Welcome to Gaia! ::

She appears interested but he can see by her red rimmed eyes she's been crying pretty hard, though she is no longer doing so.

Lyssan nods sadly. "I was afraid that was what she was doing as soon as you left. But Ame is good for stuff like that. He can relate to children when they are feeling lonely and left out. He was given the task of guarding his clan's shrine when he was barely old enough to do so. I don't know what happened that ended up him having to do so, long after his people died off, but his was a strong spirit... still is... and the gods either took pity on him or bound him... he won't speak of it and I don't pry."

Lyssan reaches out to touch his arm, shaking her head in negation. "No, don't pry. If it's important, Ame will tell you. Let her have her little secrets, the sad as well as the good. Eavesdropping on her right now is the start of a dangerous precedence, Kerobian."

Lyssan moves to embrace him and guides him to a chair. "Kero, we want to protect our children... even from themselves... but the truth is... somethings they need to feel.. need to learn. She needs to know how to handle being sad or when she is older and it hits, it will overwhelm her. Baby steps... that is all it is. Small sadnesses now... larger ones later... What is important is that you are there for her if she needs you. This will be the same for Nimbus as well as Luna. Support, guide, nuture... do not attempt to do it for them, but help them carry the load if it grows too heavy."

"She got a heft dose of reality shoved down her throat. Death, life, sharing, responsibilities... the whole shebang..." says Lyssan gently. "All of it's important stuff... big stuff... and she needs some time to assimilate it. It's been known to change adults radically... kids even more so. Give her time, she'll bounce back."

"Love her... love her and show her by the things you do, that you understand, but that this is how things are. Sometimes that is all that is needed. You know from your own past how valuable such behavior is. What was done is immutable. The past cannot be changed, It is the future we strive for. You chose to raise her, went out of your way to do so, even when she could have been reabsorbed into me. You did so because you loved her very much. And I believe she knows this. But you have a family now... something you kind of sprang on her without warning. Before there were just two of you, even I was off to the side... more of a governing personage than a true parent. Now there are four of you and she needs to feel as though she has a special spot in that arrangement. She also needs to learn how to share you. Work on that. Sharing is easy for her, when she knows she has a piece of the action. You know that. Give her two cookies and she runs off to give someone else part of her bounty. Include her in things. Including the raising of her brother. Let her fetch things when he needs tending, but don't make it a chore. Don't make her feel as though she has to do it... make it so she wants to do it. Ask her... don't order her around. Do you see where I'm coming from?"

Lyssan smiles at him and shakes her head. "Keva was a terror when his sister was born. Tam had doted on him something terrible. The big brother going to protect and raise his little brother right routine. But he was an adult when Keva was born. Keva was still quite young when his sister appeared. He hated the fact that there was this little squalling monstrosity taking his parents and big brother away. Tam tried to take our place with him but the truth is, what Keva needed most was us. Ame caught on far faster than I did, thank heavens. So I know what I'm talking about. Call this a been there done that situation. I should have realized she might feel the same way and warn you."

"Then don't... present the opportunities and let her respond. Some children jump at the chance, others quickly learn not to be about when help might be needed... but offer it anyway. In this is is the offering not the doing that is important. And, most of all make some private special time to share with her... each of you. Maybe with Tes it could be bath time or perhaps something they both enjoy doing... with you it could be be a bed time story or maybe like Ame suggested, take her out and teach her to hunt... do this several times a day. Even fifteen minutes here and there can turn things around. But however you do it, you make certain she knows that this is your special time together... don't let anything interfere... Say like if you are reading her a story and Tes calls to you to do something, state clearly you are reading and will get to it afterwards... emergencies not withstanding, of course. Sometimes necessity takes the front seat you know... but she needs to learn this as well."