mala suledin nadas — o. dual joining

[jericho]

Jericho has been spending the afternoon herb-collecting, for he's had a bit of free time and has already tended to his garden.  It feels much like the days before he became a leader or even Sunhaven in general.  It feels like he's just a medic again, with only his plants to care about.  He supposes that isn't really true at all, is it?  Even as a healer he's always spent his days worrying over his clan.  Maybe that's just the type of person he is.  But back then he'd spend hours out in the forest, just searching for useful plants or pretty flowers, and these days he feels like he's so much more busy.  It isn't a bad thing, being leader, but... he does miss those days spent in joyful fruitlessness.  Today he relishes in that feeling, gingerly plucking the stem of some mallow when youthful voices come drifting in the wind.  Flower still held carefully in-mouth, the little feline lifts his head and follows with pricked ears the sounds, unable to smell anything beyond the sweet nectar of the plant he carries.

He comes to a stop at Monroe's side, still ever-painfully unaware that the shark-like feline is his own flesh and blood.  Jericho bents for a moment to place the mallow at his paws before his head raises once more and, oblivious to his (former?) sister still, the tomcat focuses on the two foxes.  They seem young, judging by their voices and from what little he can sense about their height.  An exact age Jericho cannot guess, but he knows they're still children, and such is enough to cause his brow to furrow slightly at their being out here all on their own.  Though he knows not what they're doing out here alone, Monroe has asked most of the important questions.  The ginger tabby himself isn't sure what else to do except offer up a small, reassuringly kind smile in the vague direction in which he senses the duo.  "Ah, I'm Jericho... do you — " he begins to ask if they have parents, but he stops himself halfway through with a gentle gnawing on his lower lip.  Should the answer be no... well, perhaps it's best to word the question differently.  He clears his throat lightly with an awkward shifting of his weight on his paws and tries again.  " — I-I mean, are you two alone?" the Helion finishes this time, keeping his tone light despite his typical soft-spoken manner.