It had been quite the busy few months for Brother Shark. More than a few. Since he and Sea Love had crossed paths again before the start of Winter Market. Not long after that she'd let him know they were expecting, and everything had sort of exploded from there. A wiser buck probably would have been content with what he'd had, and Shark did thoroughly enjoy Sea Love's company, but that hadn't stopped him from getting closer to Fisheye, or from flirting with a number of other does and bucks are the market itself, including one burly Totoma that'd stuck around for an extended visit to the bay.

And now Brother Shark found himself the ringmaster to a literal horde of foals in varying ages, and quite overwhelmed because of it.

He crept now, as carefully as he could, out of Fisheye's den, hurrying across the sand towards his own cozy cave. Trying to sneak away for a little nap, or even just a few moments to himself. He wouldn't be so luck. At least one of the wobbly little foals had noticed him, and they were toddling after him, tripping over his own long tail as he ran unsteadily after his father. Shark noticed and paused, letting out a resigned sigh. "Alright, alright..."

Turning, he lowered his head to nose the side of the babe's head, steadying him. "You should be sleeping."

He could hear, now, more little bodies moving around inside the den and his ears laid back.

[Brother Shark, Lost to the Depths]

Fierce wouldn't notice the spindly, pale foal that had emerged from Fiseye's den, nor when that same foal seemed to notice him and give clumsy chase. Possibly not until the little one was stumbling at the large buck's feet, the sand tickling his nose making him sneeze before he was looking up at Fierce.

kuropeco wrote:

Run Away had been lightly napping in the den when he heard a soft voice. He was staying with his Grandmother, Sea of Tears. She hadn't exactly been thrilled when The Sea is My Love dropped him and his brother, Sea Fisher, off. He moved to the entrance of the den, peeked out, and spotted his father, Brother Shark, and an unfamiliar foal outside. He crept out of Grandma Tears' den and closer to them, trying to get a good look. He ended up next to an oddly shaped rock. The foal seemed interesting to him but he was nervous about introducing himself. He wondered what his father was doing out there with the foal. Maybe he should just run back into Grandma Tears' den.

Beejoux wrote:

Sea if Tears might not have been thrilled, but Brother Shark was grateful. His own den wasn't uncomfortably small, but Run and Fisher's siblings were still with him, and he images the newest babes would be back and forth between his and Fisheye's dens once they were a little older.

Motherfather, there were foals everywhere...

The little one that had followed him didn't respond to Shark's chiding with anything more then a soft chuf and wide curious eyes and the large buck sighed, relenting. "Alright then." The boy was awake now, there was no going back.

He sank down to lay in the sand, and Lost's tail flicked in happy arched behind him as the foal bonded around his father, kicking up sand as he hopped up onto his back. It was then he noticed another set of eyes watching them and he stilled, ears perked. Shark noticed and glanced in the direction the foal was staring, then smiled toothily.

"Run Away, come meet your new brother." The older foal was a shy lad, skittish even, but Shark smiled reassuringly at him. "He only bites a little."

nashawryn wrote:

Beejoux wrote:

Sea blinked up at the larger buck as he tried to shoo him away. Not listening, or perhaps not understanding. Instead his head tilted curiously to the side, small tail flicking to and fro as they looked up at Fierce.

kuropeco wrote:

from his own den nearby, Abandons Fear could hear movement. His eyes opened slowly, carefully, and he minded his breathing to keep it relatively even. If it so much as changed a beat, he was fairly that the five sleeping forms around him would burst into wakefulness. When he had first begun to put on weight, he had thought nothing of it. When he had felt the stirring of life, though, his entire world had tilted, left him uncertain. Now, though, he was mostly just tired, and quiet. Shark had so very many children. Abandon had had none, but trusted that Shark would tell him if he did something too incorrectly with at least the eggsac children. Lambs- well, he had more experience with those.

Imagine his surprise when one of the foals had emerged from the eggsac with a thick back plate like his own, and one of the lambs lacked it entirely.

Said foal was lying up by his head, her tuft of fur wiggling in her sleep and her heavy hooves scrabbling lightly near his cheek. He slowly lifted his head, and peered at the foals, the lambs. One, two, three, four- where-

Lonely Cry had gotten up and stumbled gracelessly away from the heap, to the entrance of the den, and was watching, quietly, his Other Father and a few other grown-ups playing with a few other foals. He settled down by the wall, and settled back on his haunches, blinking slowly.

Beejoux wrote:

More of the babes in Fear's den were stirring, and it was only a matter of moments before Fairy Shark was up as well, crawling over to where his brother sat at the den entrance, called by curiosity. Too large ears flicked forward as he recognized the large buck on the beach, their Other Father, but he didn't know who the smaller kin were, nor the other foal that was with him.

Fairy glanced back at their sleeping Father, their sisters and brother, and then back out again. They weren't supposed to leave, but their Other Father meant safety as well, and surely it was alright to go to him.

Rising to his feet again, legs still noticeably unstable, he started make his way out, nubby tail wiggling excitedly.

Shark had been happy to see Fear again after the totoma buck had disappeared on him, but he'd been very shocked by the small horde of fluffy babies that had gathered around Fear's feet. He hadn't known, when Fear left, the other buck had been expecting, and he wasn't yet used to the idea that one mistakenly munched on flower could result in foals, but one look at the toothy young and it was undeniable.

Inside the den, one of the lambs lifted her head, watching their brother stagger out of their den slowly. She contemplated for a long moment, then turned her head to look up at the massive frame of their sleeping father. She lifted a hoof and placed it on his cheek.

seru_ame wrote:

Two foals, sisters -- an inseparable pair, Fishy and Red Herring had snuck out from under their older brother's watch. Their mother, Fisheye, had left him in charge of them. He didn't even think of the horrors that awaited him if he told his mother he'd LOST his sisters.

It's All About the Bass was frantically chasing a pair of foals, swinging his morning's catch of bass around as he ran. He truly thought that the bass was the best way to please them, to make them happy, as it did him. He looked distraught but his face was beaming as he tried to convince them.

"Sisters, please! Don't run from the bass! Come here, look at them! They're smiling! So endearing and sweet! We can help mom with lunch!"

There was definitely giggling, but the buck couldn't find the source. It haunted him. He just wanted to go back to fishing. He sighed.

Loudly.

Incredibly loudly.

"I always catch bass. I don't understand why I can't catch them."

He was certain it was Red Herring who was giggling at him.

He didn't even realize he was supposed to be watching more than just the sisters.

Fisheye had returned to her den with exhaustion spread across her face. Six foals were a lot, even when you split them between two parents. The tribe was helpful, of course, but she also ran the tribe. She was playing double duty and she'd even had to recruit her son It's All About the Bass to watch the foals... a concern that was probably increasing her fatigue. He was a good boy but he was a bit... tunnel visioned. She imagined unspeakable embarrassments, and wondered if Fierce Warrior also had these concerns about one of their two sons.

She was certain she saw the girls running from their brother but Son of the Sea? She hadn't seen the foal in her den. Her work was never done. She'd start with the dens closest so she headed toward Fierce Warrior. Maybe she could talk about their son while she was there. It's All About the Bass was a good fisher, yes, but he always threw the other fish back. Maybe he took more after his father?

kuropeco wrote:Approaching Fierce Warrior's den!

Beejoux wrote:Approaching Son of the Sea unknowingly!

Both Shark and Lost looked up when they heard Bass go racing across the sand with this
Today's catch bouncing against his shoulders and Shark groaned audibly. They'd let Bass to watch the foals while he avs Fisheye attended to other duties, and clearly Lost to the Depths wasn't the only spirited babe causing mischief that morning.

He glanced over to where Run Away was still hesitating and smiled at the boy. "You and your siblings were never this much trouble." At least not to his memory.

He glanced back towards Bass, but he couldn't see who the buck was trying to locate. If it was the other boy, or one of the many sisters casing trouble. "Bass, do you need help?"

He had yet to notice the little foal creeping out of Abandon's den, or the glowing eyes watching him keenly from inside. Nor did he yet notice Fisheye heading towards Fierce's den.

The morning was shaping up to be very busy.

appeal wrote:

nashawryn wrote:

seru_ame wrote:

kuropeco wrote:mention

Lonely Cry flicked his ears up, up and towards his brother. He swished his tail, and then pushed himself up, up onto his hind legs in an attempt to hop. He landed nearer to Fairy Shark with a flurry of too-big hooves, and then settled into a gangly waddle-walk after his brother, towards their Other Father. Mouth opened, and a soft bleat came out pleadingly.

Abandon twitched his tail fluff, and cracked open an eye. He lifted his head, and peered down at his young filly. "Yes, my little beastie? What is wrong?" he asked softly, lowering his head to nuzzle her.

It's All About the Bass looked absolutely lost and then very suddenly embarrassed when Brother Shark called to him.

Oh no.
Oh no.
Oh NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
BASS HELP ME, THE FATHER! HE SAW! HE SAW!

He gave Brother Shark the "I Swear I'm Not Incompetent, Please Don't Tell" look as he looked around frantically. "I do! I bassalutely need help! I don't know how mom does this!"

Beejoux wrote:Bass Baby being a Bass Baby.

Depth's bumped her head against her father's nose with a little grunt. She was a headstrong thing, tough, but also observant and quiet. To her father's question she turned her head to watch two of her brothers disappearing out the mouth of their den. That is what was wrong.

And outside the cave Brother Shark was watching Bass with a growing sense of concern as the younger buck shuffled about guilty before breaking down and asking for help. "Oh no." He knew what task Bass had been set on, and he looked around Bass's feet, then around the beach. "Who did you lose?" Because he had to have lost someone for this sort of a panicked display.

They'd need to get the babies back before Fish noticed they were gone.

appeal wrote:

seru_ame wrote:

Who did he lose? Oh no. WHO DID HE LOSE? BASS ONE AND BASS TWO? He looked around, shook his head, sighed and panicked all over again.

Worst. He'd lost Red Herring and Fishy. If he could just remember their names.

"The girls!" He paused awkwardly. There were six babies. Were just two girls? Not even slightly since there were four girls...

"The fishy one, and the one that's not a bass. That one likes to laugh at me!" He exclaimed.

AHHHHH, for Bass' sake... what were their names?! He thought about his mother carefully and diligently instructing him but he just could remember thinking about all the bass he could feed them and teaching them how to fish the best fish: Bass. He wasn't teaching them anything, if anything they were teaching him how to lose at hide and seek.

He was very clearly avoiding looking at Brother Shark in the eye. Any judgement he'd get from the buck, he'd get way worse if Fisheye found out.

Beejoux wrote: