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Previously:
With Aster asleep and the storm overhead finally calming, the two kits kept closely huddled together, little bellies round and full, the kits warmly cuddled against Aster. Amidst the tangle of little limbs, tiny paws of both white and chestnut clung to Aster's fur and held on through the night.
Aster was up a bit later than he'd like to admit the next morning. He was usually an early riser out of habit, but after waking up at numerous times in the night to bottle feed the kits, he hadn't gotten much rest himself. However, he'd woken and gotten up without waking the kits thankfully, so he had a chance to make their formula without the constant crying from them. While they were still sleeping, he also took the opportunity to pull together the rest of the ingredients for the specific chocolate recipe. He thought about getting more formula, but it wasn't always so easy to come by. Besides, he couldn't know for sure how long he'd have the kits in his care while making other arrangements for them, so being able to nurse them himself was the most convenient option. However there was one downside to the choice of deciding to nurse them himself and that was the bonding that went along with it. If the kits bonded with him, it would make it harder on them when they were inevitably taken in by a proper doe, but...the kits were so fragile, they needed all the help and care Aster could give them. He stoked the fire under the stove and raised the temperature to melt the chocolates. Kits bonded better with a doe more often than a buck, so he held hope that the transfer wouldn't be too traumatic for them.
He knew he'd have to get the word out about the kits having been found and if no one claimed them, he'd need to start inquiring for potential mothers right away. As the chocolate brewed on the stove top, he went to his study to fetch some stationary along with quill and ink. Returning to the kitchen, he settled down at the wooden table and started to write a couple of letters. One to the colony governor and one to the post office. He knew they would announce it in the paper if he asked. He wrote a short description of the kits and asked for anyone claiming them or anyone who had any information on them to feel free to visit. He also welcomed anyone who might be a candidate to adopt them to inquire with him, but he added that he preferred to not seperate the kits. Even in the short time he'd spent with them, it was clear they shared a bond. They always stayed huddled together when sleeping and when he separated them at all for any amount of time, for feeding or what not, they would cry for the other. He was determined to find them a home who would take them both. He didn't have the heart to separate them, they'd gone through enough already.
Once he was content with the letters, he sealed them up and wrote down the appropriate addresses. He licked the undersides of the appropriate postage and then stuck them on. He tied the two letters together with some string and set them on a small shelf by the door. He'd have to deliver them to the post office later, but right now he had two kits to take care of.
He returned to the kitchen to check on the brew, it was coming along nicely but would take some time until it could be cooled. In the meantime he started mixing some formula together for the kits and warmed it over the stove. He was careful not to make it too warm, and when he was satisfied with the temperature he made up two bottles.
He made his way back into his bedroom, finding the kits where he'd left them. The two were curled together in a small nest-like pocket in the sheets, cradled with a quilt. He smiled a little at the sight, easing down to a sit on the bed. The shifting of weight over the mattress caused the white kit to stir and he lifted his head a bit, as well as he could, and Aster chuckled lightly at the way the kit's fur between his ears stuck up in all different angles. He hadn't realized how thick of a tuft the kit had the night before, with the little buck having been soaked to the bone and then it being too dark to properly see him when his coat had been dried. It certainly was more fur than most newborns had and was rather comical, the way it stuck up between the kit's flattened ears reminded Aster of antlers or horns.
"Mornin' there, Jackalope," He greeted with a small smile, the nickname suiting the kit. It would do for now, better to give the kits some sort of title while they were here.
The kit chirped in response, a short, urgent cry. Yep, time for breakfast.
"I hear ya, don'chu worry." He assured the impatient kit and drew part of the quilt over his lap. He then picked up the white kit and settled him there, propping up one of the bottles for him. The kit eagerly latched on to the rubber nipple and happily drank down his breakfast, teeny paws kneading the quilt. Aster looked to the chestnut kit, finding him still asleep. Knowing if he waited to feed him, the formula would cool and that wouldn't do, so Aster gently picked him up and cradled him in his paw. The chestnut kit chirped a bit sleepily, waking from the movement as he shifted in Aster's paw. Aster gave his back left leg a look over, content with how the splint had held for now. He ducked his head a bit, giving the kit a little grooming to help pull him from sleep enough to get him ready to eat.
The kit jumped slightly and a small hic came from him. Aster's ears perked a bit and he chuckled a little as it happened again. Hic, hic, hic.
"Got a lil' case of the hiccups, hm?" He rumbled gently to the kit, smiling a bit when the little one fussed slightly. Aster rubbed his thumb over the kit's chest, trying to soothe him through the new sensation. "Don' worry, they'll pass soon 'nough." He assured the distressed kit and coaxed him to take the bottle and start working on his breakfast.
The tiny buck suckled for a little while, but fought his case of hiccups through it. Eventually he pulled off with a frustrated chirp, an upset pout on his face as he weakly squirmed. Aster couldn't help but laugh a little at the expression on the little kit's face. He rubbed the kit's head with his thumb in an attempt to comfort him and the kit seemed to calm a little. "Don' look so glum, lil Hiccup." He teased him lightly, smiling a bit. He recalled something he once heard of runts of the litters being called hiccups. It wasn't the most endearing title, but it did seem sort of ironic since the little runt did actually have hiccups. Anyhow, it would work for now as a nickname and it seemed to fit. A voice in the back of his mind warned him against naming them, to not form an attachment, but he figured they weren't proper names, merely nicknames. It was different.
Aster led the bottle to Hiccup's mouth again, helping the kit ease into it and thankfully, this time seemed a bit easier as the hiccups slowed and eventually disappeared. Hiccup took his time as usual. Through the night, Aster had picked up on various differences in the two kits traits. Jackalope, Jack, Aster decided for short, seemed to always be hungry. It was a sign of a healthy kit, and he was very curious too, a sign of a smart kit. He had a good pair of lungs as well, that was one thing Aster and his poor ears were damn well sure of.
Hiccup on the other hand, was quieter and didn't seem as interested in his surroundings, but Aster assumed that was because of the kit's rough start in life. Aster guessed that the broken back left foot had been caused during birth, which wasn't unheard of. Aside from that, Hiccup was a runt and was smaller than Jack and that alone put him at a lesser chance of survival by default. He was a slow nurser, a quiet kit when it came to getting attention, something Jack was very good at. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, Aster reminded himself in his mind. He knew he'd have to adopt a habit of keeping a close eye on Hiccup, for as long as he had him that is.
Once the kits had their fill of breakfast, Jack finishing his bottle in record time and Hiccup abandoning his about two thirds of the way in, Aster set the bottles aside. He then set to work cleaning the kits, grooming over each of them thoroughly. Jack squirmed a bit, a few chirps of protest coming from him though Aster continued, grooming him all over with determined strokes of his tongue. Hiccup enjoyed grooming more, at least Aster thought, but as Aster carefully dragged his tongue over the kit's ears and head, he knew Hiccup was still weak. The kit didn't react to much and it was hard to tell if he was just a quiet one or if he was too weak yet to do much of anything. Aster hoped it wasn't the case, but his gut told him it was the truth. Still, he was determined to do everything in his power to get Hiccup to full health and give him the best chance at living a healthy life, wherever he ended up.
Once he was satisfied with the two kits cleanliness, Aster bundled them up together in a small but warm blanket and made a makeshift sling to tuck them into. It freed his paws up for the journey to the village as well as kept the kits protected from the morning chill. The rain had finally stopped, but the land was soggy from the storm. Everything was soaked and as Aster left his home with the kits safely tucked close to his chest and the letters in his paw, the land glistened in the morning sun. On his way down the path from his front door, Aster paused to glance over at the basil bush he'd found the kits under, the leaves sparkling with water in the sunlight. He stepped a bit closer, examining the area around it carefully for any trace or clue as to who had abandoned them. He'd hoped to find footprints in the mud but the rain had washed away any clues left behind in the dirt. Even the scent that had lingered of a doe the night before had grown cold, blown away with the storm. A small squeak from the sling he wore tore his attention back to the kits and he supported the sling with a paw, glancing down at the two as they shifted and huddled close to his body for warmth. He gave one more glance at the basil bush and the surrounding area before turning and heading out of the garden through the picket gate. Closing it behind him, he started his short journey to town, his free hand keeping the sling steady as he walked. He knew he should get going if he wanted to get back in time for the kits next feeding time.
He suspected the kits would fall asleep during his walk to the village and he ended up being right. He smiled a little down at them when he found they'd dozed off, lulled to sleep by the rhythm of his steps. He supported the sling with his free paw to keep them from being jostled too much. There wasn't much else newborn kits did other than eat and sleep a lot, but he'd expected that.
Upon entering the center of the village, he headed over to the post office, which was partnered and run by the same pookas who organized announcements and important news for the colony. Their colony wasn't that large, which was one of the things Aster liked about it. Their colony was sort of set aside in the country. It was quiet and peaceful, without much drama. However, Aster knew news of the kits would spread like wildfire once he shared it. If it helped him find the boys' mother or a relative of some sort, he didn't mind the word getting around.
A little bell chimed above the door as he pushed it open and a few does from behind the office counter perked their ears up at the sight of him. He offered a mildly friendly smile at them as he approached giving a small nod. "Good morning, Bella, Tilly," He greeted, sliding the tied up letters across the counter surface to them. The two smiled in return, returning the greeting.
"Good morning, Aster, just these today then?" Bella asked, the silver doe inquired politely, taking the letters and looking over their addresses before sorting them accordingly. One went to the basket to be transferred to the news office.
"Yeh, just them today." Aster replied. He often had to write several letters, whether it be to arrange orders for medical supplies, to keep in touch with distant friends from his youth or with patients not immediately local. Tilly leaned over the counter a bit from her seat beside Bella, the younger doe's ears perking at the contents in the sling Aster wore. She could see two pairs of ears, laid down in sleep. "Oh! Kits!" She gasped with a bright smile, but forced her voice down into a whisper as to not disturb them.
"Kits?!" Bella perked up, forgetting her task at hand and stood to see better over the counter, eyes widening. Aster chuckled a little and gave a nod, looking down and pulling open the sling a little to give the two does a better view of the sleeping kits, curled up together against him.
"Yeh, that's what I'm here about. Found the two left in mah garden last night." He explained.
Tilly's eyes widened, looking shocked. "In that terrible storm last night? Someone just...left them there?" She asked surprised and at Aster's nod, she frowned sadly. "Who could do such a thing?" She sighed, looking down at the kits again sympathetically.
Bella did as well, shaking her head a bit. "Poor things, it's good you found them when you did." She said and then smiled up at Aster a bit. "How's being a papa?" She laughed a little and Aster's eyes widened and his ears perked up.
"Oh uh," He laughed a bit, shaking his head. "I'm not keepin'em, I'm here ta get the word out, try ta find their dam." He explained quickly, his ears falling back again.
"Well what if you can't find her?" Tilly asked seriously, looking up at Aster again. Aster shrugged. "Then I'll find someone else to take them. I'm not suited fer...this." He laughed a little, gesturing to the sling.
"Why not? Seems like you've done a fine job so far…" Bella added with a hinting smile. Aster smiled back but shook his head again. "Nah, they need a proper mother...not an old scholar." He laughed a bit. The does shared a look, seemingly unconvinced.
"Well we'll help spread the word and let you know as soon as anything comes up." Bella assured him with a smile. Aster gave a grateful nod.
"Yes, I might know someone actually, she had a litter herself just last year," Tilly suggested, her ears turning back in thought. "She's a sweetheart, they would take to her right away I'm sure of it. I'll ask her and see if she's interested."
Aster gave a nod. "Good, my first priority of course is to find their real dam first...but it's good to have a backup plan in place." He hummed. The two does nodded and Bella glanced at Tilly.
"I don't have the slightest idea of who might've had kits recently...or why they'd abandon them," She said with a saddened expression. "I wonder if it was someone very young...perhaps someone afraid for others to know about it?" She suggested.
Tilly lifted her dainty paw, pointing at Bella. "Yeah! Maybe it was a scandal of some sorts? An unplanned pregnancy or a secret affair...do you think?" She wondered. Aster's eyes shifted between the two. Does could whip up fresh gossip faster than anyone.
"If I may," He added, clearing his throat a bit as the two looked at him. "Sometimes it's a situation of safety, perhaps someone was trying to protect them from something, or, perhaps they simply didn' have tha resources to care for them properly." He said and the two does nodded. "Lil chestnut one here wasn' fairin' well at first. Could have very well been a someone seekin' medical help but not havin' the coin to pay for it." He said with a slight frown. "I would've helped them anyway, I hope most here in this colony know that."
The two does gave nods. "I'm sure most do, Aster," Bella said seriously. "But, if we're right and someone young did abandon them, they may not have been thinking too clearly." She said and Aster gave a nod.
"Well," He shrugged, heaving a slow sigh, "Let me know if ya hear anything, ya know what direction to point anyone interested to." He offered a small smile and the two does nodded.
"Will do, Aster. I hope we find their mother, but if not, I'm sure someone will want them." Tilly smiled and Bella nodded.
"I appreciate it, thank ya, ladies." He smiled and turned to leave. The does smiled and both waved to the sleeping, oblivious kits.
"Bye, sweetlings!" They both chirped, keeping their voices soft. Bella grinned at Aster, watching him go. "And who knows!" She called after him, "Maybe you'll be the one!" She smiled and the two giggled. Aster rolled his eyes but smiled, shaking his head as he left the office.
The walk back had been quiet, the kits still sleeping soundly as Aster's mind became occupied with thoughts and questions. Perhaps Bella and Tilly had been right and the boys' mother was someone young and perhaps scared. If that was the case, Aster knew getting her to come out of hiding and reclaim her kits might prove impossible. He wish he had more clues as to who she was, or if there were any other relatives the boys' had. A father, uncle, grandmother maybe...someone besides the mother must've known about them. Aster wracked his brain, trying to think of any news of pregnancy announcements he'd heard six months prior. There had been a few, but they had all been for pooka he knew and who's kits he now knew as well. Jack and Hiccup had seemed to just appear into existence out of thin air, reminding Aster of old stories of faeries and changeling kits, left mysteriously in the wilderness to be adopted by village folk. There had to be a reasonable explanation for the kits, but Aster had a feeling it wouldn't be easy trying to uncover the truth behind their secretive arrival.
Aster hardly noticed the time that passed in his walk back home. He pushed away the thoughts of trying to figure out the kits' identity for now. It was nearing noon and the boys would be needing to eat again. Aster had chocolates to finish and other things to attend to, maybe making a makeshift nest for the kits. Pushing open the white picket gate to his garden and walkway, he paused and turned his head, something catching his eye. Snagged on a splint of wood in one of the panels of the gate, was a damp coil of wool. It seemed to be a piece of a scarf or shawl perhaps. Aster carefully plucked it up, turning it over in his paw. It was a faded blue and was wet, a sign it had been there since last night, when it had been raining. Aster brought it up to his muzzle, sniffing it carefully to try and pick up any hint of a scent. It was very faint, but there was a whiff of something, he thought, the same scent he'd briefly picked up on the night before. It was a sign at least, another clue as to who had left the boys behind.
A small, waking cry from the sling had him looking down to Jack and Hiccup, the two starting to stir and wake from their nap. They were hungry again. Aster clenched the damp coil of wool in his paw and supported the sling with his other paw before heading inside his home. Take care of the kits now, investigate the coil left behind after they were asleep again. He was sure this was a sign from their mother, but he needed more evidence to find her.