Gawen is following his Mama today.

"Following" is a...kind word for what he's really doing, which is entertaining himself by pretending to stalk her through the undergrowth like a hunter. Except Gawen isn't really that good of a hunter, and constantly loses her trail only to end up up walking in circles before catching a glimpse of her rose-kissed hide between the trees. He's not entirely sure if she's aware of him trailing her, though if she isn't it would truly be a miracle considering how loud the boy is while moving through the brittle autumn foliage. But he's late to this particular party, and as his soft ears twitch eagerly atop his cranium, the boy is heartbroken to have been left out of any discussion of herbs and healing. After all, Gawen's cornering of medics and moon doctors was practically legend now, and Evangeline was the next target on his list for interrogation.

With an eager crow of triumph the boy went skipping towards his mother, eyes bright with excitement at the prospect of meeting others of similar interests. Except the moment he made it to her warm flank, Gawen realized that he'd never actually met anyone his own age, and his confidence died like a crumpled up piece of paper being shot for a perfect three-pointer into a waste basket. Any execution of limbs is terminated immediately and he divebombs into his mother's side like a poor excuse for replacement brakes, and he happily remains there. Shamelessly using her as a shield against social interaction. Peering out and around the swell of her belly, the boy lifts his outside wing to nervously hug himself, trying to disappear. They were girls and they were his age. Or, closer than Lyanna and Ultima at any rate, who were more like family to Gawen than anything.

Good going, kid. Befriending adults before you're even old enough to string sentences together. Great socialization.

But he has been here long enough to hear the pretty pale one inquire as to Kiada's (or so she'd announced herself) plans for the future, if the Doctor rank interests her. And though he is suddenly painfully shy and insecure around these beautiful, intelligent girls, he can't help the passion that burns in his heart and wavers across his tongue towards the tree-touched girl. "I...I wanna be a Doctor." Already he feels faint just speaking those few words, and he presses even closer to his mother's flank, needing the reassurance of her touch and presence. Big blue eyes turn to Kiada then, and it's a little easier to talk to her, the older one who is surely dominant over him.

"Can you teach me too?" Gawen would sacrifice any shred of comfort if it meant learning more, no matter how his knees shook or his heart trembled in his chest. But maybe they could learn to be friends? And his sweet face turned towards Maude then, whose name he hadn't caught. "I'm Gawen," he offered shyly, tiny smile appearing on his face as he peered just barely past his mother's side at the older filly. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad?