For Better Or Worse

Summerearly, Day 6, 576AS

I spent most of last night awake. I'm starting to think it wasn't such a good idea to have Tamberlane here in the library. It wasn't really possible to sleep owing to the constant wailing of the mystery kit that echoed through every corner of the library. That thing was screaming loud enough to wake up the dead! I can't imagine the suffering Belfry must have endured considering she was sleeping right next to the kit. No matter, I was too excited for this recent discovery to be able to sleep anyway, so I decided to conduct further research. Unfortunately, none of the books I looked through seemed to have any information about a creature of this kind.

Belfry arrived during this time, making a grand entrance tumbling down the stairs, as if she hadn't had enough already from falling into a ravine. Apparently she had forgotten about her leg that she had injured. Of course, only she'd manage something like that. I had already arranged for Nora and Terra to arrive in the morning to treat her injury, but alas I could not guarantee that they wouldn't find her in a worse state. I could only hope she didn't break any other bones before they got here.

She had brought Tamberlane with her, surprisingly unharmed from her accident. I was worried about her safety, but then again, if the kit could survive a fall into a ravine, a simple fall down the stairs would be a mere inconvenience. She needed help pacifying the kit, as if I would know any better how to do that! All I had was my oatmeal at paw, but to my surprise, a spoonful seemed to satisfy it. Need to research further if oatmeal would make for valid sustenance for this kit.

It was discovered that the kit had been crying because it had 'made a mess', for lack of a better term. At least it does reveal that the kit has a normal digestive system. I delegated the task of cleaning it up to Belfry. After all, if she wanted to play mother to this thing, then she'd better be ready to learn the ropes! And yet, despite having an instruction manual on how to change a nappy, she couldn't even complete such a simple task without my help! Perhaps its my own fault for placing so much faith in her.

Having her care for another living being was beginning to look more and more like a bad idea. Even if said being happened to be some kind of swamp monster, I was starting to feel sorry for it. However, all this bumbling around did yield some progress. We found out the creature happened to be a female. That is, if female anatomy works the same way for it as it does for normal creatures. Belfry for one was immensely ecstatic to know she had a 'daughter'. Thats very sweet and all, but I feel like she isn't grasping the gravity of her situation. Its like this is all a game for her. But, if she truly will be raising Tamberlane for her future years, then she will learn what it means to be a mother. The hard way if need be.

This morning Ainsley came upstairs in the library to visit me, brimming with pride as they lugged about a hefty bag. They rambled on and on about a successful scavenge in the forest today. I assume they were trying to convince me that they were a better scavenger than I gave them credit for, but I didn't have any interest to entertain their blabbering. That is… until they showed me what they had found. While much of it was the typical loot, little more than useful garbage, what really caught my attention were pieces of some kind of strange metal, and a strange fabric. The metal looked unlike anything I had ever seen. Many of the pieces were scorched and burned and bent out of shape, but I could tell that in their original state, they would be very smooth and sturdy, perhaps far more sturdy than the typical iron that can be found in Silver Sage. It was obvious that the pieces were part of something larger, but what that was is a mystery.

I didn't really grasp the scale of the fabric Ainsley had brought until they unfurled it on the floor. It was dark brown in color and about as large as a blanket, enough to completely wrap at least one normal sized creature, but the tears on one end of the fabric suggested that this was torn off of a larger whole, and the original was much bigger. Similar to the metal, the fabric also appeared to be of unknown origin, certainly nothing the likes of which I have seen in my life. It didn't feel like the usual type of material used in clothing, construction, upholstery etc, but it was very soft yet strong.

Ainsley claimed to have found these items somewhere on the far opposite end of the forest, away from their usual scavenging territory. I convinced them to sell these to me, but unfortunately they didn't come cheap. It cost me several favors, many chess games and even a few trinkets I had in my posession that they fancied. That greedy git! But hopefully it would all be worth it. Somehow, I feel as though these might be of use later on. It's better to preserve these rare items than have them in the paws of someone who would treat them like garbage to be thrown away!

As Ainsley left, I asked them what they thought of Belfry and her new daughter downstairs, but they looked at me quizzically and said they hadn't seen either of them there. Indeed when I checked myself, she and Tamberlane were gone. I still need to get back at Belfry for how much she made me panic for the longest time! Did something happen to Tamberlane? Did she decide to take her new daughter out for a stroll without telling me? Did Nora take them to the hospital? I didn't have the faintest idea what could possibly have happened until later on in the day when Belfry returned and told me herself. It turned out while I was dealing with Ainsley, she was having troubles of her own: Her first day as a mother and she lost her kit that very morning! My head was sore with how hard I facepawed at that!

Before Ainsley arrived, Tamberlane had snuck off outside with Nora's daughter Penny while Nora, Terra and Henry had arrived to treat Belfry, and see her new kit in the process no doubt. That makes four adults in the room (although whether if Belfry can truly be considered one is questionable), and none of them noticed this! Thankfully, she was found some time later playing by the docks in the company of some of the other kits, some of whom are quite responsible youngsters I must admit, and kept her well. Henry, Nora and Terra helped Belfry gather the kits and bring them to the library to make sure they wouldn't wander off again. On another note, when Tamberlane returned, I noticed she was walking upright rather than crawling like before. How on earth did she learn to walk and run so quickly, I wonder?

This grave oversight seriously compromised my trust in Belfry as a guardian for this kit. Tamberlane is quite possibly the greatest find of the century! The last thing I need is for such a tremendous discovery to perish because of one clumsy bat's negligence!

…

…No…

Perhaps I shouldn't speak of Tamberlane in such a way. It sounds extremely… cold and selfish. I need to remind myself that even though she might look like a hideous swamp monster to us, she is not an animal. She is a creature, at the very least similar to, if not exactly like us. Besides, who is to say that she doesn't perceive us as grotesque monsters? She probably has a biological mother and father somewhere, just like all of us. Parents that might be immensely worried about her assuming they're alive.

Come to think of it, I've been wondering if what we did really was the best course of action. Certainly, we believe we 'saved' a kit that we viewed as abandoned, starving and miserable. But what if her real parents intentionally left her there? What if after we brought her back with us, her parents searched for her and couldn't find her? I can't imagine how devastated they would be. If they're around, I wonder if they will have the sense to come to the town to look for her? However, given that we may be perceived as kidnappers, I'm not sure I'd want that to happen...

I was of the view to look for other potential 'safer' candidates to take responsibility for Tamberlane. A few did come to mind, such as Coriander. She's a sweet vixen with a heart of gold, and perhaps if she can look past Tamberlane's appearance, she might be willing to take her in after knowing her situation. And Parsley is a very responsible young lad. He'd make an excellent elder brother for her. But then there's the issue of Ellis. Unlike his foster brother, he's not exactly a model child. Somehow, I feel like conflicts will ensue between the two. On top of that, Coriander already has her paws full dealing with him, perhaps she will not have the strength to provide enough attention to a third kit, especially one that needs it.

Nora is one other possibility. She has two young kits, of which Parker she just had recently. This could be the prime moment for her to take in another kit. And as a doctor, she might be able to figure out Tamberlane's biology better than anyone else could. Her husband is also a fine, responsible and caring creature, and being in the care of a sheriff might provide her extra security. Yet, kind and loving they may be, but to think they would even actually accept a mysterious kit of an unknown species with special needs is hard to say. Additionally, I have a feeling that if they wanted another kit, they'd prefer a biological one rather than an adopted one.

Maya and Terra are another potential couple. Both of them are kindhearted and their daughter Marie was quick to become friends with Tamberlane and I feel she would make a fine sister if her demeanor is anything to go by. Unfortunately, due to the family's reserved nature I do not know the details of their living conditions, personal issues and whether I'd have access to Tamberlane or not, and hence cannot accurately assess them.

Avery? Actually, no… if only because of Piper. Enough said.

After some thinking, I came to the conclusion that there aren't really any viable candidates that could work as foster parents for Tamberlane. The few eligible ones out there have other issues that could either hinder caring for her or impede my studies of her. I decided to speak to Belfry about what she had decided for the kit. I can't believe I'm thinking this, but... she may be the best chance Tamberlane has right now. Or rather, the only chance.

Earlier in the evening the parents of the kits arrived to collect them. It eventually turned into a gathering as they engaged in conversations into the night. Belfry seemed to be the only one not mingling with the others. I found her just sitting on the stairs moping about and pondering about one of her many problems no doubt. I figured this might be a good time to talk as any. As I had predicted, Tamberlane was on her mind. She confided in me her doubts about caring for the unknown kit. She was… mostly correct about her assessment, but she did confess that she loved and cared deeply for her. I threw at her the option of giving her away to someone else but she seemed to also realize that no one else would be able to care for her. I 'convinced' her to keep the kit but it was obvious her mind was already made up, she just needed a nudge in the right direction. It didn't take much more than a hug from Tamberlane to solidify her final decision. I'm glad that worked out. It works to my advantage since the two of them would be able to stay here, making it more convenient for me to study her. While I am still skeptical of her ability to ensure Tamberlane's safety, I believe we might just be able to make it work as long as either I or the Bakers supervised Belfry's care. Perhaps, with more experience, we might actually be able to trust Belfry alone with the kit for more than a few seconds.

For better or worse, welcome to the family, little Tamberlane...