Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 3)

(I only have one of my cousins to compare it to and I haven't seen her since August.)

"We have hunting hounds," Mattathias said enthusiastically. "And horses, and a mean cat in the barn. Papa says not to go near the mean cat cuz she has babies right now."

“Ah, yes, that makes sense,” Ky said. “Mamas tend to be protective of their babies.” She ushered the kids out and shut the door behind all four of them and took three big steps away from the library door. Then plopped down on the floor criss-cross and gently laid Petrir in the little opening between her knees.

Oscar sat crosslegged across from her, with the twins on either side of him.
"Can I touch him?" Marcella asked eagerly.

“Yeah!” Ky grinned at her, then held up her hand. “Two fingers, just like this. Be super super careful.” She demonstrated the proper way to pet a kitten.

Marcella mimicked her clumsily, putting pressure on at the wrong end of the stroke.
"No no no!" Mattathias pushed her hand away. "Like this." He copied Ky's movements a bit better than Marcella had. Oscar squirmed impatiently.

Ky watched them closely, being sure they weren’t going to hurt Petrir. Meanwhile she had her left hand wrapped around his chest and stroking him gently, hoping to keep him soothed enough to endure the children.

"Can I have a turn?" Oscar asked when Marcella had backed off and Mattathias was petting Petrir.

“Of course!” Ky said with a smile. She’d enjoyed getting to delight the tiny Loquiturs with Petrir, fairly regularly. Kids really were so easy to please. So simple. She beckoned him closer.

He scooted forward and began to pet Petrir gently, eyes round with delight. Mattathias and Marcella sat back, looking on with childlike envy.

“What’s your favorite part about being here?” she asked the twins.

"I like playing Pirates in the garden," Marcella said. "Uncle Tomhas is a good bad guy."
"I like making stick beards on my face with honey." Mattathias giggled. "I'm not allowed to at home."

Ky laughed, nodding. Tomhas was exactly built to be the fun uncle. He had a lot of the same energy as Ky’s Uncle Zander, she was realizing the longer she was here. And Uncle Zander was the best person in the universe when she was small. He was still up there. But she hadn’t seen him in over three years and doubted she ever would see him again. She didn’t know where to find him; he didn’t know where to find her. She supposed he, in effect, died along with Papa.

(I’ve been thinking about your comment about introducing new characters and I think Zander could be fun, if we figure out something for him to do lol he’s a Ranger in cannon and travels around a lot being all ~m y s t e r i o u s~ and would absolutely not want custody of Ky, even if he showed up. But I could see him catching wind of the adoption after the fact and coming to see for himself and at that point maybe we could figure out something to do with him? Idk. I’m not married to this idea; just was thinking of which extra character of mine would be easy to yeet in and I think he would be)

(I would absolutely love that! That's a great idea and an interesting way to pull Ky's past before Aleth up for both Ky and her found family to react to.)

"Have you ever done a stick beard?"
Oscar backed off for Marcella to have a turn with the cat. "Can I hold him?" Marcella asked.

(^-^ Perf! We'll do that, then. Yes it will definitely bring out a very different side of Ky haha she'll basically turn into Anneliese hahah she used to be such an over-eager chatterbox and Zander will unleash that again lol)

"I have not," Ky said. "You'll have to show me how!"

Ky patted the ground beside her, urging Marcella to sit down.

"You gotta get your face in honey and then stick sticks in it." Mattathias pointed to his cheeks. Marcella seated herself beside Ky.