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It was easy to lose track of things when one was always so busy, which meant any and all helping hands were greatly appreciated. Most days, Sebastian Klarstein was up to his ears in books, researching curses, cures, and the like. But… there was also matters of the estate, family business, and many other things to do. And then, one day, quite literally out of nowhere, another thing was added to the list, in the form of one small tawny lion cub.
To his dismay, Sebastian had been so absorbed in his papers that he’d almost tripped over the cub, but thankfully the small one had noted him walking over and had made a noise upon his approach. In the end, several papers had merely been tossed into the air in surprise instead, a far better result. The heraldic lion toon stared down at the cub, who was already reaching up for him hopefully. With only a small reservation of hesitance, Sebastian scooped up the cub, cradling him to his chest, before quickly calling for a stonetooth.
While he wanted to be happy and to celebrate this little ones arrival into the world, he knew what was waiting in the cubs future. …at least that would be later… for now, he seemed to be a happy healthy boy who wanted nothing more than to try and put a pawful of mane into his small mouth.
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Sebastian by no means ignored his son, whom he had lovingly named Johan, but with as busy as he was, the young cub often spent time with the stone teeth, or would see what people were visiting the estate that day. He was just trying to sort some last minute paperwork when there was a soft knock at the door.
“Come in.” He called out without looking up from his mound of books.
“It’s me papa, may I come in?”
“Of course my boy, I’m just behind the books, is something the matter?”
“No, I just needed to bring you something.”
“Oh? You know one of the stone teeth are always happy to help bring things when needed.” Sebastian said as he slid a bookmark into place before setting the book itself aside, and turning in his chair as his son quickly padded over. Already past his knee… Johan was growing so fast…
His thoughts on the matter stopped short as Johan held out his paws, and showed what he had brought. It was a carving of wood, with a loop of red string at the top, likely a decoration to be hung up somewhere.
“The stone teeth are already making things look nice for Animas, and… and one of the wood people? The one who gave the pretty wooden box… I asked him if he might teach me a few things.” Johan explained as he looked to the floor, one foot making small circles on the carpet.
Reaching over, Sebastian took the small carving, turning it over a few times and… not having the foggiest clue as to what it might be, simply smiled.
“Animas already, my my, time has gotten away from me hasn’t it.” He smiled, and held out an arm to scoop up his son, holding him to one side. “What say we find somewhere to put this together, hm? One of the dining rooms, or the seating areas?”
“What about the library? You spend lots of time there.”
While his ears drooped a little, Sebastian's whiskers still crinkled in amusement as well. “That’s very true, and I will see it each time I go in there.”
“Will you join us for dinner tonight too?”
The soft plead and hopeful tone in his sons voice had Sebastians ears drooping more, and he almost tripped over his own tail as it sagged to the floor.
“I…” he began.
He only had so much time.
But… he also only had so much time, and Animas only came once a year.
“I tell you what, why don’t we pick some wood, and I’ll carve something to hang up with your decoration too, hmm? You can help me out.” He said, tapping a paw gently to Johan’s nose and earning a giggle of delight before the child quite literally beamed up at him, a soft glow around his head.
“Really? That would be wunderbar! And… and then dinner after?”
“Dinner after, I promise.”
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Johan sat at his desk, books piled high on every side, and several more upon his bed, the only use it really saw anymore. He didn’t look up at the knock at his door, though he thanked the stonetooth who brought his lunch, and sat the tray down upon its stand before leaving the room.
He glanced over briefly, but then did a double take as something caught his eye, a small box next to the plate of food. Setting down his pen, he reached over and took it into his paws, opening the box and setting the lid aside.
Warmth bloomed inside his chest to the point he thought the crystal that remained might crack and fall away. He gave a soft chuckle, rubbing a paw to his eye as he looked down at the two wooden carvings.
“Animas already,” he said softly to himself, reaching into the box to take his decoration out first, unable to help but laugh at the sight of it. Due to the passage of time he couldn’t quite remember what he’d been attempting to carve, and because of his early… skills, it was hard to discern simply by looking at it. Setting the box aside, Johan used his now free hand to remove the other decoration, holding both in his paws and running his thumbs over the wooden surface.
Perhaps it hadn’t been much, a few hours here and there, and afternoon, but those moments meant so much to him. True, he couldn’t remember what he carved, but he remembered eating Animas dinner with his papa, finding somewhere to hang their decorations, and even getting tucked in that night, being read a story, and… despite drifting off, he was quite positive he’d gotten a kiss on his forehead as well.
Smiling, he rubbed a paw to his eyes once more, quickly finished the lunch he was brought, then hung the ornaments by the window where the light would shine well on them. That done, he decided to take a note from his fathers book, bundled up against the cold, requested a food basket from the kitchen, and tucked it into his hammerspace before grabbing his broom. He would not slack on his research, but for now, even just a few hours, he would see his friends, and wish them a merry Animas.