pulling at his hand with her free hand. "I am FINE!" She shouted but seemingly gave up after that, still prying at Hetro's hand but not pulling away so hard.

The other kit sat down by this point, having assumed this might take a while… But was he wrong?
Hetro just waited until Rika screamed herself to exhaustion, his face stern but not in a mean way- he just wanted to help her see she could be okay. “Just take deep breaths, you’re fine,” he tried telling her.
"I KNOW I'M FINE!" Rika hissed. "I SAID THAT ALREADY!" She glared, ears pinned back while baring sharp teeth, but not making any other moves.
Hetro bit back the urge to snap a snarky reply, simply holding her still and waiting. He glanced back at the other kit to see how the poor kid was doing. When he saw Rika stopped trying to struggle, he asked, “Alright. Do you wanna try to sit down and not run off now?”
The other kit sat cross-legged hugging his fluffy tail but relatively calm for the scenario. Rika, however, continued to glare daggers at Hetro, tail lashing behind her. "Fine." She growled. "But if you try ANYTHING… I will bite, and it will not be pretty. You're gonna bleed EVERYWHERE and it's gonna be super gross and you'll have to go to the hospital!" She couldn't possibly believe she could actually send a fully grown adult to the hospital, right?
Hetro flashed a tiny smirk. "Alright. I hear you." He slowly let go of Rika's arm and sat back next to his little buddy.
Rika's eyes dart off to the side for a moment as she debates running again, but knowing that did not work the first time, she decides to actually keep her word and sits down, near enough that she can see the two other folks, but far enough away that she was out of the adult's reach. The other kit seemed a little shocked that his friend DIDN'T just bolt again, but he hoped it wasn't obvious. (It was obvious.) Rika rolled her eyes at the other kit's surprise before focusing her attention back on the bigger threat, that being the bigger folk.
"So? The fuck do you want from me?"
Hetro relaxed as Rika actually listened and took a seat, and with a patient smile he reached over and took the paper bag that had her lunch in it. He held it out to her.
"Only that you take this and, y'know, actually eat something from it. Calmly." He added the last part a bit rushed as if anticipating something rebellious from Rika.
"Only if you're actually hungry, but still. You're a kit and you gotta have a good diet to grow well."
Rika gave him a look that read 'really?' but ends up giving a defeated grunt of frustration as she snatches the bag and opens it up. She pulled the sandwich out, sniffed it, and then took a bite, holding it up afterwards to show that she did in fact take the bite. "Happy?" She said, still chewing the bite of food.
The other kit watches silently, looking between Hetro and Rika as if this is the world's longest staring contest and he's the judge.
Hetro simply nodded and grinned. “Yeah, but maybe a few more bites. You like it?”
Rika rolled her eyes. "I guess! It tastes like food!" She said, her tone aggressive. "Can I go now?" She added, almost growling.
“Sure, fine.” He didn’t actually want her to run off, but he didn’t like keeping her hostage either. “Just don’t throw that away, got it?” He glanced over at the other kit. “If you wanna go too that’s also fine. I don’t wanna keep you sitting here.” He hoped deep down that at least his little buddy would want to go back to the Den today, but if not… at least Hetro knew where to look for them now.
Rika stuffed the remains of the sandwich into the paper bag and stood up. "I don't owe you anything for this! You took my time!" She hissed out, running off of the carousel before literally flying away.

The other kit watched her fly off and then looked up at Hetro. "Can… I go with you?" He questioned, tilting his head, unfazed by the fact that his friend flew away and how unnatural that is for a folk to do. "Rika seemed angry and I don't… really wanna be alone and she won't hang out with me if she's angry so…"
Hetro almost made a quick retort before he simply watched in amazement as Rika literally flew away, scrambling to stand up and watch her leave for as long as he could before she vanished. “What the…” he trailed off, left there blinking wondrously. Well, okay. Kits could fly now. Why not! He shook off the feeling of envy.
He turned back to the other kit as he spoke up quietly, smiling at him. “Uh, yeah! Of course! Sorry if I made the… situation worse. But I didn’t like how she was treating you.” He went back over to the kit and helped him up. He looked around a bit more before hopping off the carousel- if Rika didn’t want to stay, there wasn’t much left for them here.
The kit followed, twiddling his thumbs a bit as he did. "Rika is just… like that. She doesn't mean it in a bad way I don't think…" He said with a shrug. "I'm sure she has her reasons. Like steel wool, that's abrasive but it has a reason for being that way."
"Nah, I get it... some kids get scared and act mean to defend their feelings." Hetro shrugged. "But that doesn't mean she's right, and that you can get pushed around. I know you can stand up for yourself, lil' buddy." Hetro smiled down at the kit. "Your feelings matter too, so look out for yourself too!" Hetro cast another glance back, but couldn't see Rika anywhere.
"I know…" The kit replied, kicking a pebble with his foot. He didn't know what else to add. He knew his feelings mattered… Or at least he thought he knew that, why wouldn't they? If they didn't matter, why would he have them? Right? "Can I stay with you tonight?" He asked, looking up at Hetro. "I-I know you said that we'd be in separate rooms but.. D-do we have to right away? I- … I don't really…" He paused trying to figure out how to explain what he wanted to say.
Hetro kept quiet for a while as they walked. The poor kid was just real shy, he figured- it kind of reminded him of his brother. He just hoped he’d learn to stand up for himself as he adjusted to his new life.
They walked in silence for a bit until the kit spoke up, and Hetro turned with surprise
“Huh? Oh-“ he had to think for a minute. If keeping the kit company for the night would let him stay at the Den and feel safe, he’d definitely be okay with it. “Well… we can talk to the folk who help manage the Den- they’re called Den Mothers. They’re all super sweet, I think they can manage something for you.” He reassured with a sweet smile.
“But for the most part, you’ll probably have to learn to sleep with other kits as your roommates, y’know? But, like, you’re new and stuff, so-“ he chuckled, “They’ll wanna help you feel comfortable.”
The kit nodded along as Hetro spoke, taking it in. "O-okay..!" He replied, still nodding his head a little as he spoke. It was more of a 'maybe' than a 'yes' but it wasn't a no, so at least there was that. He stayed quiet for a few moments before adding in a "Thank you…"
Hetro smiled warmly. “Hey, no problem.” He patted the kit on the shoulder, his smile widening to a full grin. “I’m glad I got to meet ya, little buddy! You’re gonna be fine once you’re more settled in- and then you can have more fun.” He said cheerfully. The little guy’s been through a lot of back and forth, but Hetro would make sure that the newcomer would get to feel just as welcome as he’d felt when first awakening.
"I'm glad I got to meet you too!" The kit said with a warm smile. He reached up a hand as he walked alongside Hetro to silently ask if he could hold his again on the trip back to the Den.
Hetro happily took the kit's hand, then tugged him closer and scooped him up to carry him. "How 'bout I let your lil' legs rest for a bit, huh? Don't wanna use up your energy for all that walking!"
The kit was a little shocked initially, but didn't fight or struggle to get free and relaxed after a moment of being held. "I- Okay…" He said, hesitating, not quite sure what to say but wanting to give a reply. "But if your arms get tired I can walk again!" he added, making sure Hetro knew he could still walk, as if that wasn't a certain fact.
"You're a little guy! I'll be alright. And you get to enjoy the view from here," He added with a chuckle. The two enjoyed the walk back to the Den from there, and though Hetro knew there was a lot of first steps to be taken for a traveler kit like this one, he'd be ready to help how he could.
(10,146 words)

-Characters Featured-
Vulpix150 - Thyme, Paprika
danny-anny - Hetro

Acorns - 21/115

This art (c) Vulpix150

This story (c) Vulpix150 and danny-anny

Description

(Strong Language Warning)

The following is a Roleplay/Collaborative Story between me and danny-anny
---

Tired and alone, a kit wanders… somewhere… He's lost, having wandered from the overgrown amusement park where he awoke in search of sustenance. Unfortunately for him he has no idea how to get back or where to go from here. His arms cross in front of his inky black phylactery, gripping his arms tightly… He gets a sinking feeling he's in danger, but he's not sure why… Maybe it's just the fact he doesn't know his location… That's probably it, after all, nothing appears to be dangerous around him… Right?
Hetro stretched his wings out as he left a small cafe after hanging out with some friends. He was starting to get a habit of sorts now that he was better adjusted, and it was fun just having the time to be with those who liked him. With a pleased smile, he started making his way back home.
He took a more scenic route, so less folk were around, and as he walked along he saw a shape move near the trees. He slowed, squinting slightly as he tried to make out what it was. Finally, he saw it was a small kit, walking aimlessly, slightly hunched over. Immediately his instinct to help kicked in, and he hurriedly went closer. When he was near enough, he walked up to the kit so they could see him coming, holding a hand out tentatively.
“Hey, little guy,” he said with a gentle smile, “you look a little lost. You okay?”
The kit tensed up a bit as the tall folk approached him. He looked up as he spoke, taking in the stranger's gentle tone and expression, and slowly, the kit relaxed again, at least to an extent. After a few moments, he responded.

"I… I think so?" He didn't quite sound confident, but he wasn't confident he knew what definition of 'okay' was in question. "I might be lost though…" He added in agreement with that statement. He opens his mouth again, debating asking where he is, but decides that's probably pointless information to him and closes his mouth again to calculate his next words. His tail flicks back and forth and his ears lower a bit before he turns his wandering attention back to Hetro's face, having found a less pointless question to ask.

"Do you know who I am?"
Hetro’s smile turned a bit more to sympathy as he noticed the kit had a dark phylactery. A traveler, like himself. He looked behind the kit for a moment to see if anything was following him, then turned his attention back to the kit.
His question left Hetro a little speechless. Did he know this one? Usually there was the tiniest spark in his chest when he caught eyes with someone he’d known before, but here there was…
“No, sorry bud.” He kept his voice light. He knelt down a little to meet the kit at eye level. “Can you remember if you know anyone you can get help from? You know where you live?” He asked slowly.
The kit frowned a bit, diverting his eyes as he rubbed his hand up and down his sleeve. He thought for a moment about the question.

"...Sort of?" He finally replied, tilting his head a bit as he wrapped his arms tighter around himself. "I… I know I woke up in a place with lots of plants and… big things, I'm not sure what they were but Rika made one of them move by playing with the… wires? I think that's what they're called. That's where I've been living…" He paused, his tail wrapping itself around his ankles. "I only know Rika though and she said she can't keep helping me for free so she sent me to go find myself food, and now I don't know where I am… This is my first time leaving that place that I know of…" He looks back up at Hetro before his eyes dart another way. "I met someone else, but they asked a lot of questions and I don't know anything about them, just that they woke me up and started asking me questions and I didn't have answers so I ran away from them…" He nodded as he finished that statement, thinking that might be important information.. Maybe…
Hetro listened and nodded along, though much of what the kit said didn’t make full sense to him. From the sound of things, he hadn’t just woken up or anything, which relieved him a bit. He cleared his throat when the kit finished, glancing away as he thought for a moment.
“Right, uhh- well, you said you need to find some food?” He didn’t have any snacks on him, but he knew this kit was going to the Den whether he liked it or not. He didn’t seem to have anyone to be with from the sound of things. “I can take you somewhere safe, okay? You can get food and a lot more help there. It’s to that big tree over there.” He turned and pointed to the elder tree, smiling. “I live there, actually- a lot of people do.” He stood up and took a step back, inviting the kit to follow.
The kit looked over in the direction of the elder tree, staring in contemplation before turning his eyes back to Hetro, and then down to his hands, which he was now wringing in front of himself. He wasn't sure how he wanted to respond, and the metaphorical wheels turning in his head were also evident in his expression. Eventually, he nodded and looked back to Hetro's face. "Okay…" He took a hesitant step to follow, but it was probably better to go with the stranger than to be lost and by himself.
Hetro started walking, keeping close to the kit but also giving him a little space. He kept a close eye on the kid and tried seeing if he looked hurt or too skinny. But he seemed okay. “Don’t worry kid, everyone gets a little lost every now and then. Especially me, pfft!”
He let things stay quiet for a bit, thinking back on what the kit had told him thus far. He’d heard there were a couple of kits who lived in the Forgotten District, and that was over near where they were- it explained a few things, really. He shook his head a little, wondering why in the world folk allowed children to just live somewhere like that. It seemed to be begging for disaster at this point. But that wasn’t what mattered right now.
“You got a name, by the way? You can call me Hetro.” He grinned.
The kit trailed along beside him , walking in a subtle zigzag pattern as he repeatedly shifted between gravitating towards the adult and distancing himself from him.

"Hetro is a cool name." He said before falling quiet again, thinking hard. He combed his fingers up through his orange hair and then back down through his bangs and then continued by dragging his hands down his face, stopping in his tracks for a moment before crossing his arms in front of himself again and continuing on his path.

"I think so… But I don't know what it is, I can't remember…" His ears were pinned back as he said this. He dropped his focus to his feet as he continued. "Rika called me a few different names but I don't feel like they were very nice names." He shrugged at that comment, not really upset by the names, more just stating the facts.
Hetro’s smile inevitably dropped at seeing the kit look so conflicted and scared. He hadn’t met too many new travelers that were so young, let alone someone who knew next to nothing about themselves. He tried to shrug off the familiar feeling.
“Alright, that’s okay! You can always make your own. Did, uh, is this Rika someone who’s been with you since you woke up?” He wondered, trying to piece things together before they talked to anyone else. This Rika so far sounded either like a random kit or… something else, and he definitely didn’t want the latter.
"For the most part, yeah." He nodded as he spoke to further confirm that yes, Rika had been around him since he'd woken up. "She's cool, but she uses a lot of words that sound… wrong to use…" He added, shrugging again. He unknowingly walked closer to Hetro, eyes on the ground in front of him.

Hetro wasn’t sure what to make of that. He had read what was known about visitors, but from what he knew there wasn’t anything that said they spoke differently or in another language. Maybe Hetro was overthinking it- the kid was new, after all, he could be hearing terminology that was unfamiliar to him.
“Oh, alright,” he shrugged to play it off as not a big deal. “There’s always something new out in the world and not enough time to figure it all out.” He chuckled lightly, deciding to end it there for now and give the poor kid some quiet. There was still a ways to go before they even left Willow Valley, so there was a lot of time to have peaceful silence along the walk.
After a moment of silence, the kit glanced up at Hetro, staring for a moment before dropping his gaze once again. He followed along, glancing around as if to check for signs of danger, slowly stepping closer to the adult beside him. His tail swished in a jerky, twitchy sort of manner, occasionally brushing against Hetro's ankles. He glanced up at Hetro again, drumming his fingers against his own arms before uncrossing them. He reached up a hand tentatively towards Hetro's, but retracted it again and opted for shoving his hands into his pockets instead.

"So… Uh-" He paused, not really sure where he was going with that. "I like your wings, they're really cool." It was a true statement, but also a desperate cry to fill the void of silence.
Hetro had taken notice that the kit drew closer to him, which relieved him. He smiled at the question, opening one of his wings a bit to admire the white feathers.
“Oh, thanks! They’re hard to take care of, but they’re real pretty. Gets the ladies, y’know?” He gave a playful wink, laughing. “But really, I like ‘em. I used to be able to fly with them, actually, but not anymore.”
The kit tilted his head at that last part. "Why not? Did you break them?" He asked, further emphasizing his lack of knowledge of this world without intending to do so. "Will they get better so you can fly again?" He added. His attention was now more on Hetro, big blue eyes staring up in questioning curiosity. His tail slowed back to a less frantic sort of swish as his focus shifted.
"I'm too heavy." He flashed a grin, already knowing the excuse. It wasn't a lie but not the full truth, either. He didn't feel responsible enough to spill the whole 'you're something much more different than you used to be' spiel to a child. "I don't think I'll ever fly again, but who knows?" He gazed upwards wistfully. "The tree's tall enough to enjoy the view I used to get up there, so that's good enough for me."
The kit really just looked more confused at the response, but he didn't bother questioning the answer more. "Oh, okay…" was how he chose to reply, falling silent, trying to find something else to talk about. Unable to decide on a topic, he began humming to fill the silence.
The silence filled the air again, and Hetro couldn't help but realize that it was a bit too quiet. He tried to think of what to ask-- not like an interrogation, but something to help the kit feel less nervous about the situation.
"So, have you seen anything interesting lately?" He asked, perking an ear curiously. "I heard the Forgotten District has a lot of little neat places to explore."
The kit thought for a moment. "The big things when they're moving are pretty interesting… And I saw some neat looking plants, but Rika told me not to touch them because they'd hurt me, but they did look cool!" He pulled a hand from his pocket to scratch at the back of his head as he continued to think. "You're pretty interesting, does that count?" He shrugged. "I haven't really been too many places."
Hetro nodded along as the kit spoke, then raised his brows in surprise, letting out a flustered laugh. "What, me? Why?" He laughed again, shrugging. "I guess the same goes for you, kid- don't find too many random kits wandering around near Willow Valley, let's be real."
He crossed his arms, thinking out loud. "You don't have to be around too many places to find interesting things. You go to any place, big or small, you're gonna find something that catches your attention. It's what makes exploring so fun for me, personally." He tilted his head a bit. "Pretty neat stuff, though- you like learning about plants and stuff?"
The kit tilted his head from side to side with a bit of a shrug. "Kind of? I dunno." He reached across his body with his unpocketed hand to grab the arm on the opposite side, leaving the other hand in his pocket. "I like… knowing things?" He added, uncertainty in his words. "It's better than not knowing things… I like having answers I guess…" He shrugged again. "Do you?" He finally asked in return.
Hetro's tail swished in thought. "Uhh, I dunno? I don't go looking for answers much, unless it's something pretty important. I like to learn as I go through things." He blinked, bright green eyes glimmering with something nostalgic remembered. He spoke more fondly as he recalled something. "My brother, though, he likes reading just about anything to learn something new. He knows everything about anything." He chuckled warmly. "I think you'd find him a lot more interesting than me, really."
The kit mouthed something silently, thinking way harder than someone probably should be given the response he was given. "...Reading is the thing with the books and the words, right?" That sounded right. "I like the books and the words- I think so anyways." He looked down at the ground, putting his hand back in his pockets as he walked, intentionally stepping on fallen leaves and patches of grass for no particular reason other than they were there.

"Yeah! You got it." He gave a thumbs up. "I actually can't read too well myself, y'know." He glanced over sympathetically, trying to have something for the kit to relate to. If he didn't even remember what reading was, he definitely didn't remember how to read either. "It takes me forever to read huge pages like that, heh."
The trees above and around them started to cover more of the sky, boughs bending low and tunneling the path. Hetro stepped closer to the kit. "There's a huge library, those places where there's a lot of books for folks to borrow them. You could go there after you grab something to eat." He offered softly.
"Maybe!" He said a hint of excitement in his voice. "That sounds pretty cool." He jumped forward to crunch a couple of leaves under both his feet before continuing to walk relatively normally. "Do you think there's gonna be enough food that we can bring some back to Rika later?" He asked, finally looking back up to Hetro. "She said she didn't have very much food, which is why she made me go look for some for myself, so I was just thinking maybe we could bring something to her if we can find the place again?" He pulled his hands back out of his pockets again and wrung them together as he spoke. He sounded concerned.
Hetro quirked a brow, wondering for a quick moment why he was so interested in Rika, before deciding it was probably because she was the only kit he had talked to since being here. He smiled and shrugged. "Of course! She's also welcome to head over to the Den if she needs anything- they provide everything for free." He tilted his eyebrows sympathetically. "Uh... any reason why she didn't come with you?" He slowed in his walking for a second, wondering if he should go back and find Rika, too.
The kit paused as Hetro mentioned the Den by name, frozen in place like a deer in headlights, ears pinned back and tail curling around his legs. "Wait, the den?" He questioned, tensing up. "But that's where the scary kid wanted me to go! The one with all the questions!" He took a step back, nearly tripping on his tail as it hugged closer and closer to his ankles. "Rika said it's full of mean people who want you to get hit by the chancla! I don't know what a chancla is but I don't wanna be hit by it!" His breaths quickened as panic rose, staring up at Hetro with wide, fearful eyes.
Hetro's ears pinned back, and he raised his hands innocently, waving them and dismissing what he'd said. "Wait, hey, hey- calm down, it's okay!" He didn't move, letting the kid have all the space he wanted. Hetro tried folding his wings in some more to look smaller.
"Listen, no one's getting hit, okay? Those are just bad rumors spread by kits to scare others." He reassured softly. "You're safe with me, I promise. No one's gonna hurt ya." He grimaced, keeping close watch of the kit's actions, hoping he wouldn't run off. The poor thing barely knew what was even going on around him, Hetro didn't want him getting hurt wandering alone.
"Bu-bu-bu-but-..." He stumbled through that one word and fell silent… Rika wouldn't lie to him… right? But Hetro also wouldn't lie to him… Right? He stood frozen, unsure of what to do. Honestly he kind of just wanted to curl up in a corner but there was no corner to curl up in. All this open space and he felt trapped… After some deliberation, he decided the next best move was to sit down right where he was, tail wrapped around himself, hugging his knees. He let out a sort of "HHhhh" noise, trying to decide what to do about this dilemma. He truly didn't believe either would lie to him, but their information conflicted..
Hetro hesitated, reaching a hand out to step forward and comfort the kit but then pulling back, unsure. He tugged at his bangs in frustration, then just decided to take a step closer anyways.
"Look... I know there's a lot of confusing things right now. I know you're getting different questions and answers, but just take a minute. Take some time, you don't need to know everything right now. I promise you'll be okay where I'm taking you." He knelt down as he spoke, not too close but within arm's distance of the kit.
The kit looked at Hetro, tears welling in his eyes. He wasn't sure what to do or say in the moment, feeling completely overwhelmed… until his stomach growled, reminding him why he came out here in the first place; not starving. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself a bit before he responded.

"Y-you promise?" he squeaked out, not moving much from his position. Sure, he was scared, but Hetro was big and strong and would protect him from any chanclas, right…?
Hetro held his hand out. "Promise." He said firmly. He'd do anything to help this kit see that he could be safe here.
The kit sat for a moment, silent, staring at Hetro, first at his face, then at his outstretched hand. He took a breath through his teeth before reaching a hand out tentatively, as if making sure it was alright, before grabbing Hetro's hand. "O-okay…" he said, uncurling a bit. "I-I'm sorry…" he added. "I didn't- I- didn't mean to-..." He fumbled, trying and failing to find the words to explain himself, so he just repeated "I'm sorry" and fell quiet again.
"You're alright," Hetro reaffirmed, helping the kit get up. He held onto his hand as he stood up as well. "C'mon, we should be there in a couple minutes. If you don't wanna go inside, I can get the stuff for you, okay? But let's get there first and see what you wanna do." He spoke slowly and quietly.
The kit nodded in response, gripping Hetro's hand tightly. He wanted to say something, maybe apologize again, but he decided to keep his mouth shut instead. His tail twitched behind him, threatening to curl around and trip him, but never actually doing so. He kept his eyes facing the ground, stepping on leaves again to distract from the feeling of having done something wrong.
Hetro led the kit along, silently enjoying the crunching sounds of the leaves and twigs. Soon enough the path became more solid, not hidden in the foliage, the massive roots of the elder tree looming above as tunnels opened up to go inside. He looked down at the kit to see if he was alright with going inside, thinking of where he could have him sit and wait while he got him something to eat.
The kit looked up at Hetro with uncertainty and his grip on the teal folk's hand tightened slightly. He wasn't sure what he was in for once they entered the tree but he did have Hetro, and Hetro would keep him safe, he was sure of it, he promised and everything. He took a breath and stepped closer to the adult before glancing back at the opening in the tree. He was as ready as he'd ever be.
Hetro led the kit through the tree, going up and down wooden walkways, stairs, and bridges. They passed by colorful buildings and all sorts of folk, eventually all leading towards the center, a huge cylindrical building with rooms jutting out to make it even larger. Hetro brought them towards some tables and chairs that were set near the main entrance, overlooking a balcony that gave view to the buildings sprawling underneath.
"So! This is the Den!" He gestured towards the entirety of the complex with a sweeping arm, smiling. "How are you feeling? You can sit here and I'll get you something real nice to eat. You prefer anything?"
The kit looked up at the building. It was so tall and kind of intimidating. He looked up at Hetro, concerned. What if Hetro went in and then got lost and couldn't get back out? Or worse, the chancla got him! …Hetro said it was just a rumor but the kit still wasn't totally sure what to believe. He shuddered, his fur fluffing out, and then tried to focus on the questions he was just asked instead of the towering building in front of him. He wasn't sure how to answer the first question, he was feeling a lot of things and he wasn't sure how to convey that, so he skipped that question to consider the second one. Did he prefer anything? He wasn't sure… There was an answer somewhere deep in the back of his mind, but trying to find it was like trying to ride a sled uphill. Could it be done? Maybe with some help, but for now, it seemed like an impossible task, so he settled on just shaking his head.

"No, I… I don't think I prefer anything." He said quietly, still clinging to Hetro's hand for the time being, not sure if he was ready to let go yet. "Are- Are you sure you won't get lost?" He asked, staring at the large complex again. "That place is really big…"
"I know my way around, no worries. It's a straight shot to the dining area, anyway, so it's not that much to get to it." He pointed in the air as if he were mapping out where they were going to be walking. "C'mon, I'm getting a little hungry, too, hehe!" He led the kit inside, saying hi to those that went past, heading towards the dining area and seating them down at a table when they were there.
"I'll be right back with something for you, okay?" He finally let go of the kit's hand, resting it on the table.
The kit looked up at Hetro and reluctantly nodded. "Okay…" He said as he drummed his paws nervously on the table, hunching over as if being close to the table would hide him from any potential danger. He glanced around the room, looking at the other folks nearby but making sure not to look for too long at each one. His tail twitched behind him and he kicked his feet a little beneath the table.
Hetro turned and went off to get some lunch, looking back every now and then to see how the kit was. He still looked very nervous, Hetro thought, his brows furrowing worriedly. As he waited in a line he considered getting a Den Mother to help attend the lost kit. He wasn't sending him to the Promethean Society for now, that was sure. Maybe he'd get someone later, he decided as he picked out two sandwiches and some juice to go alongside them. He put the extras in a paper bag and the meal for the kit on a tray. Then he got himself some water.
He came back to the table with a bright smile. "Here you are!" He greeted, setting the things down. "The bag's for your friend." He sat down in front of the kit, drinking his water in relief.
The kit watched as Hetro set everything down. He stared at the tray for a moment before looking back to Hetro. "...Thank you." He said softly with a small smile to accompany it. He then sniffed the sandwich a little before taking a bite. He has no idea what was on this sandwich, but it was good, so he took another bite.
Hetro was relieved to see the kit was smiling for once. He grinned back. "No problem, kid." he said, sitting back in his seat. Hetro rested his chin on a hand, taking the moment to just relax. He traced a claw along the lines in the wood, the murmurs of background chatter grounding him a bit. “How you liking it?” He asked after a while, smiling.
The kit looked up from his nearly finished sandwich and nodded his head, finishing what was in his mouth before speaking. "It's really good, thank you!" He gave a small smile before taking a sip of his juice. He paused for a moment, then tilted his head. "Are you gonna eat?" He questioned, realizing Hetro said he was also hungry but never seemed to bring anything back for himself… He might not remember much but he DID remember that, especially because it wasn't that long ago that it was said. So he looked at the adult with concern.
The question caught him off guard , and Hetro perked up, chuckling lightly with surprise. "Uh- you know, I kinda forgot to get something for myself!" He decided not to fight against the kit's worries, getting up with another laugh. "I'll be back," he said, giving a little finger gun as he walked off. Hetro grimaced a bit to himself when he was turned away, realizing he was very much not hungry, and he really should've used another excuse to get inside faster earlier.
Well, it was whatever now, he shrugged to himself as he picked a fresh fruit, tossing it in his hand as he went back to the table. He already took a bite by the time he sat back down, holding it out to the kit as if he had to prove he was in fact eating now.
The kit smiled at him, none the wiser at his not actually being hungry and just glad that Hetro would also not starve today. Not starving is good! He finished off his sandwich and took another drink of his juice before looking at Hetro and asking a question. "So… What now?"
"We go back to your friend, yeah?" He quirked a brow. Hetro was curious to meet this Rika and see what was up with her. In the meantime he'd be able to get a little more info on what to do with these kits wandering around Old World places. "Whenever you're ready to head out, you let me know, 'k?"
The kit's ears perked up and he nodded excitedly. "Yeah! I'm ready!" He said, grabbing the paper bag off the table and hopping out of his seat. He bounced on his toes, looking at Hetro, raring to go.
Hetro felt his chest light up like sunshine. He matched the kit's energy instantly, hopping out of his seat, instinctively taking the kit's free hand and skipping out of the dining room and back outside.
"So the Den wasn't too bad, hm?" He said slyly as they walked along, smirking at the kid.
The kit thought for a moment, walking beside the adult. "I guess not..?" was his answer. He hadn't really seen much of the place or met many folks in there but it wasn't as scary as he thought it would be, he had to admit that. "I expected more… mean… Rika said everyone was mean in there… Maybe she was… Uh- What's the word for 'making a bigger deal out of something than it really is'?? I KNOW there's a word for it, it's on the tip of my tongue!" He poked his tongue out of his mouth to emphasize the last point.
Hetro quirked a brow in amusement. “Uhh…. overexaggeration?” He offered.
"Yeah! Something like that! That sounds right. Maybe she was overexaggerationing about the den." He nodded to exaggerate that he was sure that was definitely the word he wanted and that he was probably definitely using it correctly.
Hetro simply followed along as if he'd said everything perfectly, nodding sagely. "Yeah. I mean, it's what kids do, I guess- I'm sure I used to make a huuuuge deal out of things when I was little." He chuckled, shrugging. "Cause I still kinda do nowadays! But you grow out of it, y'know?" He looked down at Thyme kindly. "Things we don't really know about are what we tend to make seem bigger or scarier than they actually are."
The kit nodded, more bobbing his head than actually shaking it up and down. "Sometimes things just seem really scary even though they're not… Like that thing!" He pointed down to the ground near his feet as best as he could with a paper bag in his hand. "I got scared by it when I first noticed it but it's not even scary, it's just just light not hitting the ground." He stared down at his feet as he walked, or more at the shadow by his feet. "I don't think I'm supposed to have that, but everyone else seems to have one, so I guess I am supposed to." He shrugged, looking back up at Hetro.
Hetro frowned, confused, seeing nothing at first, but as the kit spoke it clicked in his head. “Ooohhh… your shadow? Yeah, everybody’s got one! Everything, too,” he emphasized, gesturing to the shadows the lights outside and the lamps around them cast on buildings and objects. “I guess they can make things scarier than they seem as well. Never thought about that.”
"Yeah, but it's okay because it's just a shadow and they can't hurt you!" He said while jumping on a crunchy leaf in front of him. "...You know the way to the place, right?" He questioned, looking up at Hetro as he walked beside him. "Because I still have no idea how to get back…" He added, his voice squeaking a bit, hoping Hetro did know the way to the place.
"I would've asked earlier if I didn't know the way!" He flashed a cheeky grin, then let it soften as he thought of something. "... Listen, you wouldn't mind staying at the Den instead of over there, right? It's just not safe for a kid to be living alone in a place like that." Maybe he should have approached the idea earlier when they were sitting down, Hetro thought to himself regrettably. Well, he was asking now, no turning back.
"Well, I wouldn't be living alone, I'd have Rika and she's strong and cool and brave and stuff." He said, not quite answering the question. "I don't think she'd let anything happen to me. He added, still looking up at Hetro.
He gave a small sigh, not with disappointment, just a bit of amusement. "Yeah, I mean more like..." He brushed his bangs and pushed them to one side, taking a minute to think of how to say things. "Well, uh... it's more of- you're still learning a lot of things, right, and that includes taking care of yourself, like eating, sleeping, keeping clean, learning about the world, all that stuff. And, like, you can't do that even if you're with another kid, 'cause you're still kids, y'know?" He shrugged. "It's just better, safer, if you're in a place where you can rely on adults to help you through stuff. It's... yeah... does that make sense?"
The kit's focus shifted, looking practically nowhere for a minute as he thought. Was he a kid? He guessed that made sense, because he was smaller than Hetro and Hetro knew more about stuff than him so… Yeah that checked out. "I guess that makes sense… But I can still go hang out with Rika, right?" He said. Looking back up at Hetro towards the end. "I don't mind living with you there if I can still go hang out with her and stuff"
Hetro chuckled sympathetically. "Oh, heh, you wouldn't be living with me. You'd be with other kids your age! And Rika could come along, too- I think it'd be better for her, actually." He said, thinking.
"I guess you could go back to explore and look around, but living there? Nah. I mean, it's... many call it an Old World place. So, it's old... and... not for living in." He shrugged a little meekly.
"B-but what if I don't wanna live with kids my age?- I- I don't even know what age that would be!" He clung tighter to Hetro's hand, as if clinging tighter would solve the issue. His tail instinctively wrapped around his ankle, nearly tripping him but not quite managing to do so. His ears were pinned back as tears threatened to fall from his wide eyes.
Hetro stopped walking, holding the kit steady by the hand he held them with. He crouched down a bit, placing his other hand on the kit's shoulder. "Hey, you're alright, okay? Take a breath, kid." He gently soothed, leading him off the main road so they could take a break for a minute.
He inhaled softly when they were out of the way. "Listen... there's a lot of things you don't know, and... I've been there." It took a second for him to keep going, hesitating on what he should even let out. He decided to continue. "I, uh... came here knowing nothing about this place, this... community. And it was real scary. But! That was fine, because that's what a community is for in the first place- you have people to be there with you and for you when you're lost." He smiled, genuine and warm, trying to send every message of 'you can be safe here' to this kid.
"So, you're not gonna know everything off the bat, but that can't stop you from reaching out and finding what you can learn, and who to learn it from. From safe and trusting people, of course." He added the last bit with more seriousness. "The Den is safe and trusting, I can promise you that. You'll be okay there. You won't know anybody, but that's also fine. Just give it time."
He'd been firmly holding onto the kit as he'd spoken, then faltered, moving back a bit and loosening his hold, pinning back his ears in realization.
Tears were no longer threatening, they were coming, trailing down the kit's face. He had a look of devastation in his eyes, a look that gave off the energy that this kit's entire world was falling apart… and there wasn't much of a 'his' in this world to begin with. "B-b-but why can't I learn and still live with you?" he squeaked out. "I don't wanna be all by myself in there! I don't- I-" He continued on, but it was incomprehensible. He had an iron grip on Hetro's hand now… Or as iron a grip as a kid can have at least… He probably wasn't intending to squeeze so tightly, he probably didn't even realize he was. His focus was entirely on Hetro's face, trying to understand what was happening.

Hetro watched helplessly, grimacing, then pulled the kit into a tight hug, embracing with not just his arms, but his big soft wings.
"I never said you had to do it alone, kid," he muttered, shutting his eyes softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I've still got you, buddy."
The kit was stone still in Hetro's embrace, still trying to understand the situation but was honestly more confused. He didn't know what to do, or say, or think, so he just stood still, staring blankly at nothing in particular as he attempted to process the whole situation. Was Hetro going to leave him or not? Did he do something wrong? Is that why he couldn't live with him? Did Hetro not like him anymore? No, that last one couldn't be right, people who don't like you don't give you a hug when you're scared- Wait there was a hug happening.

Finally, the kit reciprocated the hug, closing his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Hetro, one hand still gripping the paper bag in it tightly, the other lightly digging fingertips into the adult, clinging as if his life depended on it.
Hetro relaxed in relief when the kit finally hugged back, holding him closer when he did so. He felt like he was doing a thousand things wrong- he really should've talked to someone about this, said something, anything- but at the same time, what could be done? The poor kit was just about to dart off at the very idea of entering the Den. There were a hundred ways to approach the circumstance, and life had it so that he was the one to lead it this way. He'd try his best to make it end better, it was what this kit deserved.
He stayed silent, kneeling there, hugging the child, hoping the embrace could provide the comfort his words lacked.
"...Please d-don't leave me. I- I don't w-wanna be a-alone…" He whimpered softly, hugging a little tighter. He buried his face in Hetro's fur, at least as well as he could.
“You’re not alone, you’re not gonna be alone. You’ve got me and everyone else in this tree to help you, okay? You’re not gonna be alone ever again.” He rubbed the kit’s back comfortingly.
"B-but you s-said we weren't gonna live tog-gether-" He said. "I- I- I d-don't wanna l-live there if y-you're not gonna b-be there!" Clearly, this kid didn't quite get the memo about how the Den functioned.
“No, no…” He pulled away from the hug, keeping the kit close and brushing some of his fur away from his tear-stained face. “It’s more like- the Den’s got lots of different rooms to live in, and the grownups live in one area and the kits in another. But they’re allowed to see each other, still! And I can do that with you, kid.” He smiled gently. “So you and I can live there, not in the same room, but the whole place is for the two of us and everyone else living there, too. Does that… make sense?”
"Oh!..." He said, looking down. He honestly felt really bad… kind of dumb really. He really did just have a meltdown over nothing, didn't he? Why did he do that? He took a shaky breath, internally smacking himself in the forehead but resisting the urge to actually do that. "I-'I'm sorry… That m-makes more sense." He said, stuttering out the words a bit still but much calmer at least.
He gave the kit a little pat on the arm, shaking his head. "Nah, you don't have to apologize- I should be, really. I keep throwing new things at you and I'm not making any sense about it..." He trailed off chuckling dryly. "But, yeah. You don't have to worry about being left alone, not while you're here." He sat back a little more comfortably, sighing. "Are you okay? You're feeling alright? I could, uh, try to explain some more things while we're talking about this?"
He nodded. "I'm okay…!" He reassured with a sniff. He wiped his face with his free paw. "I-I'm okay." He repeated, perhaps more trying to convince himself than Hetro. The kit wasn't really sure what else to do or say. "I'm… I'm okay…"
Hetro patted the kit again. “Alright. Um. Well, I can keep taking you to your friend, then. There’s always better places to talk about the, uh, bigger things.” Hetro smiled, deciding that even if he didn’t think it best for the kit to go back to the District, it was better to have him return to something familiar as a palette cleanser of sorts. He slowly stood up again, holding his hand out and ready to keep going when the kit was.
The kit nodded and took hold of Hetro's hand. He took a breath before giving a solitary "Okay…" in response. He was okay, everything was going to be okay. His tail twitched frantically behind him, but otherwise, he seemed relatively calm, like he stuffed all his anxiety into the fluffy appendage.
Hetro gave him an encouraging smile, and led them all the way back to the Forgotten District. He glanced up at the sun, seeing it was past afternoon by now and that soon it’d be sunset. With a resigned sigh, he decided that he’d have to either convince the kit to come all the way back to the Den, or let him stay at the District. He’d have to see what worked best when they got through it all.
They finally arrived at the iron gate that opened up to the rest of the area, and with a half smile he looked down at the kit. “Right, so where do you live?” He asked, letting the kit’s hand go so he could lead the way.
The kit looked around the area. "Uhhh…" He gave a shrug. "Around?? Rika usually hangs out by the thing with the… animals??? The ones attached to the poles that go up and down when you turn it on and it plays music! …Or I think it's supposed to be music anyways…" He continued to look around before he got the idea of the general direction he needed to go and ran off in that direction, assuming Hetro would follow.

"RIIIKAAAA!?" He called out, looking around, ears perking when he heard a whirring noise accompanied by what was probably once a chipper tune, now slowed and distorted to what only a ghost clown could probably enjoy. He approached the offending machine: a large carousel covered in mossy overgrowth, horses in varying stages of deterioration either bobbing up and down slowly or attempting to do so despite the vegetation tangled in their gears. In the center of the contraption sat a bright orange kit with dark patches of fur and a phylactery as vibrant an orange as her fur, watching the machine move around as she held two wires in place.

The duller orange kit jumped onto the spinning contraption weaving through the horses to get to the center. "Rika! Hi!" He chimed when he just about reached her.

She turned to face to him, dropping the wires which caused the machine to slow to a halt. "Oh hey, lucky you, not dying or something. Welcome back! Guessing you found yourself something to not starve with?" She said, looking at him completely unfazed that he'd been gone probably all day.

"Yeah! I did! And I found some for you too!" He proudly presented the paper bag to the other kit who lifted a paw, not to take it but to push back towards the other kit.

"Keep it for yourself, dumbass. You don't survive out here by being nice and giving people stuff. Besides, I don't want to owe you anything and I can't pay you for that shit right now when I'm fully capable of finding stuff for myself, thanks." She turned back to the wires, trying to get the machine to turn back on again.

"B-but you gave me food first! So you wouldn't owe me, right?" He said, trying to convince her.

"Nah, you paid me back by dragging that tarp with the stuff on it for me, remember?" She replied, shutting down that notion without even looking up from the sparking wires in her paws.

"Oh… But can't it just be free?" He offered.

"Nothing is ever free, stupid!" she dropped the wires again, standing up on her hind legs to look him in the eyes. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she spoke. "Someone always pays for everything. Not even 'freeloading' is free, and that literally has free in the name. Don't forget that, and don't be the guy paying for things they can't afford to pay for." She then shoved him backwards, gently enough that he wouldn't fall and get hurt, but hard enough to prove a point and assert her dominance. Then she turned back to the carousel's wires again. The fluffier kit's ears flattened against his head as he watched her go back, not entirely sure what to do about the situation.
Hetro quietly followed the kit through the district, hands in his pockets and looking about as they walked along. He'd never really gone in here by himself before, only seeing it from a distance- the place sort of spooked him.
He looked up at the carousel, ears pinned back at the strangeness of it. His eyes finally landed on the kit in the middle, straightening a bit as he realized in relief that this was Rika, and she wasn't a visitor. He let out a sigh, smiling, walking over as the kit excitedly approached her.
As Rika scolded the kit, his smile fell, turning to a soft frown at the words she said. Then his brow furrowed when she shoved the kit. Alright, that was far enough. He cleared his throat, a little loudly, stepping up onto the carousel to be on the same level as the kits.
"Hey hey heeeey," he said, stepping forward and placing a hand on the boy's back, glancing down at Rika, "we don't have to be mean about someone giving us a little something to help, yeah? That's a whole meal he's giving you there. Trying to push it away isn't gonna help anyone."
Rika jumped at the sound of Hetro's voice. She turned back yet again to see him, back arched like a cat as she stared for a moment. She took a few steps away from him, pressing against the center pillar of the carousel, trapped.

"Who the fuck are you?!" She hissed before glaring at the kit beside him. "Did you bring a fucking adult with you?! Did you go to the- OH I SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE!" She glanced around as she spoke, eyes jumping between the folks in front of her and searching for a way out. The other kit winced as she spat metaphorical fire. "This guy tricked you, kid! They wanna drag you to the den and then you're gonna be the next easy target to pin shit on! GOOD LUCK BECAUSE I AM NOT GOING BACK THERE!" Rika then bolted for what looked to her like an opening.
Hetro fluffed up at the sudden aggression, holding his hands up innocently. “Woah, woah, wait- wait!!” He sprung forward instinctively, flaring his wings out and trying to block her escape. He reached for Rika’s scruff to try and hold her still, managing to just barely grab on as he stumbled to the floor with her in his grasp.
Rika let out a shriek as her scruff was grabbed, her feet slipping out from underneath her causing her to flip onto her back. She squirmed, trying to escape Hetro's grip.

"LET GO OF ME! I'LL FUCKING BITE YOU! DON'T TRY ME!" She screamed, kicking and fighting to try and escape. "I'M NOT GOING BACK!"

The other kit took a few steps back, hunching lower and lower to the ground as he did, ears pinned against his head.
Hetro struggled with Rika as he held her, and though every instinct in him screamed to just let her go run, his hold never loosened. He tried to speak softly to Rika, telling her to calm down, but eventually he just let her scream it all out. He hoped no one would hear this, it’d look really wrong.
“Kid, please. No one’s taking you anywhere, it’s just that lunch, see?” He pointed back towards where he thought the other kit was still standing. “That’s all we wanna give you!”
"I AIN'T TAKING SHIT! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" She screamed in retaliation, squirming but either growing tired or starting to give up her futile escape. "I DON'T WANT TO OWE YOU SHIT! YOU CAN'T GET ME THAT EASILY! YOU TAKE ONE SANDWICH AND SUDDENLY YOU'RE SOME OTHER BITCH'S MEAT SHIELD! NUH-UH! I AIN'T FUCKING DOING THAT SHIT!" She screeched seemingly getting a second wind as she tried yet again to squirm out of Hetro's grasp.
"Wait what?" The other kit squeaked out in confusion. "Meat shield?"

"YEAH, MEAT SHIELD- AND I AM NOT GONNA BE YOURS! FUCK THAT! I'D RATHER STARVE!"

The other kit looked on in confusion, letting out a small squeak noise but saying nothing else.
Hetro’s arm started to ache from how much Rika struggled, and he was using his left arm at that- he swore under his breath as his grip loosened and he quickly tried to use his other hand to grab Rika by the arm instead.
“No one’s using you, no one wants you to do anything you don’t want to! But eating is important, and I’m not letting a kit go hungry out here.” He said sternly, raising his voice.
Sweet freedom!... And then she was grabbed by the arm and she let out something between a groan and a scream. "I'll find myself food! I haven't starved yet! Let me GOOOO!" She pulled and struggled, trying to loosen his grip by pushing and pulling at his hand with her free hand. "I am FINE!" She shouted but seemingly gave up after that, still prying at Hetro's hand but not pulling away so hard.

The other kit sat down by this point, having assumed this might take a while… But was he wrong?
Hetro just waited until Rika screamed herself to exhaustion, his face stern but not in a mean way- he just wanted to help her see she could be okay. “Just take deep breaths, you’re fine,” he tried telling her.
"I KNOW I'M FINE!" Rika hissed. "I SAID THAT ALREADY!" She glared, ears pinned back while baring sharp teeth, but not making any other moves.
Hetro bit back the urge to snap a snarky reply, simply holding her still and waiting. He glanced back at the other kit to see how the poor kid was doing. When he saw Rika stopped trying to struggle, he asked, “Alright. Do you wanna try to sit down and not run off now?”
The other kit sat cross-legged hugging his fluffy tail but relatively calm for the scenario. Rika, however, continued to glare daggers at Hetro, tail lashing behind her. "Fine." She growled. "But if you try ANYTHING… I will bite, and it will not be pretty. You're gonna bleed EVERYWHERE and it's gonna be super gross and you'll have to go to the hospital!" She couldn't possibly believe she could actually send a fully grown adult to the hospital, right?
Hetro flashed a tiny smirk. "Alright. I hear you." He slowly let go of Rika's arm and sat back next to his little buddy.
Rika's eyes dart off to the side for a moment as she debates running again, but knowing that did not work the first time, she decides to actually keep her word and sits down, near enough that she can see the two other folks, but far enough away that she was out of the adult's reach. The other kit seemed a little shocked that his friend DIDN'T just bolt again, but he hoped it wasn't obvious. (It was obvious.) Rika rolled her eyes at the other kit's surprise before focusing her attention back on the bigger threat, that being the bigger folk.
"So? The fuck do you want from me?"
Hetro relaxed as Rika actually listened and took a seat, and with a patient smile he reached over and took the paper bag that had her lunch in it. He held it out to her.
"Only that you take this and, y'know, actually eat something from it. Calmly." He added the last part a bit rushed as if anticipating something rebellious from Rika.
"Only if you're actually hungry, but still. You're a kit and you gotta have a good diet to grow well."
Rika gave him a look that read 'really?' but ends up giving a defeated grunt of frustration as she snatches the bag and opens it up. She pulled the sandwich out, sniffed it, and then took a bite, holding it up afterwards to show that she did in fact take the bite. "Happy?" She said, still chewing the bite of food.
The other kit watches silently, looking between Hetro and Rika as if this is the world's longest staring contest and he's the judge.
Hetro simply nodded and grinned. “Yeah, but maybe a few more bites. You like it?”
Rika rolled her eyes. "I guess! It tastes like food!" She said, her tone aggressive. "Can I go now?" She added, almost growling.
“Sure, fine.” He didn’t actually want her to run off, but he didn’t like keeping her hostage either. “Just don’t throw that away, got it?” He glanced over at the other kit. “If you wanna go too that’s also fine. I don’t wanna keep you sitting here.” He hoped deep down that at least his little buddy would want to go back to the Den today, but if not… at least Hetro knew where to look for them now.
Rika stuffed the remains of the sandwich into the paper bag and stood up. "I don't owe you anything for this! You took my time!" She hissed out, running off of the carousel before literally flying away.

The other kit watched her fly off and then looked up at Hetro. "Can… I go with you?" He questioned, tilting his head, unfazed by the fact that his friend flew away and how unnatural that is for a folk to do. "Rika seemed angry and I don't… really wanna be alone and she won't hang out with me if she's angry so…"
Hetro almost made a quick retort before he simply watched in amazement as Rika literally flew away, scrambling to stand up and watch her leave for as long as he could before she vanished. “What the…” he trailed off, left there blinking wondrously. Well, okay. Kits could fly now. Why not! He shook off the feeling of envy.
He turned back to the other kit as he spoke up quietly, smiling at him. “Uh, yeah! Of course! Sorry if I made the… situation worse. But I didn’t like how she was treating you.” He went back over to the kit and helped him up. He looked around a bit more before hopping off the carousel- if Rika didn’t want to stay, there wasn’t much left for them here.
The kit followed, twiddling his thumbs a bit as he did. "Rika is just… like that. She doesn't mean it in a bad way I don't think…" He said with a shrug. "I'm sure she has her reasons. Like steel wool, that's abrasive but it has a reason for being that way."
"Nah, I get it... some kids get scared and act mean to defend their feelings." Hetro shrugged. "But that doesn't mean she's right, and that you can get pushed around. I know you can stand up for yourself, lil' buddy." Hetro smiled down at the kit. "Your feelings matter too, so look out for yourself too!" Hetro cast another glance back, but couldn't see Rika anywhere.
"I know…" The kit replied, kicking a pebble with his foot. He didn't know what else to add. He knew his feelings mattered… Or at least he thought he knew that, why wouldn't they? If they didn't matter, why would he have them? Right? "Can I stay with you tonight?" He asked, looking up at Hetro. "I-I know you said that we'd be in separate rooms but.. D-do we have to right away? I- … I don't really…" He paused trying to figure out how to explain what he wanted to say.
Hetro kept quiet for a while as they walked. The poor kid was just real shy, he figured- it kind of reminded him of his brother. He just hoped he’d learn to stand up for himself as he adjusted to his new life.
They walked in silence for a bit until the kit spoke up, and Hetro turned with surprise
“Huh? Oh-“ he had to think for a minute. If keeping the kit company for the night would let him stay at the Den and feel safe, he’d definitely be okay with it. “Well… we can talk to the folk who help manage the Den- they’re called Den Mothers. They’re all super sweet, I think they can manage something for you.” He reassured with a sweet smile.
“But for the most part, you’ll probably have to learn to sleep with other kits as your roommates, y’know? But, like, you’re new and stuff, so-“ he chuckled, “They’ll wanna help you feel comfortable.”
The kit nodded along as Hetro spoke, taking it in. "O-okay..!" He replied, still nodding his head a little as he spoke. It was more of a 'maybe' than a 'yes' but it wasn't a no, so at least there was that. He stayed quiet for a few moments before adding in a "Thank you…"
Hetro smiled warmly. “Hey, no problem.” He patted the kit on the shoulder, his smile widening to a full grin. “I’m glad I got to meet ya, little buddy! You’re gonna be fine once you’re more settled in- and then you can have more fun.” He said cheerfully. The little guy’s been through a lot of back and forth, but Hetro would make sure that the newcomer would get to feel just as welcome as he’d felt when first awakening.
"I'm glad I got to meet you too!" The kit said with a warm smile. He reached up a hand as he walked alongside Hetro to silently ask if he could hold his again on the trip back to the Den.
Hetro happily took the kit's hand, then tugged him closer and scooped him up to carry him. "How 'bout I let your lil' legs rest for a bit, huh? Don't wanna use up your energy for all that walking!"
The kit was a little shocked initially, but didn't fight or struggle to get free and relaxed after a moment of being held. "I- Okay…" He said, hesitating, not quite sure what to say but wanting to give a reply. "But if your arms get tired I can walk again!" he added, making sure Hetro knew he could still walk, as if that wasn't a certain fact.
"You're a little guy! I'll be alright. And you get to enjoy the view from here," He added with a chuckle. The two enjoyed the walk back to the Den from there, and though Hetro knew there was a lot of first steps to be taken for a traveler kit like this one, he'd be ready to help how he could.
(10,146 words)

-Characters Featured-
Vulpix150 - Thyme, Paprika
danny-anny - Hetro

Acorns - 21/115

This art (c) Vulpix150

This story (c) Vulpix150 and danny-anny