Easily Distracted

Writers: Kaysea, Vix
Date Posted: 19th June 2007

Characters: Taia, Drina, Drisha
Description: Taia checks up on Drisha's kitten and the breathing difficulties the kitten caused
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 12 of Turn 4

"Drisha! Come here." Taia called out to the young girl as she raced across
the entrance to the dining hall.

The four-turn-old stopped and looked at the woman guiltily. "What? I didn't
do anything."

"I know you didn't silly." Taia smiled, "Don't you remember me?" she asked,
hunkering down beside the little girl. "How's Tink doing?"

At first the girl was puzzled, but as realization hit her, her mouth formed
into an 'O' shape. "You're the healer!"

"Well, the _beast_ healer, yes." Taia grinned, "and you were supposed to
come and let me know how Tink was doing, and how your brother was coping
with the kitten." she gave a mock frown, "I was thinking everything must be
okay, since you haven't been back to see me."

"Yes. . ." The girl drew out the word with a frown. "Sort of. But it's a lot
of work to take care of her and my mum makes me do _all_ of it."

"Well, you didn't want your mum to get rid of the kitten, did you?" Taia
asked. "And your mum works very hard so she needs you to help take care of
things in your weyr."

"Yes, but it takes so long and Mum makes me bathe Tink _twice_ or even three
times each time." The child took on a long-suffering look. "I spend my whole
day looking after that cat."

"Which is why I had to give her food and fresh water today?" The girl's
mother had appeared behind her, a young child balanced on the woman's hip.
Though she gave Drisha a stern look, a smile played at the woman's lips.

"Oh." The girl looked stricken. "I forgot."

"Forgot?" Taia asked, as she stood up slowly. "Drisha you can't miss the
kitten's feeding time, sweetheart. It's not fair to the kitten and
certainly not to your mother."

"But Renea went by on her way to play and I didn't want Kellaw to follow
me." Drisha looked imploringly from one woman to the other. "I would have
done it later."

"If you hadn't been distracted by something else," reminded her mother.
"Twice this sevenday you've forgotten." The woman glanced toward the
beasthealer. "I'm sorry to draw you into this, but it's something I've been
trying to tell her for a while now."

"Well Drisha, you know, if your mother has to keep feeding Tink, I'll have
to find her a new home." Taia didn't want to, but the child really was
leaving her no choice but to threaten.

"No!" Drisha turned to her mother. "Please, Mum, don't let her take Tink!"

The woman shrugged. "Can you do as the beasthealer asks?"

The child nodded vigorously. "Every day - I'll feed her every day and bathe
her so that she doesn't make Kellaw sneeze and clean her sand box and
everything! I'll take care of her, Mum - really!" She turned her anxious
gaze on Taia. "Really."

"Well, from now on I'm going to be checking up on you. I thought you were
like me, and loved beasts of all shapes and sizes..."

"I do! I really do!" Tears now welled in Drisha's eyes.

"Sssh!" Taia crouched down and opened her arms to the little girl. "Come
here little one." she said quietly, while over the child's head she looked
up at Drina and mouthed the words, "I'm sorry." She really hadn't meant to
reduce the child to tears, it looked like she need more training in the art
of dealing with youngsters.

Drina waited for the tears to subside - accompanied by a few melodramatic
sobs - before stepping forward and placing a hand on Drisha's shoulder.
"It's alright, sweeting. I fed Tink, so she'll be fine until we return
home." She set the little boy she was holding onto the floor. "But because
of having to feed her, I'm running a little bit late. How about if you take
Kellaw with you? Go straight over to the other children and stay there while
I have a few words with this nice lady."

Drisha wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and grinned up at Taia
before grabbing Kellaw's hand and tugging him across the room.

"I am so sorry, Drina. I really need to learn how to deal with children."
Taia flushed deeply, meeting the other woman's eyes in silent appeal.

This brought a low laugh from Drina. "The first thing to learn about
children is that they can turn on the tears to get out of trouble -
especially Drisha. Besides, you can deal with animals and that's something
that not many can claim."

"Thank you for being understanding about that, though. I'm sure a lot of
parents would have not been too happy, with me making their child cry."
Taia smiled, weakly. "Anyway, apart from not being fed, how is Tink doing?
And how is she affecting Kellaw now?"

"Some parents think too highly of their own children's behavior," stated the
fostermother. "However, Drisha has been taking pretty good care of Tink - as
long as I remind her to do so and as long as she doesn't have other plans
that seem more important. And the dry-bathing of the kitten _is_ important.
If it's done regularly, Kellaw is fine, but if not or if Drisha lets Tink
into the sleeping area, Kellaw is miserable. Your suggestions really
worked."

"I'm glad." Taia gave the other woman a wide smile, "I'd say she's probably
just like any other child her age, too easily distracted. I can sort of
remember what I was like at the same age." she gave a self-deprecating
smile. "You've done a good job with her so far, though, Drina."

"Thank you," the woman said, eyes down and cheeks reddening. "Caring for
children is the only thing I've ever done well or even wanted to do. Of
course, it's different with Drisha. Somehow it seems a little harder to
bring up my own child than someone else's."

"Maybe. . ." Taia gave a nod, "but you must be doing something right. She's
probably just testing your limits."

"Maybe," agreed Drina. "Or maybe too much like me. In any case, thank you
for advising us about Tink. I hated the thought of having to find another
home for her and your suggestions made it possible for us to keep her."

"I'm glad I could help."

"You can come see her any time," invited the fostermother. "And if you want
to learn more about relating to children, Drisha will provide you with
plenty of practice."

With a laugh, Taia nodded and bid the young mother goodbye. "Ill drop in
occasionally and see how you're all doing."

"We'll be expecting you." Drina waved and hurried off to see what her
daughter could have gotten into while gone.

Last updated on the June 19th 2007

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Easily Distracted