“I didn’t lose them, they’re around here somewhere.” Mesec shot an angry glare at his companion, while Lucius preened his feathers. The zephyr appeared peaceful externally but he was really berating Mesec through their bond, as he had been for a while now.

“Aren’t you worried?”

“No! It hasn’t been that long.”

Although that second part was true - it was barely mid-afternoon and she had encouraged the twins to go play or explore around the Edge late morning - the first was a downright lie and both Mesec and Lucius knew it. Of course he was worried. It was safe to say that worry had always come pretty naturally to the demigod but how parenthood magnified it was incredible. He never stopped worrying.

Were they happy? Were they warm enough? Had they eaten enough? Were they ready to start learning how to fly? Were they enjoying living in the Edge? Did they like him? Had they gotten enough sleep?

Were they happy?

It was an endless loop and, really, it occupied most of Mesec’s time. Even when they weren’t around him, he was preoccupied with thoughts of them. Were all parents like this? Did Ampere feel like this for every single one of her foals? Surely that would be overwhelming, and Mesec only knew of four.

Suddenly, Mesec had the strangest feeling that Lucius was just goading him. “Will you please go keep an eye on them?” Without another word - but certainly with a haughty chuckle, Lucius took off. Thus relieved of some stress, Mesec was now free to… do what?

Worry some more, most likely. He needed to get a job in the Edge and soon, perhaps that would help distract him.

Frowning at himself, Mesec continued to wander along the cliffs. Although he had warned his children to stay away from them, it didn’t do any harm to keep an eye out. Besides, he might chance upon some company here or at least find peace in the chilly sea breeze.

Mesec wasn’t alone on the cliffs for very long - but it was a golden figure instead of two small silver ones that approached him. His restless pace came to a stop and he returned her nod of greeting with one of his own. He recognized the mare from the meetings, and was just about to be embarrassed that he did not know her name when she introduced herself. It was a relief to know that his memory had not been so lax that he had forgotten a name. Even if the twins were keeping him preoccupied and busy, that would certainly be no way to get started on his stay within the Edge.

“It’s nice to meet you, Rexanna. I’m Mesec.” He returned her smile with an easy, small one of his own. “I appreciate the company, especially on such a chilly day. My son and daughter seem to have run off somewhere…” Then his silver eyes looked past her, as though expecting them to come crashing through the woods at that very moment. But, of course, they didn’t. Lucius had not yet reported back to him either, so the zephyr was presumably still searching for the pair.

Not one to be very good at hiding his emotions, Mesec felt sure that his troubled thoughts were bright as the moon on his silver-touched face. He didn’t know if Rexanna was a mother but perhaps she might be able to ease his mind a little bit on the topic of foals.

So he looked back to her now, a worried frown replacing that easy smile that had existed just a moment ago. “Do you know if that’s a common habit for kids?” And the underlying, unspoken question ‘How worried should I be?’