"That one there" said Damian, "The messy one is full of clothes that need mending"
Nightstorm pulled out a simple hunter's outfit, "This should suit you nicely, and then we can fix your hair."
Tobias nodded, shuffling through all the messy clothes. "So what exactly do you wear?…." He pulled out some stuff that he thought went together pretty well, although he wasn't sure that they'd fit him.
Megan smiled, "Yes that'd be– wait, fix my hair?" She furrowed her brow in concern. "…Don't tell me you're going to cut it."
"Shirt, bottoms, jacket, boots, " the voice came from Arthur, who was leaning in the opening, "if it doesn't fit then i can adjust it."
"of course not dear!" said Nightstorm, "I was planning on braiding it!"
Tobias whirled around to see another man, and he got a bit frightened. It's just another friend…. At least I think so…. He pulled out a shirt, jacket, shorts and some nice boots he thought went well together. "I like these the most," He said, holding them up.
Megan breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good… I spent a good time growing this out the way I've always wanted it…" And the one time that Tobias can actually braid my hair, and he's not down here….
Arthur nodded, "Try them on, and we'll go from there" he said, watching as Damian left him with Tobias.
"Don't worry dearie, I would be asking before cutting such beautiful long hair," said Nightstorm, playing with her own very short hair.
Tobias went off so he could have some privacy before coming back out in his new clothes. They seem to fit almost perfectly…. Like they were made for me! "What do you think?" He asked.
"Ah," Megan nodded. "That seems reasonable…."
"perfect! We'll make you into hunter if you stick around long enough!" said Arthur with a grin, "by the way I'm Arthur, the weird uncle around here"
"I'll let you get changed, then we'll start on your hair." said Nightstorm, stepping outside.
Tobias' quaint smile slowly faded. "Well…. It's nice to meet you… Sir…." A hunter?…. I don't want to kill…. It's not something I want to do…
Megan quickly changed into the clothes that Nightstorm had gotten for her. "It feels so weird to have these on…" She muttered to herself, pinching at her shirt and jacket. But it's better than being naked, that's all I have to say.
"Aw don't worry," said Arthur, sensing the boy's confusion, "You don't have to hunt, no one's gonna force you, though I hope you understand that's part of how our world works" he said gently,
"You'll get used to it, and it'll be easier than those other clothes you were wearing." said a red-gold haired woman,
"Sure thing…." Tobias muttered quietly, glancing at the floor. Maybe I should just stay out of the way or something… I have a feeling I'm really just making myself a disappointment….
Megan nodded. "Sure…. If you say so…." Damn.. People are just coming out of nowhere!!!
"Come one, we have the best braid-er in the house waiting for you," she said before leaping off the cliff, fire stepping her way down.
Arthur laughed, "Come on! don't go getting down on me! I don't like hunting either!"
Tobias was still frowning. "Then what good can I do if I don't hunt?"
The best braider I know is Tobias, and he never does it at the right time… Megan followed the lady to the edge, but stopped.
"Lots of things!" said Arthur, "There's food to cook, firewood to gather, patrols to organize, squabbles to settle, lots of things to do!"
Firia landed next to a red and silver haired girl, who cast a spell that made an ice slid that came down from where Megan was, Nightstorm grinned and slid down it, "Come on! It's perfectly safe!" they called.
Squabbles to settle…. Tobias cringed. "Maybe I should just…. I don't know…" I'm not very good at any of those things… Except gathering stuff… But that seems a bit drab….
Megan took their word for it and slid down. Jeez, if only I could do stuff like this…. She arrived where the others were, and when she landed she dusted the ice off her new pants. "I assume at least one of you knows how to braid hair?"
"That would be me" said Frost with a bow, (She's the one with red and silver hair) Her hair was very long, and held back in a tight braid, "As you can see I keep care of my own locks so I'm sure we can do something about yours,"
"Don't worry, even the smallest most boring jobs are important" said Arthur, "And unfortunately the fighting is something that happens in a large family."
"I know…." Tobias sighed. "Maybe there is something I can do. I just don't know what it is yet."
Megan nodded. "Of course. Just don't make it so tight that it… Well… Hurts." I always hated that….
"I won't" said Frost, leading her to a small rock, and gesturing for her to sit down.
"Trust me there'll be something, who knows maybe Silver will put you to work with his herbs" said Arthur.
He nodded. "I'm just hoping I'll have a little time to myself, too." Time for entertainment or maybe games… I know I sound a bit too young for stuff like that, but I don't necessarily like working hard, either….
Megan followed Frost's gesture and sat down on the rock. "Thank you so much," She said before she even started. "It isn't common that someone is willing to do so much for us… Meaning Tobias and me."
"Well obviously!" said Arthur, "You can't be much older then Tornado, so you'll have about the same responsibility as her" said Arthur.
"Well it's the least we can do since you're stuck here" said Frost running he fingers through Megan's hair before beginning to braid it.
"….But I can probably do as much work as you could…." He said quietly. I have been known to be stronger than I actually think….
"Yeah… It was the same way with Skye and the others when they came over…" She scratched her pants. "I mean, there isn't much to do without knowing what you're doing…." Unfortunately….
"It's not necessarily about ability" said Arthur, leading him up the spire, "It's more about what is really needed of you, everyone does a part, if you're older you're expected to do more, if you're younger you're expected to do less, if you have the ability to do something better than most others that's what you'll do, and other's will do their part. That's how a pack works"
"True, but I have a feeling you'll it in pretty quickly!" said Frost, "I just hope the pack mentality doesn't shock you too much!"
"I figured…" Tobias muttered quietly to himself as he followed after Arthur. "But… I'm just saying…" Maybe I just need to stop sticking my nose in stuff and let them tell me what to do.
"That's true…" She said to Frost. I'll just have to see how things play out from now on…
"Saying what?" asked Arthur, climbing higher over the valley.
Frost smiled, she was braiding quite quickly now, "I'll be done with your hair in a moment."
"That I could probably do… Well…. Never mind…." Tobias said quickly. Don't make him angry at you…. Let them decide what you do and don't do. It's their world, not yours…
Megan grinned. "That seemed quick…" It would take Tobias about ten minutes… But he hardly braids my hair. But when he does, it's at the wrong time…
"Do what?" prodded Arthur, hoping he hadn't scared the kid.
Frost tied off the end, "There you are!" she said, "And the only reason it doesn't take long is because I braid my own hair every day!"
"I said nevermind," Tobias repeated a bit more assertively. I don't mean to be rude. But… Any more prodding at him and I bet he'd burst any moment…
Megan stood up, grazing the braid with her fingers. "Wow, that's amazing. I couldn't even put my hair up in a decent bun if my life depended on it…." Which is the awful truth, to be honest…
"Ok then" said Arthur gently, he sighed, I didn't mean to intimidate him…..
"That's ok!" said Frost, "Not everyone is good with hair!"
Tobias stayed quiet as he followed him. Just don't say anything else…
Megan stifled a laugh. "I am good with hair, just… Not braiding it myself…" I do take good care of it, though. That's why it's so silky at this length! She thought, flattering herself.
Arthur finally led him to the top, finding Alex sitting on the very edge, with golden wings. "Don't tell me you're brooding again" said Arthur, ignoring the spectacular view, from an amazing height above the trees. You could see for literal miles from there, the cliffs that ringed the northern end of the valley, and the pine forest to the south. The waterfall that fed the river at the eastern edge, and the river that snaked its way through the valley. You could see the meadows to the west as well. They were so high up, you could clearly see the mountains in the distance.
Frost smiled, "Everyone has their strengths!"
"I'm sure they do…." Megan said quietly, glancing back up the spire. "Hopefully Tobias can come back and join us. Unless he's not allowed to…."
Tobias glanced around, taking in all the wonderful scenery. This beats the roofs of buildings any day…. He looked around for some time before turning to Alex. "Oh… Um… Hello." He said softly. I don't want to interrupt him in anything….
