Tyelpë edged along the wall, quiet as he could and staying in the shadows. The clanging of his father's hammer as he worked on his latest project, which Tyelpë really wanted to see, helped in this, allowing him to take a step without his father hearing any noise. Sure, he had seen drawings, and atar had promised he'd be the first to see the final result, but he wanted to see how it was made: what tools his father would use, the materials, how he'd put them together and make things that didn't look like they had come form the forges at all. Things that looked like he'd made them straight from starlight, Tyelpë thought in wonder.
But he was still too young for the forges, his father would say, so Tyelpë was not allowed to help and learn.
What he didnot expect as he crept along was for his foot to hit something soft, and for that something to let out an ear-splitting yowl of pain.
His atar whipped around, the project clattering to the floor as the cat continued to hiss and spit, scrambling up the overloaded shelves behind him, not caring for the many tools and items scattered about on them. A loud, increasingly rapid clinking made Tyelpë look up only to see a heavy chain, now dislodged from its precarious pile, falling from one of the higher shelves and headed straight for him- he threw his hands up and shut his eyes-
A strong arm wrapped around him and yanked him away, pressed tightly to a warm, familiar chest and leather apron. The clunk of the chain hitting the floor resounded half a second later, then all was silent, save for the harsh breathing of him and his atar.
Tyelpë yelped as he was harshly shoved from his father's embrace and looked up, flinching, expecting his father to yell at him in anger for entering the forge without permission and making a mess. But what he saw instead only made him feel guilty and ashamed.
"What," his father said slowly, face pale and drawn and hands shaking as he rested them on Tyelpë's tiny shoulders. "Exactly. Are you doing?!"
Tyelpë grimaced. "Boo?"